So I made it official and bought tickets for North Florida from May 19-28. I'll be finishing my full cave class from May 22-24.
However the 25, 26, 27, and 28th are the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday associated with Memorial Day weekend so if anyone was interested in a trip to North Florida it's not a bad time of the year. During my class I plan on staying at the High Springs Country Inn and then camping at Ginnie Springs during the weekend.
Any cave divers going to be in the area during that time?
North Florida Cave Diving
- kitsapdiver
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North Florida Cave Diving
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- Grateful Diver
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Re: North Florida Cave Diving
You're gonna camp at Ginnie Springs over Memorial Day week-end?
Do you know what goes on that week-end? It's like Animal House on steroids ... makes the parking lot scene at a Grateful Dead show look like a cocktail party.
We showed up there the day after the festivities two years ago to the charred remains of tents and sleeping bags ... picnic tables in the river ... and mountains of trash and broken beer bottles everywhere. The guy at the dive shop said it was a pretty good week-end ... they only had three significant injuries and 17 arrests ... and nobody died.
If you're into a truly wild party scene with 3,000 drunken rednecks, then enjoy yourself. Otherwise, I'd be looking for some other place to camp that week-end.
Oh ... and have fun with the diving ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Do you know what goes on that week-end? It's like Animal House on steroids ... makes the parking lot scene at a Grateful Dead show look like a cocktail party.
We showed up there the day after the festivities two years ago to the charred remains of tents and sleeping bags ... picnic tables in the river ... and mountains of trash and broken beer bottles everywhere. The guy at the dive shop said it was a pretty good week-end ... they only had three significant injuries and 17 arrests ... and nobody died.
If you're into a truly wild party scene with 3,000 drunken rednecks, then enjoy yourself. Otherwise, I'd be looking for some other place to camp that week-end.
Oh ... and have fun with the diving ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
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Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
North Florida Cave Diving
Search YouTube for ginnie springs and you'll see plenty of videos depicting what Bob described above.
- Joshua Smith
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Re: North Florida Cave Diving
If you're lucky, you can finish your class before the first fire breaks out. You couldn't pay me to be anywhere near that place on Memorial day weekend.
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- kitsapdiver
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North Florida Cave Diving
I've heard these stories and want to see the mayhem for myself! I have non diving friends that will be camping at Ginnie that weekend
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Re: North Florida Cave Diving
Here right now, and they are already ramping up. Turns out that Memorial day weekend alone covers ALL of Ginnie Springs operating costs. Employee wages, product creation, marketing, maintenance and building, etc. The rest of the year is PURE profit.
Ginnie is a gorgeous place (I know you've been there). Much more up to date and clean in comparison to other State parks, not to mention Devils Den.
FYI: Last year, divers pulled out enough beer bottles and trash to fill eight garbage containers.
You have GOT to get and post pictures of this event, bro!
D
Ginnie is a gorgeous place (I know you've been there). Much more up to date and clean in comparison to other State parks, not to mention Devils Den.
FYI: Last year, divers pulled out enough beer bottles and trash to fill eight garbage containers.
You have GOT to get and post pictures of this event, bro!
D
- Joshua Smith
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Re: North Florida Cave Diving
kitsapdiver wrote:I've heard these stories and want to see the mayhem for myself! I have non diving friends that will be camping at Ginnie that weekend
*shudder* Well, sounds like my idea of hell on earth, but you have fun! And post some pics and vid!
Maritime Documentation Society
"To venture into the terrible loneliness, one must have something greater than greed. Love. One needs love for life, for intrigue, for mystery."
"To venture into the terrible loneliness, one must have something greater than greed. Love. One needs love for life, for intrigue, for mystery."
Re: North Florida Cave Diving
Ah, I see you've never done your deco on "The Log", while watching the famed "bikini sharks" above you. There are perky, I mean perks to going that weekend.Joshua Smith wrote:*shudder* Well, sounds like my idea of hell on earth, but you have fun! And post some pics and vid!
(Ok, that's a little sexist, but I have to find the positive in the situation...)
-C
There are no stupid questions, but there sure are a lot of inquisitive idiots...
Re: North Florida Cave Diving
I'm not sure about 'bikini sharks", but the "muffin tops" I saw there put me off pastry for a while...
- kitsapdiver
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North Florida Cave Diving
Fair enough! I am a "mid-20's" guy from the East coast. So the idea of camping with a bunch of red-necks from the south doesn't bother me. More appropriately it feels at home. I have adapted to the classier more civilized ways of the north west most of the time. I own a north face jacket and pategonia rain gear, but every so often long for my college days, and if I don't do it now those days of my life will pass me by.fishb0y wrote:I'm not sure about 'bikini sharks", but the "muffin tops" I saw there put me off pastry for a while...
Furthermore I like to think of them not as red-necks, but rather as college students. And much to my dismay UF is one of the best public schools in the country.
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