Ginnie, with Pictures!

After last year's successful New Year's trip in cave country, we decided to do it again. We flew out on Thursday night, on the redeye. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep between the two flights, plus I had a horrible cold (so bad in fact, that I even verbally questioned to Rob whether I could make the trip). When we got to High Springs, I promptly collapsed in bed and declared my need for a nap. Rob disappeared to EE and the storage place to get tanks and such, and just under 2 hours later, he started to make it known to me that he would really like me to get up soon. Grumble. So I dragged myself out of bed and we headed to Ginnie. I finally convinced Rob to bring his camera to Florida, so I suggested we just do a not too ambitious dive at Ginnie, and he could bring his camera. So the plan ended up being to head up the Hill 400 line to wherever, just taking it slowly so Rob could get some pictures.

I volunteered to lead the dive. It has been a long time since I have run the line at Ginnie. Since there seems to be a constant escalation in the amount of gear schlepped along on such dives, I have been making Rob run the reel there a lot lately. So I figured it was time to suck it up and do it myself, plus with "only" one stage, now was a good time to do it. Well, a stage and a deco bottle, but that doesn't really count. I think we finally got to Ginnie around 3. I was delighted to find that Rob had already setup my doubles for me. I should nap more often! We got geared up and into the water, and we were off. I was sad to find that someone else had already run their line pretty much the way I like to run it. After negotiating that and running the line down to the 30 foot room, I found a pair of divers loitering in there, and had to make my way around them. We dropped our O2 bottles and then I headed to the sign. At this point, I found that the existing line started on the right side, then moved over to the left. I crossed under it so I could start on the left and then couldn't figure out what to do next, without having to cross back under it again halfway down the restriction. So, naturally, I gave up and handed the reel to Rob and told him he was captain :) After some eye rolling, Rob headed down the chute, and pretty much ran the line in the only mediocre way that I could come up with to run it. Once we got to the mainline, I took the lead again.

It was a pretty crowded day at Ginnie. We passed another team (or maybe it was a singleton, Rob said after the dive that he thought it was) in the gallery, and then a team of 4 just past the lips. We would eventually pass another team on the way in as we were headed out. Anyhoo, we got through all of the annoying parts and dropped our stages just a bit before the Hill 400 jump. As planned, once we got to the jump, we switched order, so Rob could stop and direct me where to pose for pictures. After we installed the jump, he made me go back to the mainline to pose for some pictures of me entering the hill 400 tunnel. After that, we slowly ambled up the tunnel, stopping now and then for pictures. We eventually made it to the bats and then I turned it. We swam back most of the way, and stopped a couple of times for more pictures once we were almost back to the mainline. And then of course, Rob had to get some pictures of me pulling the spool. He loves those action shots, but I always feel like I am being judged. However, I do think the pictures right at the jump are some of the best... I like how you can see the two tunnels diverging. As we approached our stages, I just knew he wouldn't be able to help himself, so I posed as I approached mine, and sure enough, he had whipped out his camera for some pictures. We got back onto our stages, and continued out. As we approached the park bench, he was signalling and pointing, and I thought he wanted to go up that line. I didn't want to, because my sinuses would bothering me. But then I realized he just wanted me to pose for some pictures, so I obliged. Then he stowed his camera for the ride out.

When we got back to our reel, Rob asked if I was going to get the reel. I was like "no thanks, you can do it". I could tell he was miffed by this. I headed up to the 50 foot room and waited for him. When he got there, he was clearly annoyed with me for sticking him with the reel :) I headed up the restriction, got my O2 bottle and waited for him. The ascent was bothering my sinuses, so by the time we got to 20 feet, I had a wicked sinus headache. I thought my eyeballs might pop out of my head during deco, but they did not, phew. I took my favorite spot on the ledge, and Rob was just hanging out in front of me. I asked him several times if he wanted the spot next to me on the ledge, but he did not. I guess he was really annoyed about my reel shenanigans! I think he was a bit unhappy that we didn't go anywhere too exciting on this dive, but I think the pictures turn out pretty nicely, so I thought it was a good way to spend the dive.

All of the pictures from the dive are here.