Hey guys,
I just got back from Florida and thought I would share my dive with y'all. No spearing this time out, but still a readable story
. I only went for 4 days, and hadn't planned on getting to do any diving because my main objective was to be the best man in my bud's wedding (poor soul). Still, I thought I would bring some of my dive gear anyway - you just have to . Since I was packing light, I only grabed a shorty and a my pair of hockey fins (sporasub cruises). Each day I hoped that the ceremonial mumbo jumbo would end early enough to allow me the chance to go jump in the water, but alas, with every insignificant decision requiring 14 opinions from 14 unqualified opinion-givers, I found myself dry at the end of every day. Finally, on the day my plane was scheduled to take off (14:30), I woke up early and decided to try to take in an early morning dive. I woke my friend's brother-in-law (whom I was staying with) and talked him into taking me to a local spring for an hour or two before racing me to the airport. He wasn't crazy about not having tanks, but having been an avid bubble-blower, he knew how to equalize and would suffice as an adequate dive buddy for the day (so long as I didn't push the limits). The spring entrance is located in a 10-foot deep pool, and drops down 80 feet where it takes a 90 degree bend into darkness. When we got to the spring we saw many manatees grazing in an area not accessible to divers. We thought it would have been nice to see the big boys, but in truth, my main objective was to get a chance to feel some depth. After feeling out the area with a series of progressively deeper dives, I was able to confidently reach the bottom. There was a "don't go past this point or you will likely wind up dead" sign at around 60 feet deep. The sign was covered with a thin layer of algae, and many divers had started a list of names (scratched into the algae with their fingernails) of the folks who had been there. I thought I would add my name to the list, and after completing my best underwater penmanship headed up for air. When I was half way to the top my exit suddenly underwent a solar eclipse. Four big manatees had motored over to the public area and were all looking down the entrance at me. I hit the breaks.....stunned at their girth. These boys were bigger around than my refrigerator. The rule in the springs is "don't touch the manatees"; so I decided to approach slowly and see if they would kindly step aside. Finally they shifted enough to allow me a seam to squeeze through along the side of the entrance. In the following 1/2 hour of so, the four manatees swam with us. From all the video footage I've seen of these beasts, they would always hold still on the bottom - very inactive. But these guys were hauling a$$ all over the small pool; doing barrel-roles and leaving a wake on the surface. Finally, the three biggest returned to their grazing grounds, but the small one stayed to chat a bit longer. I made a series of shallow dives and held on to a fallen log. The manatee would approach every time and get his eye to within inches of mine. Then he would just hold there, looking at me, until I had to surface. I think he might have even been teasing me for having to make 5 surface intervals for each one of his . I swam right up until the last possible moment, and had to change in the car on the way to the airport. Barely made the plane, and found myself driving home in the snow 4 hours after swimmin in 72-degree manatee water. I know you blue-water spearos encounter big critters all the time, but I don't. Quite an experience......one this Wisconsin boy won't soon forget.
Cheers,
Ted
I just got back from Florida and thought I would share my dive with y'all. No spearing this time out, but still a readable story
. I only went for 4 days, and hadn't planned on getting to do any diving because my main objective was to be the best man in my bud's wedding (poor soul). Still, I thought I would bring some of my dive gear anyway - you just have to . Since I was packing light, I only grabed a shorty and a my pair of hockey fins (sporasub cruises). Each day I hoped that the ceremonial mumbo jumbo would end early enough to allow me the chance to go jump in the water, but alas, with every insignificant decision requiring 14 opinions from 14 unqualified opinion-givers, I found myself dry at the end of every day. Finally, on the day my plane was scheduled to take off (14:30), I woke up early and decided to try to take in an early morning dive. I woke my friend's brother-in-law (whom I was staying with) and talked him into taking me to a local spring for an hour or two before racing me to the airport. He wasn't crazy about not having tanks, but having been an avid bubble-blower, he knew how to equalize and would suffice as an adequate dive buddy for the day (so long as I didn't push the limits). The spring entrance is located in a 10-foot deep pool, and drops down 80 feet where it takes a 90 degree bend into darkness. When we got to the spring we saw many manatees grazing in an area not accessible to divers. We thought it would have been nice to see the big boys, but in truth, my main objective was to get a chance to feel some depth. After feeling out the area with a series of progressively deeper dives, I was able to confidently reach the bottom. There was a "don't go past this point or you will likely wind up dead" sign at around 60 feet deep. The sign was covered with a thin layer of algae, and many divers had started a list of names (scratched into the algae with their fingernails) of the folks who had been there. I thought I would add my name to the list, and after completing my best underwater penmanship headed up for air. When I was half way to the top my exit suddenly underwent a solar eclipse. Four big manatees had motored over to the public area and were all looking down the entrance at me. I hit the breaks.....stunned at their girth. These boys were bigger around than my refrigerator. The rule in the springs is "don't touch the manatees"; so I decided to approach slowly and see if they would kindly step aside. Finally they shifted enough to allow me a seam to squeeze through along the side of the entrance. In the following 1/2 hour of so, the four manatees swam with us. From all the video footage I've seen of these beasts, they would always hold still on the bottom - very inactive. But these guys were hauling a$$ all over the small pool; doing barrel-roles and leaving a wake on the surface. Finally, the three biggest returned to their grazing grounds, but the small one stayed to chat a bit longer. I made a series of shallow dives and held on to a fallen log. The manatee would approach every time and get his eye to within inches of mine. Then he would just hold there, looking at me, until I had to surface. I think he might have even been teasing me for having to make 5 surface intervals for each one of his . I swam right up until the last possible moment, and had to change in the car on the way to the airport. Barely made the plane, and found myself driving home in the snow 4 hours after swimmin in 72-degree manatee water. I know you blue-water spearos encounter big critters all the time, but I don't. Quite an experience......one this Wisconsin boy won't soon forget.Cheers,
Ted
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