What better way to avoid cabin fever than piling into a converted Greyhound bus with 20 of your closest aquaintances for an 1800-mile weekend trip to Florida? ....... So maybe the bus isn't for everyone, but a visit to Florida's springs can be a welcome change of pace anytime. Northern Florida boasts some of the best fresh water diving in the world with good visibility and warm temperatures year-round.

The gin-clear water of Ginnie Springs offers plenty to explore from caverns and caves to the Santa Fe River. Open water divers are not allowed flashlights in the Devil Spring system, but our new LED PC-series stole the show in the Ginnie cavern. Every nook and cranny was revealed brilliantly by the uniform white beam. As a bonus, the lights run cool and can be used for extended periods of time on land for camping and general lighting needs. See for yourself--ask for them at a dive store near you!

Crystal River is the perfect place to experience the manatees as they seek refuge for the winter. This site is made for wide-angle photography with decent visibility and natural interaction between divers and wildlife. I used the Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye behind an 8" dome port for these photos. Dual Substrobe DS-125's were always ready for the next shot in TTL mode with my Nikon dSLR and housing.

Our whirlwind tour ended with an hour-long drift dive in Rainbow River. Underlying springs maintain a constant water temperature and in some places cause the sand on the bottom to bubble as if boiling. The dive is shallow and easy with an abundance of fish and wildlife to photograph.

I'd like to extend a special thanks to our own Bob Stubbs and everyone responsible for putting this trip together. If you're still looking for your next dive adventure, consider joining us this year for Demo Days at Sunset House, Grand Cayman. It promises to be another exciting event... See you there!