"[{o one wer quite knsws wbat to expect from a first uisit to tbe Florida

NED oeLOAC-
By Ned Del.oach
"[{o one wer quite knswswbat to expect
from a first uisit to tbeFlorida springs."
his is undersundable be
than
I causeeach of the more
sink
L tzo diveable springs.
and clearwater rivers found scaneredin
the state'snorthem and centralwoodlands
is a unique creationwith its own character
and captivatingmystique. Their common
bond is cool, fresh,clearwater-the singular feature that ses them apart and defines eachas a naturalwonder.
The rare water comes from a network
of underground rivers that weaves like
a web inside Florida's extensivebed of
Suwanneelimestone. The hidden rivers
are replenished by rainwater that slowly
trickles through the porous rock until
distilled to perfedion. Only then does
it ioin the aquifer-a moving reservoir
crystalpure.
fr
@
oceanRealm
cult to describe. The only way to con-prehend their uncommon beautY is :
make a personal trek south to Florida .
spring country and see them for yourselSuch an exPedition is a simPle m::
ter requiring linle more than basic scur.
or snorkeling equipment, a guidebu..
and a flair for adventure. 'Most sprinF.
are located in the backwoods, far frc rVendy's Burger and clear TV receptic:It is a great place to get away, unsvii-.:
relax and enioy an unspoiled piece -:
our earth. A trip through a beautrisouthem hardwood forest is an inexpe:'
sive,enjoyablefamilyvacation. There ,::
plenty of activitiesto keep the familv bu:'
Sightseeing,camping,swimming, fi sht: a sipbon
clearn'i:=:
Becauseof their varied sizes, shapes canoeing and tubing down
bY
all.
enjoYed
be
can
nms
diffiand settings,springs and sinks are
Springsare formed when this groundwater break to the surface through a
geological weakness. liVherethis occurs,
clear pools form. The overflow is channeled into surface streams, called runs,
that wind alonga path of least resistance
toward a nearby river. A run's size depends on the amount of water feeding
the basin. Some are so large that they
are used as navigable waterwzlys.
Occasionallythe earth collapsesinto
the aquifer, forming slnks These deep
openings fill but do not overflow like
springs. Instead,the water feeding into
the basin channelsback into the ground
through a downstream opening, called
nfortunately,a widesPread rivers. Such flooding can last for weeks.
misconceptionabout sPring It is wise to call aheadbefore planning
diving haslingeredforYears. your visit.
N{ostspring basinsare 10 to 20 feet
l'lmy sport divers and instructors alike
vent and taper up to shallow water
the
at
gring
diuingwith
.:rll confuse the term
pool's edge. A few have depths
the
at
asso-'dt'edtu)ing.Accordingly,many still
,i0
to 80 feet, while Forty Fathom
from
-rrte the spring pools with danger.
Ocala plunges to 240 feet.
near
Grotto
the
In reality, a sPring basin offers
is
excellentat all sites. This
Snorkeling
fresh
The
.lt-est diving imaginable.
to get a firsthandview of
way
is
the
best
great
or
n'ater pools have no currents
communities that spend
fish
the
active
sudden
by
.lepths and are unaffected
hidden near grassbeds
their
day
most
of
replr.eatherchanges. The undeserved
'rution for danger comes fiom the occa- or under lily pad fields.
.ional drownings that occur inside the
.avesthat feed the Pools
Eachyear a few untrained cavedivers
iveable spring sites can be
venture into the tunnels, beyond sundivided into firur grouPs:
safworld's
the
iighCs glow. Suddenly,
wild
springs, commercial
perilextremely
est diving tums into an
and state parks,
parks,
county
diving
to
fail
divers
ous situation. The unwary
largestnumber
The
attractions.
tourist
and
a
stone
by
realize the hazard created
situwild-not
remain
pools
still
forest
of
escape
occurs,
ceiling. If an emergency
commercially
or
area
in
a
developed
ated
retraclng
exact
is not simply up, but an
operated.You simply drive to thesebasins
of the route taken during the swim into
and do asyou like. There are no rules,no
the
the
the dark chamber, Over
Years
hassles,and no time schedules;you are
tragedies
number of such unnecessary
on your own.
Two
key.
the
is
has declined. Education
the
tave diving training organizations'
National SpeleogicalSociety-Cave Diving Section (NSSCDS)and the National
Associationof CaveDivers (NACD) work
diligently to warn sport divers about the
dangersof underwater caves' Their ongoing efforts have been a great service
to our sport. Neither group solicits students, but if a diver is determined to
explore the caves,both provide proper
ffaining.
Those open water divers who are not
troubled by confined spacesshould feel
safe exploring the first cavem room in
the larger caves. Stay within sight of
the entrance light and there is little
danger. leave underwater lights on the
surface;this preventsbeing enticed into
the tunnel's darkness. Looking out from
a cave entranceon a blue, sunlit pool is
one of the underwaterworld's most dra'
maticvistas.It alone is wonh a trip inside'
Diving triPs to the sPrrngscan be
planned for anY season ln the warm
summer months the cool 72 -8 degree
water gives a refreshinglift; in the winter
its unfluctuatingtemperaturefeelsq'arm
as a bath. However,after periods of prolonged rainfall many spring areas are
inundatedbyblackwater from the swollen
NED DeLOACH
Visionsout of a dream - fisb swimming
tbrougb tbeJorest (top) are actually
ueryreal Jisb suimming in tbe crystal
clear waters at Bream Spring Belou'
a diuer peers into Deuil'sEye bcsin at
Ginnie Sprtngs Most spring basins are
10 to 20 Jeet deep at tbe uent, tapsring
up to sballow water at Pool's edge.
RICHARDCOLLINS
6l