Florida-The Sea of Cortez Scuba Center Travel

Sea of Cortez Scuba Center

Florida

$ 1399.00
November/December, 2006
8 days/7 nights
(Per Person, Double Occupancy)

This wonderful family trip is one that will stay with the whole family for years to come! Dive or snorkel in the various fresh water springs of Northwestern Florida. The price above includes 8 days/7 nights at the Jim Hollis "River Rendezvous" complete large sunken bathrooms and unlimited diving on the beautiful river front. You'll be going on side trips to the Crystal River to spend a day with the manatees. Another side trip is to a freshwater pool that is called "The Catfish Motel". All meals are provided including a spectacular Thanksgiving Day dinner. This is a real family vacation that can even include the grandparents!

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The one place that is a must see is the Homosassa Springs State Park. This place is a one of a kind State Park. Originally a wildlife amusement park it was taken over by the state and is now a rehab center for all sorts of wildlife, including manatees. (There's even a mountain lion from Arizona there, thanks to someone who had her totally declawed and then decided to get rid of her!) The parks main attraction is an enormous freshwater spring where the manatees live. Located in this spring is a large "aquarium". However, your the one that's in it! The manatees swim round and round you and this experience is quite indescribable. There are microphones bringing all the sounds that are made in the water inside to you. Along with the manatees are several saltwater predator fish that swim up from the ocean for a nice refreshing freshwater bath. Amazingly these predators have never been documented eating in these springs, it seems to be a "neutral" zone. This really is a great place for young and old. This webmaster has been there and highly recommends it!


Crystal River - Although over an hour away this is the best place for snorklers to both see and interact with the gentle, cuddly West Indian Manatees, an endangered species. Although technically a river, the Crystal River is actually a collection of interconnected bays, fed by a number of freshwater springs. The manatee congregate at night near the springs and go out to feed late in the morning. You do have to get up very early but it is well worth it. Divers bubbles do disturb the manatees which is why it's snorkeling only, however, since the water is so shallow and clear there really is no use for tanks and regulators anyway.
	Blue Grotto - Just minutes away from Devil's Den is the Blue Grotto, another sinkhole. However Blue Grotto provides an entirely different diving experience. Among the unique features found here are a circulation system that helps assure visibility up to 200 feet, along with a custom air bell in which divers can surface and talk to each other some 30 feet below the surface. Because there is no cave system you may use lights. There is also a underwater lighting system along with a guideline that runs the circumference of the cave. This way you can pull yourself along without using your fins to maintain the visibility. At approximately 50 feet is another line that advanced divers can use to venture to maximum depths of 100 feet. However, you must maintain contact with the line at all times.
	Devils Den - The opening to this site measures 20 feet across. You can see water over 50 feet below but what you can't see is the beauty that awaits you. You must descend a set of stairs carved in the limestone, several feet from the opening. At the base of the first set of stairs you will be on ledge overlooking a room secular times the diameter of the natural entrance above. As you continue to descend you arrive a wide platform at the bottom of the stairs and among 33 million year old rock formations. The walls continue to flare outwards below the surface. When the walls finally meet the bottom of the sinkhole, some 25 to 55 feet below the surface, the diameter of the site is as much as 200 feet. You may fully explore all the nooks and crannies, however even after an hour of diving time, you still won't be able to see everything.
Orange Grove Sink - Located in the Peacock Springs State Recreation Area this dive site is an excellent opportunity for divers to see a variety of examples of this regions unique geological formations. A sheer, 70 foot high underwater cliff provides an inland wall dive running the entire length of the north side of the sink. Along this wall are several small and large cavern entrances, including an opening at the bottom of the wall that leads to a room nearly as large as the open water basin above. You can enter these caves ONLY if certified and with a group of other certified cave divers. Cavern dive training can be arranged for an extra fee if you let TSC know ahead of time.
	Ginnie Springs - This spring is the center of a 200 acre resort situated along the south bank of the Santa Fe River. Entering the water is easy, thanks to staircases and a wide deck. The cavern allows open water divers to get a taste of cavern diving without formal training. The two adjoining cavern rooms have white limestone walls, unique rock formations and a near total lack of silt. A welded grate prevents divers from going anywhere that poses a substantial risk. You MAY bring lights on this dive while you explore what is widely considered to be the world's most beautiful underwater cavern.
Catfish Hotel - This a large open water basin whose north side is a sheer wall, dropping more than 50 feet to a huge cavern entrance. What makes this particular cavern unique besides its size is its west edge is a powerful underground river. You can explore most of the cavern except for this area where the current can pull you toward the main spring. Throughout the basin area are many "mini" caverns where you'll often see large congregations of catfish. Like many of the springs in the area, Catfish Hotel is normally covered by a layer of duckweed which can create some spectacular lighting effects.
	Rainbow River - This is a river drift dive. You will be taken to a point near the Rainbow River head spring. Here you may snorkel before beginning your trip downstream. Rainbow River is actually a spring run. The visibility is near perfect and depths range from 10 to 25 feet as you drift along with the current. Along the way you'll stop at various depressions where spring water is coming from cracks, crevices or sand boils. You'll also probably run into a school of Florida Gar. These docile animals can reach lengths of up to five feet.
Paradise Springs - This small sinkhole opening located among lush, tropical vegetation gives the diver little idea to the size of the cavern below. Upon descending you will find yourself in a huge, naturally lighted underwater room. One unique feature of this site is the layer of fossilized Sand Dollars embedded in a wall near the ceiling. There's also the remains of a Mastodon skull. These and other natural formations help highlight the cavern's 30 million year old origins.

Manatees are an endangered species and are protected by strictly enforced state and federal laws, including boat speed zones (power boats are the number one killer of manatees) and manatee sanctuaries. Prior to a dive tour or boat rental, each person is required to review a "Manatee Manners" video and a set of guidelines for interacting with manatees. Be sure to pay close attention and stay clear of no-entry zones that mark federal manatee sanctuaries. Violations can be costly - up to $100,000 and one year in prison.

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