| 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 Springs is a submerged freshwater cave system connecting a collection of karst features (sinkholes and springs). It is located within Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park in north central Florida in the United States. The closest city is Live Oak, FL.
Details
Location
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park is located a few miles east of Luraville, on 180th Street.[1]
Depth
Depths in the system typically do not exceed 70 ft. There are a few exceptions:
- Hendley's Castle drops to depths 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.
Topography
Conditions
Conditions in the sinks and springs are variable. Temperature remains around 72F year round.
Facilities
There are gear benches, picnic tables and porta potties at each main spring.
Cave
The Peacock/Orange Grove system is extensive.
Adjacent to the central parking zone of the park, you'll find Peacock I, II and III. The main attraction for divers, Peacock I, features two interconnected tunnels under the wooden staircase at the water's entrance, forming a spacious cavern. The path to Pothole springs is straight underneath these stairs. On the cavern's extreme right, a narrow passage heads in the direction of Peacock II, though it's impassable for divers. Venturing left from the cavern, over a field of scattered debris, leads to a pathway diverging towards the Peanut tunnel, located to the right after a 300-foot swim from the surface. This section is shallow, ranging from 15 to 30 feet deep, before expanding into a larger, collapsed chamber. Depths here fluctuate between 30 to 70 feet. On the Peanut route, 1200 feet in, a left-hand side detour provides access to the Water Hole exit. Continue 200 feet beyond this detour to find the crossover passage on your right, creating a round trip back to Peacock I. A further 400 feet along, there's a detour on the left, 100 feet away from the main path, leading to another spring source for the system. The Peanut tunnel's course ends 200 feet after this spring source, just beyond the Peanut restriction area.
Peacock II lies just a short trek along Peacock Run, and as mentioned before, it doesn't have a cave entrance. The basin depth of Peacock II ranges between fifteen and twenty feet, making it an ideal spot for a refreshing swim on warm days.
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 Henley's Castle. This route culminates in a large chamber, where depths can reach up to one hundred and eighty feet.[1]
Maps
-
Map of the underwater cave system and sinks except Peacock III
-
Map of Peacock III
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
With multiple entrances, many traverses are possible. The "Grand Traverse" goes from Orange Grove to Challenge, then Olsen, ending at Peacock I. Plenty of other shorter and simpler traverses can be conducted, such as P1 to Olsen Sink. Interconnecting tunnels also provide ample opportunity for setting up circuits.
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
Equipment
Nearby
References