Ever stay in Rainbow Springs Campground and dive in the river?
- Thread starter Waterwulf
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bradlw
Contributor
It looks like it's about 550ft to walk from the closest road
maybe further from the clsoest parking, not sure where taht is...
maybe further from the clsoest parking, not sure where taht is...
500 feet? That's a long way! I'm and old man! That's not even the worst of it. Apparently, there's no parking on the loop road either so it's another thousand feet to parking. I guess you're supposed to drop stuff off and then go back to park and then walk back? The head springs park has a long walk to to get to the water too. I wonder if it's some kind of secret crowd control system?
The picture shown in another post is where the campground is, this is rainbow springs state campground. It is downstream and would be your exit point. (not too much going on there)
If you want to float the river or go to the designated swimming spot, you need to take the taxi or drive to rainbow springs state park.
This is a good setup when you are camping because you can take the taxi up and when your done, no waiting, just go top your campsite. It is a distance and as with other FL diving spots, a cart is usually a good thing to have. You can just drag your gear the 500 feet and then go get your car.
I can't give you advice about camping but I can give you some advice on the diving. There is a water taxi you can take for $10 cash at the main (?) dock. There, you can drop off your equipment and park your car in the lot which is an 1/8 mile up the road. Put on all of your equipment on near the dock except your fins. Carry your fins and a diver's flag (yes, it's Florida state law) onto the boat. You only need one flag for you and your buddy. Once you are on the boat put your fins on. The boat will take you about a mile upstream for a drift dive. The boat will tie off or anchor at the drop off point. The drop off point is in about 6 ft of water so you giant stride off the front of the boat and swim to the shore which is about 20 ft away. When you're ready submerge and swim toward the center of the river pulling the dive flag on the surface. Kayakers will hug the shore.
If you are an experienced diver who's got their lead weight to a minimum I suggest you do this dive heavy -- add two to four pounds. In many places you are in only 4 to 6 ft of water and you don't want to be fighting with your buoyancy. The deepest point is about 25 ft putting your DC on the bottom. There's lots of sea grass but visibility is great (it is after all spring fed). You'll see many springs bubbling up from the bottom. Not too many fish. Some turtles and Gar (they look like barracuda and are quite long, about 3 ft). Look for the docks on the right at the exit point. Swim over to and walk up the (boat) ramp. There may also be a short ladder to climb out of the river.
If you are an experienced diver who's got their lead weight to a minimum I suggest you do this dive heavy -- add two to four pounds. In many places you are in only 4 to 6 ft of water and you don't want to be fighting with your buoyancy. The deepest point is about 25 ft putting your DC on the bottom. There's lots of sea grass but visibility is great (it is after all spring fed). You'll see many springs bubbling up from the bottom. Not too many fish. Some turtles and Gar (they look like barracuda and are quite long, about 3 ft). Look for the docks on the right at the exit point. Swim over to and walk up the (boat) ramp. There may also be a short ladder to climb out of the river.
bradlw
Contributor
yeah I figured we'd have to drop the gear at the loop and someone waits with it while the other goes to park back at the campsite site
and/or we might try to round up a couple of wagons
My other thought is that if we have two cars, I might look to see how feasible it'll be to drive up the the headspring park and put in there, skipping the water taxi. I've never been to the headspring park since the water taxi drops somewhere downriver from it.
and/or we might try to round up a couple of wagons
My other thought is that if we have two cars, I might look to see how feasible it'll be to drive up the the headspring park and put in there, skipping the water taxi. I've never been to the headspring park since the water taxi drops somewhere downriver from it.
Include a snorkel with your gear when diving the Rainbow River. Egress/access is limited, some folks burn more air than they think they would due to the cold and current: don't fight the current, but you will experience some counter current conditions as you swim from hole to hole and across the river. You may get low on air before your exit, so a snorkel can help you enjoy the dive.
Headsprings to KP is about 75 minutes if memory serves. KP to Swampy's Bar is two and a half to three hours, IIRC.
Headsprings to KP is about 75 minutes if memory serves. KP to Swampy's Bar is two and a half to three hours, IIRC.
I dove Rainbow Springs practically once a month during the seventies, usually hanging under a boat. I'd start near the head springs and go as far downriver as I could with my twin 72's. Back then, we could stop and swing from the many rope swings on the river and we even camped there on the banks many times.
We're heading back there later this year and plan on camping at the State Park. I was just wondering how far it was from the last parking to the river bank. I plan on using my kayak and SNUBA diving the river. I'll probably just plan on using my bicycle to tow my kayak and then locking it all up.
We're heading back there later this year and plan on camping at the State Park. I was just wondering how far it was from the last parking to the river bank. I plan on using my kayak and SNUBA diving the river. I'll probably just plan on using my bicycle to tow my kayak and then locking it all up.
bradlw
Contributor
On my most recent trip there, when the class was pulled over to the shallows and doing a "surface interval" between dives, and talking about the upcoming navigation exercise, a boat came "drifting" downriver. It was a little distance away but I could see nobody onboard and I heard a small engine running (not the propulsion engine). I figured that they were probably running a snuba.
but it was a pretty large boat for that river and it seemed very odd. I'd guess it to be maybe in the 20-23ft ballpark....something roughly like this (not on plane of course). I wondered how in the world they could maintain control of that boat from below...
A kayak makes much more sense!!!
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