Divers can thank Florida’s unique subterranean geology for Ginnie Springs; the state is thought to have the largest convergence of freshwater springs on the planet. Beneath the state’s surface, a layer of exceptionally porous marine limestone stores and transports huge quantities of water via a system known as the Floridan Aquifer. Where this water bubbles to the surface there are springs, of which more than 700 have been identified. In addition to providing much of Florida’s drinking water, these springs provide the perfect environment for all kinds of recreational activities, including diving.
Two of the best spring systems for recreational divers are found at Ginnie Springs, a privately owned campground and diving facility located in Gilchrist County. Approximately one hour’s drive northwest of Gainesville, Ginnie Springs has earned a reputation as one of the world’s most popular freshwater dive sites, thanks in equal part to its fascinating limestone topography and its incredible visibility. The sheer volume of water transported through the property by its underground aquifer system ensures that visibility remains at around 200 feet (60 m) throughout the year. The site’s remarkable water clarity achieved legendary status in 1974, when Jacques Cousteau famously referred to Ginnie Springs as having “visibility forever.” The springs that make up the Ginnie complex flow directly into the nearby Santa Fe River, and maintain a perennial water temperature of 72 F (22 C). The springs are divided into two distinct systems, known respectively as Ginnie Springs and Devil’s Springs, both of which are accessible to recreational divers. Devil’s Springs serves as the gateway to a cave system featuring more than 30,000 feet (9,100 m) of mapped passageways, and as such is also a favorite site for certified cave divers.
Ginnie Springs
The Ginnie Springs basin appears as a large depression measuring approximately 100 feet (30 m) across and with a maximum depth of 20 feet (6 m). The basin connects to the Santa Fe River via a channel, through which the spring pumps a staggering 35 million gallons of water every day. The highlight of a dive to Ginnie Springs is its cavern, known as The Ballroom. With a wide entrance providing easy access to the surface, The Ballroom is one of the Florida springs’ few overhead environments accessible to recreational divers. With a maximum depth of 50 feet (15 m), the cavern is partially lit by daylight filtering from the surface through the crystal-clear water of the spring. However, divers are advised to carry torches in order to explore the further recesses of The Ballroom, where they can see geological formations unique to the Floridan Aquifer. In order to ensure diver safety, Ginnie Springs’ cavern features a permanent guideline to help with orientation, while the entrance to the aquifer itself is grated shut to prevent divers from accidentally entering the labyrinthine cave system beyond. At the grate, divers can uniquely experience the full force of the spring as it flows from the aquifer towards the river above.
Devil’s Springs
This separate system comprises three different springs, known respectively as Little Devil, Devil’s Eye and Devil’s Ear. Together, they create a channel approximately 300 feet (91 m) long that transports nearly 80 million gallons of water into the Santa Fe River every day. Recreational divers are permitted to explore Devil’s Springs as long as they adhere to a strict no-lights policy, put in place to ensure that divers without the appropriate training do not enter the dark cave system, accessible via Devil’s Eye. The first of the springs, Little Devil, appears as a fissure some 50 feet (15 m) deep. From the bottom of this spring, divers are granted breathtaking views of the surface, as they look skywards through the clear water. The next spring, Devil’s Eye, is a circular chimney measuring 20 feet (6 m) cross and 20 feet deep. At the bottom, the chimney opens out into a small cavern. Recreational divers may explore this cavern as far as daylight reaches; beyond that, the cavern leads into a cave system open only to certified cave divers. The final spring, Devil’s Ear, forms another fissure at the point where the spring system meets the Santa Fe River. Here, divers can witness the strange effect created by the mingling of the spring’s gin-like flow with the tannin-stained river water.
Ginnie Springs offers divers the unique opportunity to explore the fascinating geological phenomenon that is the Floridan Aquifer, one of the most productive freshwater aquifer systems in the world. For more information, visit Ginnie Springs Outdoors.
