Sand Dog IX Information.

[Nemrod]

You know I exaggerate for effect. The incoming tides are perfect for SD for morning through 1PM. In fact, the outgoing tide probably will not begin to be too inconvenient until around 3ish. St. Andrews inlet is not especially dangerous for current anyways.

For a night dive, after observing the OUTGOING current during the day hours, it is entirely possible and easy to enter through the kiddie pool on the bay end and let the outgoing tide take you (possibly us) to the "Hole in the Wall" and then exist back to the kiddie pool. In theory it is easy, with a bit of a plan.

If I participate in this mission it will be more of a dusk dive. I have a little strobe and some chemical glow lights on the dive flag will help keep boats away (or attract them)and give fisherman a target to cast at.

The jetty there is an excellent dive and when conditions are prime it is one of the best in Florida only exceeded by some of the south Florida beach dives which themselves require long swims and often strong currents. Tides aside, viz can be anything at anytime. I have seen close to 0 often and maybe as much as 60 plus rarely with 15 to 30 common. Not been there in a while but doubt it has changed to much in that regard.

We will bring a bottle of whiskey along, if we get swept to sea we can get drunk and that way we won't feel the bull sharks nibbling on us nearly as much.

Nem

[Popeye]

See my new topic "St.Andrews State Park,Panama City Beach,Fl, Dive information." Also I suggest not to under estimate the Current,Boats and fishing activity in the jetty area during the tourist season.

[captain]

A backup depending on weather conditions. Morrison Springs is about 50 miles north west of PC.
http://underwaterflorida.homestead.com/morrison.html

[Bryan]

We plan on going there on Sunday....We can go other days as well. Sand Dog is as much about getting together and BSing as it is diving.

[Popeye]

Morrison Spring

If you haven't been there in the last 2-3 years you will see a lot of improvements,paved excess,parking and picnic pavilions over looking historic Morrison Springs.

Hours: Open daily, sunrise to sunset.
Fees: None
Water Clarity Scale (1 Excellent - 5 Poor) Status: 1 (as of April 17, 2012)

Questions? (850) 892-8108 (Walton County Parks Division)

Morrison Springs is one of the most popular diving spots in northwest Florida and well-known throughout the southeast. This 161-acre park was acquired by the state in 2004 and has been leased to the county to maintain and preserve. The highlight of the park is a 250-foot diameter spring pool that produces and estimated 48 million gallons of crystal clear water each day and has been recorded to produce up to 70 million gallons a day. Three cavities allow Morrison's frigid waters to surface from the underground aquifer. The deepest of these cavities, at approximately 300 foot in depth, eventually terminates in an underground chamber of unknown dimensions.

The new Morrison Springs Park includes large boardwalks overlooking the springs, a diving dock and a new boat ramp away from the diving location.


Morrison Springs is located in the eastern part of Walton County, FL


From Panama City Beach, FL: Head west on Hwy 98 to 79 north to Hwy 20 west, then head north on Highway 81 for several miles. Turn right onto Highway 181. Drive for 1.5 miles and turn right onto Morrison Springs Road and follow to its end.

[8dust]

Planning a stop there myself Sunday morning on my way out of Dodge.

[Nemrod]

Yes, Morrison on Sunday, great plan! Probably be a bit crowded but who cares, it will be fun and a good freshwater rinse for all of our gear. I have not be there since all of the "improvements" but I have heard it is still a great dive, one of my favorite springs and cavern dive.

Last time I was there, I swear, it was a Monday morning, I was the only person there. I geared up and headed into the water and a fisherman waved to me and told me there was a 10 foot gator hanging around. I figured he was just trying to run me off so I gave him the old story line about growing up with gators and pulling their tails. He then set off with a hmmmpppff probably figuring I would be eaten. Well, I was not eaten but that gator was actually 10 feet or more and he actually was a bit odd acting and after I decided he was on an intercept course for me, I high tailed it out of there and went to another place figuring to return when there were more people, to even up the odds or to increase mine of not being eaten.

Nem

[captain]

Mike Nelson wouldn't have high tailed it out.

[Bryan]

[captain]

Chuck has since gone underground in his fight and only operates in the dark of night from a 1975 Chevy van camouflaged as a Grateful Dead groupie vehicle. It is equipped with secret anti natzi manatee weapons developed in his secret skunk works deep in the Kentucky hills.

[Bryan]

Chuck has since gone underground in his fight and only operates in the dark of night from a 1975 Chevy van camouflaged as a Grateful Dead groupie vehicle. It is equipped with secret anti natzi manatee weapons developed in his secret skunk works deep in the Kentucky hills.

[Nemrod]

Well, as you can tell, Broxton Chuck and I are in deep thought. Plotting the overthrow of the evil Manatee Nazis is no small undertaking. Frought with danger, no, ol' Broxton Chuck has gone far underground, or should we say underwater, the plan is well underway. A spritz of Old Hawk on the air intake of the compressor makes everything better.

Well Captain, Mike Nelson did not have the Manatee Nazis to contend with, gators are nothing compared to them. I figured skinning out a gator on the banks of Morrison would not win me any points with them either. You see, I was never in danger, it was the gator whose life was spared, Swamp People my rear, they is amateurs.

You know, I could probably arrange to have the whole lot of us banned from Flaridah, don't test my and Broxton's abilities to create mayhem and you know he is an expert in explosives.

Nem

[JES]

Chuck has since gone underground in his fight and only operates in the dark of night from a 1975 Chevy van camouflaged as a Grateful Dead groupie vehicle. It is equipped with secret anti natzi manatee weapons developed in his secret skunk works deep in the Kentucky hills.

Two thumbs up!

[Bryan]

Well, as you can tell, Broxton Chuck and I are in deep thought. Plotting the overthrow of the evil Manatee Nazis is no small undertaking. Frought with danger, no, ol' Broxton Chuck has gone far underground, or should we say underwater, the plan is well underway. A spritz of Old Hawk on the air intake of the compressor makes everything better.
Nem

He is quite a character...Sorry to say not always in a good way.

[Boiler81]

It appears as if Chuck should be refered to in the past tense.

From the other board: http://vintagescuba.proboards.com/index ... ge=1#18101

"I need to tell all of you that Chuck died some time ago."