| Site Info | |
|---|---|
| Type | {{{type}}} |
| Coordinates | "N83°08'10.7"W 30°07'54.8"N 83°08'10.7"W |
| Region | US Southeast |
| Access via | Shore |
| Depth range | 20-175 ft |
[[Category:{{{type}}}]]
Peacock III is a submerged freshwater cave system located within Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park in north central Florida in the United States. The closest city is Live Oak, FL. It is part of the Peacock Springs/Orange Grove cave system.
Details
Location
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park is located a few miles east of Luraville, on 180th Street.[1]
Depth
Peacock III
Average depth of 50ft[1]. There are a few exceptions:
- Hendley's Castle drops to a maximum depth of around 180ft
- Lower Orange Grove has a deepest point of around 175ft
- The tunnel to Peacock II is around 80ft[2] although it is not passable as of 2023[1]
Refer to detailed Peacock maps which include depth information.
Topography
Conditions
Conditions variable. Temperature remains around 72F year round. Peacock III tends to have the milkier visibility characteristic of siphons, around 20-50ft[1].
Facilities
Peacock I/II/III parking area has:
- Gear benches
- Picnic tables
- Changing areas
- Porta-potties
There are steps leading to the water's edge at Peacock I. Peacock II and III have no steps.
Cave
Peacock III, characterized by its siphon nature, forms its basin through the outflow from Peacock I and II, often blanketed with duckweed. A vast cavern entrance marks the beginning of the cave system. The siphon effect typically results in visibility ranging from twenty to fifty feet within this system. The primary path is flanked by a labyrinth of tunnels, with an average depth around fifty feet. About nine hundred feet along the main route, a low and silty detour to the left leads to the system's sole spring tunnel. Further along, at fifteen hundred feet on the left, is the jump to Hendley's Castle. This route culminates in a large chamber, where depths can reach up to one hundred and eighty feet.[1]
Maps
Detailed maps are available for purchase from Cave Country Dive Shop and Extreme Exposure. Those two maps are reproduced in full here.
-
Map of Peacock III
Notes
- Recent work by the KUR has extended Peacock III far beyond the extents shown in the P3 map; these dives are also extremely advanced[3]. If you visit P3 be sure to look for the KUR decompression habitat on the left side of the cavern, but please do not touch or enter it.
Access
Enter the park and pay the iron ranger. Per vehicle fees are $4. Sign in on the diver sign in sheet.
Upon entering the park you will be in the parking lot for Orange Grove. To get to Peacock 1-3, go to the rear of the lot and turn right. Follow the winding road through the woods until you arrive at the P1 parking lot.
Do
- Peacock is one of the most popular dive sites in the area. Be mindful of other divers, especially when entering the water.
See
If diving the Olsen tunnel, keep an eye out for Pothole in the ceiling. You cannot exit here but it is possible to spot light entering the system.
Life
- Cave-adapted crayfish may be found throughout the cave system
- Catfish inhabit the cavern and cave
- Alligators are known to frequent Peacock
Safety
To enter the cavern areas you must be cavern certified. To enter the cave you must be cave certified.
Hazards
- Gators are known to inhabit the entire Peacock tract
- Peacock III does not have steps and demands caution when entering and exiting, especially in backmount doubles
Nearby
References