Deleon Springs Dive Plan

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Deleon Springs Dive Plan
by Scott LaPointe (28 Oct 2007)


Address & Phone # of Dive Site:

601 Ponce Deleon Blvd
Deleon Springs, Florida 32130
Phone: (386) 985-4212

Normal Arrival Time

Meet at the gate at 8:00am. NO LATER.
Divers fee is $16.30 (inc tax). All divers must check in at the front gate. Students must sign in with their instructor.

Special note: This dive location is not open to all divers. You must be accompanied by an Instructor with a State Permit. The ranger will collect your C card upon admission. Remember to pick it up as you leave!

Driving Directions

From Orlando, head east towards Daytona. Take exit 114 off Interstate 4. Go west on Rt. 472, then north on 17/92. Make a left onto SR. 15A (Taylor Rd. becomes N Spring Garden Ave.). Follow SR 15A to US 17 (Woodland Blvd.) and turn left. Stay on US 17 (approximately 3 miles) until you reach Ponce DeLeon Blvd. Turn left on Ponce DeLeon Blvd. and follow to the park gate entrance.

Temperature

Water temperature is 72F/22C degrees year round. A 3mm wetsuit with a hooded vest is recommended. You may want a 5mm wetsuit and hood if you are prone to getting cold.

At the Dive Site

For parking, you will follow the signs towards the Boat Ramp (turn right). There is unpaved parking on the right side of the road by the boat ramp and visitor center. Here you will unload your vehicle and take your equipment to the tables under the pavilion or to an area on the grass if there is no room at the tables. There are restrooms available at the visitor center.

All divers will gear up at the pavilion and walk to the spring entry carrying their fins. Don't take anything else (like a towel) to the water; take only what you are going to take underwater. Divers will finish any adjustments and do buddy checks prior to descending the steps into the water. You will put your fins on in the water.

The Spring

The spring is in an enclosed semicircular pool about 190 feet north to south and 170 feet east to west. The pool is enclosed by a low concrete wall and bordered by a concrete walk. The spring water flows from a cavern chimney approximately 30 feet below the surface and out through a concrete weir on the west wall of the pool.

The concrete platform, on the west side of the pool, is the location where students will enter the water using the Giant Stride Entry.

Dive Procedures

Maintain visual contact with the instructor and your buddy at all times. Maintain good buoyancy, and try not to silt the dive site. Make sure to ascend from the spring slowly, exhale, and do a safety stop at 15 feet for 3 minutes minimum.

Emergency Procedures

In case of buddy separation follow standard procedures. Look for your buddy for one minute. If you can not find your buddy ascend slowly, exhale and do a three minute safety stop at 15 feet. Your buddy should also be following these procedures and will see you at the surface. If anyone is low on air, signal your buddy with the appropriate hand signal and begin your ascent. In the rare and unusual case of an out of air situation, signal your buddy and commence sharing air. Maintain buoyancy and ascend slowly, remembering to breathe.

Emergency Contact Information

911 - This will activate EMS in the Deland Area
DAN – 1-919-684-4326

Always call DAN after 911 in the case of a dive emergency which may require medical attention.

Closest Hyperbaric Chamber is in Sanford at:
Central Florida Regional Hospital
1401 W. Seminole
407-321-4500 ext. 5227

DAN should be called. They will refer you to the correct chamber, if necessary.

Emergency Oxygen should be made available at the parking lot, but would have to be carried to the dive site otherwise.

Environmental Interaction Suggestions

Good Buoyancy is a must! The head spring can silt rather easily, causing reduced visibility. Also do NOT harass the wildlife!

Pre-dive Safety Check

Check all gear prior to leaving the parking area. It is worth repeating that it is a LONG walk back to retrieve a forgotten item or to repair a piece of equipment. All buddy teams will do a pre-dive safety check and make sure that your regulator, octopus and inflater's are working. Remember to check to make sure that your air is on, and that your regulator is in your mouth, not your snorkel.

Enjoy!!!