Florida in Feb

[MikeP]

After having my November trip rerouted to Mexico, I'm looking forward to returning to Florida.
Anyone else doing a new year's run to cave country?
We're heading down Feb 24 to march 9

Mike

[marc g]

Not this time...it's springbreak for the Qu?becois so I'm out on this one. I'm actully looking at going in June for Victor's graduation.

[MikeP]

Florida in June? damn that sounds awfully warm.
Had 28C in MX and I found it tough getting geared up.

Mike

[marc g]

Actually it's not that bad been there in June before it's worse in August . It was 34?C and 99.99% humidity while diving dry with my heavy underwear. Like Tom's says it was damn hot I saw one of those guys in the red robe burst into flames.

[MichelC]

After having my November trip rerouted to Mexico, I'm looking forward to returning to Florida.
Anyone else doing a new year's run to cave country?
We're heading down Feb 24 to march 9

Mike


I've hear so much dang chatter about this cave diving thing, I think I'll head down with you and stick my head in one...a cave that is...:-)

I'm going to start contacting instructors over the next few weeks. Has anyone trained with Jill Heinerth?

[MikeP]

EXCELLENT!!!!

I tried working over Matt yesterday but he's still on the fence.
Hopefully he'll crack under the peer pressure.

[JimC]

I'll talk to the SWMBO. But I ain't driven down if I go. :)

[MikeP]

I've debatted that myself.

What average airfare?

[Neil]

I'll talk to the SWMBO. But I ain't driven down if I go. :)

Can you rent sidemount tanks down there? If so, where?

[JimC]

I don't know what is average, but we payed something like $300 for the flight from Syracuse to Orlando and $400 for a car. I might look into flying out of Ottawa this time even if it is a bit more expncive to save the drive and $80 in parking.

Yes, you can rent sidemounts in Florida.. shesh.. Where? Everywhere.

[MikeP]

Can you rent sidemount tanks down there? If so, where?

Neil,

Are you going to complete your full cave in sidemount?

[JimC]

Sidemount is more gooder.

[marc g]

You guys may want to drive down this time around. The price of flying from Syracuse to Orlando is about 234.00US one way and about 319.00US the other way from Orlando to Syracuse. You can get 199.00US from Syracuse to New York city and and than Orlando one way. Winter pricing is in effect.

Flying from Ottawa is around 800.00 to 1000.00 round trip on Tango and most of the flights are sold out.

That's one of the reason's why I've put my winter trip on hold. I can't justify the cost when I can pick up a cheap trip in November. June should also be cheap not too many people travel down south in the summer.

[Tom Falardeau]

Winter is the time for the Caribbean, dudes :D

Caves are best done during the off-season, while the locals are still in school, the gypsies are fleecing the punters somewhere around NC, and Florida is neither too warm or too cold. The November trip was positively chilly this time. So much for Al the Goracle and Fruit-Fly Suzuki with their AGW.....

[MikeP]

I have reserved Nov 08 for MX again.
Same time, same resort.

$850.00 pp AI from Ottawa all taxes in for 1 week, add $30 /day for breathing gas and voila, just over a grand for one week of cave diving or 2k for 2 weeks.

[Neil]

Neil,

Are you going to complete your full cave in sidemount?

I don't know what to do. My apprentice cert will expire in february, I'm not good enough at sidemount to go take full cave in it, and I'm out of practice with backmount doubles. Maybe I'll just go down some time before February and worry about the c-card next year.

[JimC]

Flying from Ottawa is around 800.00 to 1000.00 round trip on Tango and most of the flights are sold out.


Me, I call that a bargain to avoid 40+ hours of driving.



Caves are best done during the off-season, while the locals are still in school, the gypsies are fleecing the punters somewhere around NC, and Florida is neither too warm or too cold.

You mean when there are hundreds of cave divers crawling all over the place after DEMA? :) I actually REALLY enjoy the diving in Feb... there is no one there, not even pea**** has people. So what if you need a touque.

[JimC]

I don't know what to do. My apprentice cert will expire in february, I'm not good enough at sidemount to go take full cave in it, and I'm out of practice with backmount doubles. Maybe I'll just go down some time before February and worry about the c-card next year.

Give Reg a call. You can probably go do a 'check out dive/first day of full' with him and he canl ether renew your App or suggest you finish off full cave the following day.

[MichelC]

You guys may want to drive down this time around. The price of flying from Syracuse to Orlando is about 234.00US one way and about 319.00US the other way from Orlando to Syracuse. You can get 199.00US from Syracuse to New York city and and than Orlando one way. Winter pricing is in effect.

Flying from Ottawa is around 800.00 to 1000.00 round trip on Tango and most of the flights are sold out.

That's one of the reason's why I've put my winter trip on hold. I can't justify the cost when I can pick up a cheap trip in November. June should also be cheap not too many people travel down south in the summer.


I just ran it through Westjet, Ottawa-Orlando direct (Mar 29-Apr 5), after taxes-surcharges...Total Cost of Return Flight $591.86. Keep in mind they run great sales all the time. I just flew back from Tampa for under $200.

[MikeP]

(Mar 29-Apr 5)

Michel,
You gotta be on the wrong calender page, we are going to FL at the end of FEB :-)

[MichelC]

Oops. None the less, the prices are as low as $227 before taxes, each way, depending on which days you fly.

[marc g]

I'm looking at the dates that Mike P gave us February to March. I got those prices off peak also. I agree with you Jim but remember the domino effect. Everyone is looking at making a dollar at our expense during prime travel time.

P.S. my wife is a travel agent.

Hey, Bill there is some activity on the board.

[JimC]

I'm looking at the dates that Mike P gave us February to March. I got those prices off peak also. I agree with you Jim but remember the domino effect. Everyone is looking at making a dollar at our expense during prime travel time.

P.S. my wife is a travel agent.

Hey, Bill there is some activity on the board.

I'd still rather not be sweating bullets in my drysuit in FL when I could be diving local caves. :)

Ether way, I think the SWMBO sort of O.K.'ed a 1 week trip.

[marc g]

No winter holiday for me this year. I'm going back to school.

[Tom Falardeau]

No winter holiday for me this year. I'm going back to school.
Do tell.........

[Neil]

Yes, you can rent sidemounts in Florida.. shesh.. Where? Everywhere.

Were you able to find steel sidemount tanks with left-hand and right-hand valves to rent? Or did you have to rent aluminum 80's and put weights on them and have a backwards valve on one side?

(weighing the pros and cons of driving vs flying)

[marc g]

Neil, bring your own valves and a transfer whip. Rent your tanks from Wayne's at Amigos he's got some sidemount to rent.

[Neil]

Neil, bring your own valves and a transfer whip. Rent your tanks from Wayne's at Amigos he's got some sidemount to rent.

Thanks!

[JimC]

Man, you seem to think sidemount is something risque or uncommon in Florida.

Neil, they inveted it, they have the stuff in whatever shape, size or configuration you want.

[Dale]

I'll talk to the SWMBO. But I ain't driven down if I go. :)

SWMBO?

one week trip kind of okay?

o_O?

[JimC]

SWMBO
n. a woman in authority; a wife.

She Who Must Be Obayed

[Dale]

Torn between nodding sympathetically, agreeing without question, and snorting. =)

[JimC]

WestJet seat sale to Orlando right now, I am booked and payed already for the dates below. Love to share a rental/accoms if anyone else is headed down for the same time frame. If None else is confirmed for those times, I'll be staying at Cathies. :)

From Ottawa, ON (YOW) to Orlando, FL (MCO)
Saturday, 23 Feb 08 Flight WS 976 Depart Ottawa, ON (YOW) at 11:35 AM and arrive in Orlando, FL (MCO) at 2:44 PM

From Orlando, FL (MCO) to Ottawa, ON (YOW)
Saturday, 01 Mar 08 Flight WS 977 Depart Orlando, FL (MCO) at 3:30 PM and arrive in Ottawa, ON (YOW) at 6:28 PM

Grand Total $384.10 CAD

[Neil]

FYI There's also a westjet seal sale on for $313 tax included for a return flight Ottawa to Orlando... but this is partially off topic since its for Jan 26 to Feb 2... only 2/7 of it is in February :D

[MikeP]

WestJet seat sale to Orlando right now, I am booked and payed already for the dates below. Love to share a rental/accoms if anyone else is headed down for the same time frame. If None else is confirmed for those times, I'll be staying at Cathies. :)

From Ottawa, ON (YOW) to Orlando, FL (MCO)
Saturday, 23 Feb 08 Flight WS 976 Depart Ottawa, ON (YOW) at 11:35 AM and arrive in Orlando, FL (MCO) at 2:44 PM

From Orlando, FL (MCO) to Ottawa, ON (YOW)
Saturday, 01 Mar 08 Flight WS 977 Depart Orlando, FL (MCO) at 3:30 PM and arrive in Ottawa, ON (YOW) at 6:28 PM

Grand Total $384.10 CAD

Jim,

Those are our same dates, but we'll be staying on an extra week

To date it's just Finn and I with Radu maybe iterested.
Finn is the one looking into accomodations, I'll have him ping you


Mike

[Neil]

Are you guys going to dive at Telford? Apparently the only legal way is to wade 300ft along the suwanee river.. (or boat there) and there are alligators!

[MikeP]

There's been talk of bringin down scooters for that exact purpose.
I'd like to do Telford again as I was sidelined with an ear issue last year but we'll have to look at the logistic of it.


Mike

[JimC]

Yes, but from the other end.

Actually, there are so many farking caves in that area there isn't really a need to bother with it. Even scootering it is a hassle I don't particularly want to bother with when I could be diving elsewhere without the pseudo illegal activity.

[kurat]

Pseudo Legal is what makes it fun!


Hey, what would be the closest caverns to Orlando. If I was to take the family on a trip to Disney and bail out for two days for a cavern course is it feasible or too far? I'd return to the hotel at night to be witht he family.

[JimC]

Probably Ginnie @ 2.5 hours drive for newbi friendly places with training oportunities. Ofcourse, said course will also likely have some dives in P1 which is 50 minutes further.

[kurat]

Ouch, thats pretty far. OK, what about other types of diving, is there anything within an hour or so of Orlando?

[Neil]

Ouch, thats pretty far. OK, what about other types of diving, is there anything within an hour or so of Orlando?

You could do this, and it could be an event for your family too :
http://www.wdwnews.com/ViewPressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=99857

[kurat]

I would rather dive in Humber bay than do that dive :P

[Neil]

Yes, but from the other end.

Actually, there are so many farking caves in that area there isn't really a need to bother with it. Even scootering it is a hassle I don't particularly want to bother with when I could be diving elsewhere without the pseudo illegal activity.

I think that by not walking on the property owner's land, he doesn't have to worry about being liable if someone dies in the cave. Also his main reason for kicking the public off his land was the local hicks who would hang out there. If the owner really disliked divers, I could see calling it pseudo illegal, but it seems like no one has an issue with divers entering from the water, it avoids any of the problems that the landowner was concerned about.

If you have any other information please tell us.. I wouldn't want to engage in something that's really pseudo-illegal.

[JimC]

Well, it is trespassing since no one in there right mind would call the dried up run with a trickle of water navigable. That said, you are right.. its closed because of the murder that happened up the road. The owners are actually very diver friendly and are working with the various agencies on a way to open it up for diving. Sneak diving it doesn't help that process.

With so many other, public, no restriction, options inside a 30 minute drive, there really is no reason to dive it, IMHO.

[Neil]

Pseudo Legal is what makes it fun!


Hey, what would be the closest caverns to Orlando. If I was to take the family on a trip to Disney and bail out for two days for a cavern course is it feasible or too far? I'd return to the hotel at night to be witht he family.

Weeki Wachee isn't too far from Orlando, and I believe they have caverns. And they have mermaid shows too.

[marc g]

If memory serves me right it's only open water you're not allowed to take lights with you.

[Neil]

There's been talk of bringin down scooters for that exact purpose.
I'd like to do Telford again as I was sidelined with an ear issue last year but we'll have to look at the logistic of it.


Mike

The scooters would be a good idea, that Suwanee river water is chilly and there's a good current, and there are tree branches making it hard to stay by the shore :-o

[Neil]

Neil, bring your own valves and a transfer whip. Rent your tanks from Wayne's at Amigos he's got some sidemount to rent.

I really like Wayne's setup. His self-serve fill station is perfect. Not that I'd ever fill a tank above its legal fill pressure, but for people who like good fills, self-serve is probably the way to go :biggrin: