florida freedivers

[Aubie]

Scott, Jeff, et. al...

I'm new to freediving and deeperblue and am looking for some opportunities to advance my diving. I'd like to meet up with you when the weather warms up; I haven't been in the water since November and it's killing me . My Scubapro 5mm wetsuit just doesn't get the job done in the quarry in 54 deg F(I might have been called a wimp before). Are the freediving wesuits as great as they sound? If so I'll have to get one soon and do some cold water diving. All my gear is scuba gear except the Superocchio I just got from deeperblue and now I'm trying to decide on fins. Scott, I posted a question for you on the "Picasso Black Fins" thread in Freediving Equipment if you have any suggestions.

If you don't mind please let me know when you guys dive in the panhandle again. That drive is a reasonable one for me; I wouldn't really mind driving to the Orlando area, but if I was that close to WDW and didn't take my wife I'd have to fill a change of address form at the Post Office :head .

If the temp is warm this weekend I may try Vortex or Morrison Springs; I'm itching to try my new mask. Any thoughts on these springs?


Bladerunnner:

Let me know how great your first dives in clear water turn out.


Hope all dives are great this weekend.

Chalie

 

[BladeRunner]

if we could meet up I would let try my black teams. I have 7.5-8.5 foot pocket and usually wear a 2mm sock but use a 3mm which is a tight feet but they get cold after about 3 hours in 48-50f degree water I'm trying to get picasso america to answer me back about ordering the next size larger foot pocket so i can use 5mm sock.

we need to get together some weekend Aubie,
what depth are you getting to now?

tell me when you plan to go to vortex or morrison and I'll go with yeah!!
I want to dive those places pretty bad myself, I've been to Morrison with tanks I like it alot!!


BladeRunner OUT

 

[Aubie]

Great to hear from you Jeff! Just keep me updated on any activity.

Charlie

 

[Aubie]

Picasso Blacks

Bladerunnner

I'm itching to get some real freediving fins and sometimes I get a little impulsive. But if we can get together and I can try yours on for size, that may help my patience and eliminate the possibility of a wrong decision; that will also give you a chance to dive with my Mosquito to see how you like Suunto computers.

In my previous post I mentioned possibly going to Vortex this weekend, depending on the air temp. But I'll be happy to get together any time we can work it out.

When warmer weather gets here Blue Water is a great place to work on depth and statics. I've made it down past 70' but I am not comfortable at this depth yet and have no bottom time.

Let me know how this weekend goes.


Charlie

 

[BladeRunner]

Hey Scott I did well past my goal for my PB, You can have Erik tell you he did the "Judging" lol

45ft. not just once but a number of dives, right Erik? I felt total great when I got down there!!

Oh sorry that I couldn't make it Sunday Erik. I stayed untill closing Saturday and I slept right through the alarm Sunday morning.

ON they way back to Tampa I sat in a traffic jam waiting for an accident to clear for an hour and 45 minutes.

Oh Erik when you have a chance can you e-mail the pics you took of me, I would really be greatful!

llaxson@hotmail.com

BladeRunner OUT

 

[BladeRunner]

PanHandle

I'm making plans to go to Vortex and Morrison the first weekend of March
I will try to leave work friday night and drive down to Vortex to dive in the mroning. I will probly camp out there and then dive Morrison Sunday untill 2 p.m. and drive back to Atlanta.

It's not set in stone but thats what I will shoot for !!
I hope I will have my dive computer by then to try for another personel best if anyone can make it to spot me!!

You interested Aubie?

BladeRunner OUT

 

[Aubie]

Bladerunner


Sure, count me in! I made it down to Morrison yesterday (2/2) and dove it for the first time. I mentioned earlier I have only a scuba wetsuit, but I put on enough rubber and enough weight and had a good couple of hours.

As the time gets closer let me know if your schedule will work out and we can make plans to meet. I live in Montgomery and Vortex is little more than a 2 hour drive for me, so I'll likely drive down that morning.



Charlie

 

[Aubie]

Panhandle Springs

Jeff and/or Scott:

Earlier in this forum Jeff mentioned that Scott knew some springs in the panhandle that were better dives than Vortex and Morrison. I've dove both the last two weekends and was a little disappointed in the vis. Do any of these other springs have easier to reach depths(i.e. more vertical vents and caverns)? Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Charlie

 

[BladeRunner]

Hey Charlie are you up for Madison Quarry next weekend?

Les (aka BladeRunner)

 

[Aubie]

Madison Quarry

Hey Les,


I'm definitely interested in diving the quarry, but the water temp is gonna be the thing for me. Earlier today at Vortex I got a little chilled with 66 deg water after two hours. My wetsuit is covered in zippers and it's probably a little compressed from scuba. Do you have any idea of water temp at Madison?


Are you still thinking about the springs for Mar 1?

Charlie

 

[BladeRunner]

Yeah I'm still thinking about going the first weekend in March!!! I want to make some really great PB if your up for spotting me?

Well I checked with the Quarry and the Temp at the surface and at depth is "mid 40's LOL!!!

You wouldn't be interested in a used pair of Black Teams would yeah size (40-42)?


"When I was at Blue Springs last weekend, the water temp was like 72 and I was cooking alive in my 5 mm Beuchat spearo suit!! I had flood the suit regular to cool off!!!"

When you were at Vortex and Morrison how was the dive traffic and how bad was the viz!!

 

[Aubie]

Black Team fins

Yeah I might be interested if they are the right size? We can get together 3/1 and ckeck that out.

And I'll be more than happy to spot you at the springs. Today the vis was very low(5-10') at Vortex, even at the cavern entrance. But after the scuba divers got out things cleared up a bit. But by this time i was a little cold and tired, so I only made 3 more dives and didn't push it.


Charlie

 

[Aubie]

Quarry diving

Les,

If Madison is similar to Pelham the surface temp warms up pretty quickly, usually 82-83 F in the spring. So don't worry warm water diving is just around the corner. You probably won't need any kind of suit in that water, but I do prefer to wear a 3/2 for bouyancy and it helps with the thermoclines.



Last weekend at Morrison(2/2) the surface vis was about 20' with a good dose(~15 ) of divers in the water. But down at the vent, depth 50', vis was 50'+.

About the same # of divers today at Vortex. Both weekends I was the only freediver.


Charlie

 

[BladeRunner]

I'm still going to go to Madison I just will take regular warm up break like I do here in Lake Lanier ( temp48-50F)!!!

I want to make to the open of the cave at Vortex that's my goal. You said it was at 50ft. right?

BladeRunner OUT

 

[scott]

Cypress Springs

Aubie,

Morrison Springs is still my favorite in the panhandle area. I have never been when the viz was not excellent, so I was surprised to hear otherwise (I have never been in the winter, so perhaps that has something to do with it?). Usually the water is absolute crystal. Vortex, on the other hand, can get very cloudy (especially with a lot of divers).

My second favorite spring in that area is Cypress Springs. It is now private property but boat access is allowed. This is the spring that was on the cover of National Geographic, when they did an article on Florida Springs. Very beautiful, crystal clear water and a nice cavern/cave dive. The cave entrance is only about 15' deep but then it opens into a large room, with depths to 55' (and beyond into another room, but I do not recommend that without scuba and proper training).

Jeff and I will be making another trip up there in the spring, so we'll keep you posted.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Aubie]

The cave opening at Vortex is at about 45' and the opening at Morrison, I think it's called "the chimney", is at about 52'. Based on my one day diving at each, I'd say Morrison is a more easily reached point(vis, comfort), but with improved vis I'd bet Vortex would be a more comfortable and easier dive because Morrison does have a flow to contend with. But they are about 10 miles apart so diving both in 1 day would be no sweat.

Charlie

 

[Aubie]

Cypress

Hi Scott. That sounds great to me, I'd love to meet you guys there! I did my first scuba open water dives there in '99 and even did some night diving there the same summer and I completely agree with you, absolutely beautiful. It's funnny for me looking back, I was so tuned in trying to be a good student I don't think I really even paid much attention to the cavern opening. Who knew I'd be so interested in that later, but without scuba gear?

I remember the boil on the surface above the cavern; on the surface it was strong enough to push you to the side. Can you compare the strength of the flow with Morrison.

I was right behind two scuba classes the day I dove Morrison and the bottom was a little stirred up. After they got out vis cleared right up on the surface, and the vent was crystal the whole time. Then the scuba folks finished their surface interval and I got to enjoy their company again.:head

I'd really like to dive there with you guys if you don't mind doing so with a beginner. Please just let me know.

Charlie

 

[BladeRunner]

I would like to tag along if you guys don't mind. I know I was a boring person to dive with at Blue Springs Scott but I would like to dive with you guys again!!

BladeRunner OUT

 

[Aubie]

Les,


I'm going to defer to the experience on this thread and adjust my thinking on Vortex. Scott wrote the vis can be iffy with a lot of divers in the water, which was the case today. Things may be similar on 3/1, but because they are so slose I can't think of any reason not to dive both, especially if you'll be camping there anyway.

E-mail me from the info on my profile to plan all the details.

Charlie

 

[Aubie]

taggin along

Don't feel too bad Blade, we can swim in the kiddie pool while we take notes!!