Spring Dives in North Florida

[Nikole]

My favorite (besides blue grotto) is Rainbow river. It's a drift dive! Take the water taxi up and you'll be out of air and end your dive near where you first got on the boat.

I've been to Troy springs it's basically an 80ft drop. There's a place to wash your gear when you're done, and they have restrooms. No showers and it's about 20min from Ginnie. Don't miss the shipwreck that is there (it's in the river somewhere not the hole..). You need cash to pay, or at least when I was there, no one was there taking money, we had to place it in a box. I didn't have cash and no one checked.

Alexander springs has hot showers and a place to rinse your gear.

I don't remember the diving fee for ginnie springs but they're kind of strict about people using lights if they're not cavern /cave certified. But the water is SO clear omg!!! As far as the river, It is not clear but I went on a crowded weekend.

I heard that Manatee springs was free? They just have maximum # of divers limit

There's another spring near Troy where u can do the giant stride off the platform.. Don't remember the name but then it turns into a cavern/cave at the bottom

That's all that I've been to.

You should snorkel with the manatees in Crystal river while there too. They have Groupons for it.
Be sure to use a Groupon coupon code too while you buy the Groupon. And use Ebates on top of the Groupon code to get extra cash back (why not? Lol) Just sign up for ebates here, Ebates: Coupons, Deals, Promo Codes & Cash Back type in Groupon after you sign up, search for the Manatee snorkeling deal on Groupon and then add Groupon's 20% code (or whatever code they have at the time). You'll get 2 discounts basically

 

[Fossil_Diver]

There is an inexpensive boat rental place not far from Three Sisters spring in Crystal River. They have tubes, canoes and small 5hp to 10hp boats if I remember correctly.

 

[Nemrod]

Frankly, do yourself a favor and avoid anything to do with the springs. Crowded, over regulated, nothing to see, PITA. I have had better dive experiences in a swimming pool. I would even dive a quarry before I might get in a spring.

Ginnie or Morrison is an okay freshwater rinse on my way out of Florida.

N

 

[thatstaken]

Hospital Hole in Weeki Wachee river is interesting with a sulfide cloud layer at about 75' and a total depth of 150'.
Rainbow River is a nice relaxing river drift dive with occasional otter sightings and lots of other wildlife. Both are free and camping is available too.
Manatees are congergating around Crystal river this time of year ans sightings are almost guaranteed.
I would suggest picking up a copy of Ned Delochs book Underwater Florida. It list hundredsof dive sites both on and off shore.

I looked into the Hospital Hole a little bit and it seems like an interesting dive, but everything I have found says there is now way to dive it as a shore dive since the land is all privately owned. Do you know is there a way to dive it if I don't own a boat in florida?

 

[Fossil_Diver]

There is a public boat ramp and park at the bridge. It's called Rogers park. There is a canoe and john boat rental right by there. The hole is just a short distance around the bend from the canoe rental. I think there is still a restaurant there too. Hospital Hole is tagged on google earth if you want a sat view.

 

[Fossil_Diver]

There is a lot more to explore other than Hospital Hole on Weeki Wachee. The river is one of the nicest in the state to canoe and tube. Much of it is still like a jungle river.

 

[Nemrod]

To get to Hospital Hole you have to go from the Rogers Park, swim wade, crawl, swim, crawl, wade up to the bend. I have done worse, but it is not easy.

It is kinda fun, sometimes there are saltwater fish in the upper portion. Below the sulfide stink zone, it is essentially dark. Nothing down there but muck. From time to time people have managed to kill themselves here, not really sure how, but it is deep and can be disorienting.

N

 

[Caveeagle]

Frankly, do yourself a favor and avoid anything to do with the springs. Crowded, over regulated, nothing to see, PITA. I have had better dive experiences in a swimming pool. I would even dive a quarry before I might get in a spring.

Ginnie or Morrison is an okay freshwater rinse on my way out of Florida.

N

Maybe Nemrod is being somewhat sarcastic here (maybe??), but the above comment is just ridiculous..as a blanket statement. I live in the area and don't have much trouble getting in nice dives in the local springs.

Sure, if you show up at Ginnie Springs on a holiday or summer weekend it might be a bit of a zoo, but Its not that hard to predict and plan for a calm, quiet time for a nice spring dive. Even high traffic places like Blue Grotto can be a really nice dive if you go on a weekday. But really, this is not much different that some of the theme parks. I have no idea why some people drive from miles away to stand in line at Disney over 3-day weekends. All the CFL locals know full well when to stay the heck away.

 

[KevinNM]

Manatee Springs State Park is cheap and 2 different spots to dive. You may even get to see an alligator while diving the catfish hotel there.

Catfish looked very forbidding when I went there with a class. It was completely covered in duckweed. But it just moves out of the way, and you can shower off any that gets caught on your gear (if any does). It's nice underneath. But stay out of the cave.

 

[taguja]

Morrison Spring if you are around the pan handle.