| Site Info | |
|---|---|
| Type | Cave |
| Coordinates | 30.122162, -83.132190 |
| Region | US Southeast |
| Access via | Shore |
| Depth range | 20-175 ft |
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[edit | edit source]
Location[edit | edit source]
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park is located a few miles east of Luraville, on 180th Street.[1]
Depth[edit | edit source]
Peacock III[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
Conditions[edit | edit source]
Conditions variable. Temperature remains around 72F year round. Peacock III tends to have the milkier visibility characteristic of siphons, around 20-50ft[1].
Facilities[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
A detailed map is available for purchase from Cave Country Dive Shop and Extreme Exposure. The map shown here is a digitized version of the map board in the parking lot and is not found anywhere else on the web!
-
Map of Peacock III
Notes[edit | edit source]
- 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].
Access[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
- Peacock is one of the most popular dive sites in the area. Be mindful of other divers, especially when entering the water.
- This is a siphon; plan appropriately
See[edit | edit source]
- Be sure to look for the KUR decompression habitat on the left side of the cavern, but please do not touch or enter it.
Life[edit | edit source]
- Cave-adapted crayfish may be found throughout the cave system
- Catfish inhabit the cavern and cave
- Alligators are known to frequent Peacock
Safety[edit | edit source]
To enter the cavern areas you must be cavern certified. To enter the cave you must be cave certified.
Hazards[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]