I have been working on a list of spring diving sites with the following criteria:
  • Open to the public. Not requiring a difficult to obtain permit.
  • No salt water.
  • No sulfur.
  • Difficult to silt out / good to great average visibility.
  • Not requiring to spend lots of time deeper than 100ft.
  • Not requiring sidemount, nomount or passing through restrictions.
  • Allow / doable in backmount doubles.
  • Doable using air or nitrox.
  • Best of the best locations for those with up to Cave 1 level of certification.
Here is my current list:
  • Alexander Spring (Altoona)
  • Blue Grotto (Williston)
  • Blue Spring (Orange City)
  • Bozel Spring (Marianna)
  • Buford Spring (Weekie Wachee)
  • Cypress Spring (Vernon)
  • Fanning Spring (Fanning Springs)
  • Ginnie (Ballroom) (High Springs)
  • Ginnie (Devil's Ear) (High Springs)
  • Ginnie (Devil's Eye) (High Springs)
  • Hole in the Wall (Marianna)
  • Ichetucknee (Blue Spring / Jug Hole) (Fort White)
  • Jackson Blue (Marianna)
  • Little River (Branford)
  • Madison (Main) (Lee)
  • Manatee (Catfish Hotel) (Chiefland)
  • Manatee (Main) (Chiefland)
  • Morrison (Defuniak Springs)
  • Paradise Spring (Ocala)
  • Peacock (Main) (Mayo)
  • Peacock (Orange Grove) (Mayo)
  • Rainbow River (KP Hole) (Dunneleon)
  • Telford (Mayo)
  • Troy Spring (Branford)
  • Twin Cave (Marianna)
  • Vortex Spring (Defuniak Springs)
  • Warm Springs (Weekie Wachee)
I would really like feedback on this list. Any important details from your experience would be great to know. If I have anything listed here that is no good for a beginning cave diver or if I am missing something great, please let me know.