shawnwashere Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) Hello, my name is Shawn. I'm a 41-yr-old NAUI-certified "Advanced" diver with about 100 dives, mostly in local caverns. I'm planning to do a scuba dive trip to the Santa Fe River, Saturday Sept 7 2013, from Rum Island to #47 bridge. I plan to take one or two of my canoes (I have room for others) and paddle down to Ginnie Springs and dive the Devil's Ear and Devil's Eye (no fee required when diving from the river), and then the drift to the Ballroom , then paddle/dive down to awaiting vehicle at bridge #47. A new interest for me is fossils. I want to search for fossils in the Santa Fe River. I've done so recently and found some neat little things. I can hardly wait to search again. Shawn . Edited September 5, 2013 by shawnwashere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 I would love to join you, but alas, I'm in Texas. I'm still waiting to find a good place here to dive for fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwashere Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) Start driving now! It's okay to speed on I-10 between Texas and Florida. They NEVER give tickets there. If you get pulled over, tell 'em Shawn said it's okay. Thanks for the comment. Edited September 5, 2013 by shawnwashere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auximenes Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 (edited) It's okay to speed on I-10 between Texas and Florida. They NEVER give tickets there. If you get pulled over, tell 'em Shawn said it's okay. I wish I knew that tip before I got a ticket on I-10 coming back from the caves at Marianna a few years back. They got me from a helicopter. Edited September 8, 2013 by auximenes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwbh Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 (edited) is the vis ok now? I dove ginnie twice during the summer about a month apart and it was blackout in the river both times, really wanted to do some fossil hunting. Edited September 8, 2013 by gwbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosaj Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 This sounds like just my kettle of fish! Please let me know if you are going to be keen on doing some fossil diving around 12-16 Nov. I hope to get to Florida around then. I am a commercial diver and very used to low/no viz so im not fussy. Here is a link to a video I shot in a recent trip to Madagascar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossiloz Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I would love to join you, I certified at Ginny Springs, found lots of little fossil shells on the bottom. I heard they do find teeth in the river, but alot of luck was involved, and vis is poor. I was heading down to Venice in October, dive there either off the beach or from a dive boat, you can find stuff, but it's pretty picked over at this point in the year, without a big hurricance stirring it up. But either way it should be fun. Welcome to join up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwashere Posted September 11, 2013 Author Share Posted September 11, 2013 Trip Report: We (3 divers) started our trip at Rum Island with two canoes and a kayak. The recent rains stained the river dark brown with tannic acid in a process incredibly similar to the process of making tea. Also, the prior rainfall gave us a swift current requiring little effort to reach 1.4 miles to Ginnie Springs. We anchored then donned our gear in waist-deep water about 40 feet upriver of Ginnie's "Devils Ear". Brown water yielded to crystal-clear water as we entered the “Eye” and headed upstream to the cavern beneath the “Ear” before ending the dive among tubers and curious snorkelers. We retrieved our boats and then drifted beside our boats downriver to the “Ballroom” for another dive. Later I dove the river in search of fossils while my buddies waited. I was under-weighted for the strong current, working in one-foot visibility, and short on time, so I did minimal exploration at only one anchored site. I found a pair of sunglasses, a flask of alcohol, and some various fossil bits by Braille-diving alone, along with finding some good future sites for exploration. As soon as the water clears we’ll be back searching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundancer73 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Santa Fe is pretty swollen right now with swift currents and the water is dark. We're going to wait a bit before going back in.. :-( All your fossils are belong to us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosaj Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Trip Report: We (3 divers) started our trip at Rum Island with two canoes and a kayak. The recent rains stained the river dark brown with tannic acid in a process incredibly similar to the process of making tea. Also, the prior rainfall gave us a swift current requiring little effort to reach 1.4 miles to Ginnie Springs. We anchored then donned our gear in waist-deep water about 40 feet upriver of Ginnie's "Devils Ear". Brown water yielded to crystal-clear water as we entered the “Eye” and headed upstream to the cavern beneath the “Ear” before ending the dive among tubers and curious snorkelers. We retrieved our boats and then drifted beside our boats downriver to the “Ballroom” for another dive. Later I dove the river in search of fossils while my buddies waited. I was under-weighted for the strong current, working in one-foot visibility, and short on time, so I did minimal exploration at only one anchored site. I found a pair of sunglasses, a flask of alcohol, and some various fossil bits by Braille-diving alone, along with finding some good future sites for exploration. As soon as the water clears we’ll be back searching. Man! This sounds great! I really hope to make a mission there in Nov! What kind of stuff do you find there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwashere Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 Let's get together for a trip down the Santa Fe River to Ginnie Springs. We can dip into the Devil's Eye and blast out his Ear, then drift down and explore the ballroom. If conditions are favorable we can dive the river or search for shark teeth. I'm considering either Saturday 10/19 or Sunday 10/20 and want input as to which date is preferable. Also, please check out "gainesville Scuba" on Facebook to meet divers and find dive events near Gainesville. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosaj Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Anyone on this thread keen for a dive around the 19th or 20 of November? I would love to do devils eye/ear and then go scout for some fossils! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwashere Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 I'm up for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosaj Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 I'm up for that! Great! I will send you a PM once I am in the USA and have a local number! awsome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosaj Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 (edited) I'm up for that! Hi Shawn..are you still keen for a Dive?the 19th is when I can get to the Santa Fe river area.. Edited November 17, 2013 by nosaj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwashere Posted November 18, 2013 Author Share Posted November 18, 2013 (edited) Yep, November 19 will work. I was just diving the river yeserday and the conditions were favorable. Edited November 18, 2013 by shawnwashere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosaj Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Thanks for the great day Shawn! Well worth the trip! PS I found out that there are loads more fossils upriver from rum island.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve71 Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 I would love to join you, but alas, I'm in Texas. I'm still waiting to find a good place here to dive for fossils. not much in diving in texas but lots of beach walking look for areas with big sand dunes and you will find something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwashere Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Thanks for the great day Shawn! Well worth the trip! PS I found out that there are loads more fossils upriver from rum island.. Jason, It was a great trip for me too; I enjoyed your company. I had a great time showing you one of my favorite local treasures, especially on a quiet weekday. It can be quite rewarding to play tour guide to a new friend with similar interests. I admire your desire for adventure and exploration. Thank you coming all the way to America and taking the series ot tours with new friends as you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwashere Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Considering that we explored the Ginnie Springs Ballroom and then went fossil hunting in the river using the same tanks, we did pretty well with the air we had left. Here are some pictures of our trip discoveries. These are on a wire mesh with 1/4-in (6.3 mm) sifting screen: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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