Blue Springs-who's been there?

[UCFDiver85]

I'm doing a dive in 2 weeks with my dive club at Blue Springs near Orlando. Anyone been there? I'm wondering what I can expect when diving there, hows the accesibilty and the facilities? Any caverns, and how deep? Any info would be great, thanks.

 

[Wendy]

The water is way clear. Its 120' to the bottom, however open water ends at about 60' at the cave warning sign. Its a state park so its $5 to dive, you have to have a buddy, and you can not carry lights if you are not cavern or cave cert. If you are caught diving solo or with lights then you are given a ticket, and they ain't cheap. The flow from the boil is very strong. Very cool limestone formations due to the force of the water over the walls over millions of years. Over the years the walss have been defaced by stupid people that insist on carving their names into the limestone. That is illegal, just so you know, or if you see someone doing that you can stop them, or notify a ranger. Oh the rangers...they are very strict there. Last few times I was there, there were a bunch of cool armoured catfish there.

When you enter the water, don't put your fins on, walk along in the water along the right side til you get to the basin (no point in swimming against the current wasting air) and after your dive do a shallow drift dive down the spring run back to the steps. Oh and the walk from the parking lot to the water is a bitof a haul.

Oh and I forgot to say, it is illegal too to take fossils from a state park.

 

[phree337]

I agree with what Wendy has said; espically about the walk to the spring head. Ditto also on the walk around the right side to the basin; it makes all the difference! Cost was $5 and they hold your C-card at the gate while you dive. Drift dive was good after diving into the spring-head.

The time I was there (early August??) there were large groups of 'Armored Catfish' gathered around the pool. It was neat to see some fish I was unfamiliar with. I have also heard that this is a good place to go in the winter time to see Manatees (although I understand you can't approach them in the water).

 

[H2OHead]

Wendy pretty much nailed it. I have 100 or so trips to the bottom of the spring and have enjoyed every one. Make the walk and don your gear on the right side of the basin as you walk in. The boil around cork rock at the bottom will blow your mask off if given the opportunity. The sign is at ~60 feet and offers a tie point if you care to practice line laying. Cork rock is ~ 116 to 120 feet and blocks a system we now nothing about. Folks have died after seeing the other side of that rock so just enjoy the incredible source and the main room there. As all others said, no cave or cavern cards and you’ll get a park ranger visit (perhaps underwater s I have witnessed). Keep Florida caves open to certified divers and don’t take lights or non-qualified divers into our caves. Check the ledges at 90 feet and above on the way out for sharks teeth. Yes! I have hundreds of shark’s teeth from limestone caves that have washed out of the walls over the past zillion years.
I’m jealous. I lived a few miles from Blue Spring for a while and would like to see the bottom again.
Enjoy.

 

[The Chairman]

This is the one spring where I overweight my students a couple of pounds only because of the flow. Most of my diving is done descending "skydiver" style, i.e. horizontal. I find I have to turn duck on this one if I don't adjust my weights (which I won't). Using the ledges to pull yourself down is another way to do it. They "limit" the number of divers in the hole, but I have never, ever seen that enforced.

I have to agree with Wendy about the fossils... look at them but please leave them. If you want sharks teeth go to Venice or a limestone quarry (where I got my megs) and have at it. Also... don't try to sneak lights in. I have been "strip searched" before (and I didn't even have a light) and they are serious. Obey the laws and your diving will go well.

As for the manatee... Georgia and her kids love to hang out at the boil in late Jan through Feb, and that will usually close off the spring to diving until the afternoon when they go out to forage in the river. Not only are you not allowed to approach any manatee, but you are not allowed to touch them if they approach you.

As for the armoured catfish... they are an aquarium fish called plecostomas and are native to South America. These exotics seem to be taking over Florida waters.... Plecos and More than you really want to know These fish are only supposed to grow to 6" or so, but I see them over 18" all the time and a few that approach 3 ft!!! I bet that we start actively harvesting them soon.

 

[pdoege]

According to a sign that I read at the springs about 2 weeks ago, the armored catfish are not plecostomus, but rather something else.

At the time, the rangers were surveying their numbers and were asking divers to help count.

The bottom was littered with them. Hard to count that high with taking off my fins.

The manatees are a pain; the large tickets that the manatee ****s write are a pain. I do not visit the springs during manatee season for that reason.

Peter

 

[metaldector]

Put your gear on in the parking lot with the exception of fins and mask. You'll be walking about 1/4 mile on a slippery wooden deck. Once in the water follow the directions above. Something none of the others mentioned is that a very large tree fell last week at the entry point and completely crosses the river from the far bank to the entry point. This will probably stay as the rangers don't like to interfer with nature. Thus, it will keep canoes and maybe manatees from getting up river to the boil. Have fun.:shark:

 

[The Chairman]

about that precisely. She could not tell me just WHAT it was, and I don't think they realise that there are dozens upon dozens of specie of Plecos. It's a Plecostomos alright... just like my old tank friend "Monstro", may his fins rest in peace!

 

[USAF Diver]

I have to agree that you should gear up in the parking lot and then hike up to the spring. It's quite a hike up to the spring.

As far as the rangers go, the times I have been there I've never been bothered by a ranger.

I've seen lots of fish up there including some really big gar fish.

 

[MAYBTHERESHOPE]

UCFDiver85 once bubbled...
I'm doing a dive in 2 weeks with my dive club at Blue Springs near Orlando. Anyone been there? I'm wondering what I can expect when diving there, hows the accesibilty and the facilities? Any caverns, and how deep? Any info would be great, thanks.

Hi There,

When will your dive club be at Blue Springs? I will be in Orlando on Saturday, the 26th, and am looking for some dive buddies. I'm visiting from SC and have all of my own equipment, except weights and tanks. I'm also going to Ginnie Springs.