Little River Springs - Branford FL

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Little River Springs is a shore accessible fresh water dive site, located at 105th Lane, Branford, FL. This dive site has an average rating of 4.17 out of 5 from 12 scuba divers.

Despite the crowds and erosion, Little River is one of the most physically alluring natural sights in Florida. When the water is not high or stirred by visitors, the smooth and curving flow of this spring and its run to the Suwannee is breathtakingly beautiful. Under the right conditions, the water in the run is virtually invisible. Because the limestone shelf in the run is just below the surface, visitors have the rare opportunity to stand and peer directly over the cavern entrance and barely get their knees wet. Breaks in the limestone near the vent create a pool that is perfect for wading, swimming, and snorkeling. Even in times of high water, the spring remains attractive. Its flow is strong enough that it remains relatively clear even when the river is up to 10 feet above the normal high watermark.

This spring is quite interesting. Although the actual pool is small, there is a vent that leads to an extensive cave system for the certified. Pool depths are about 4 feet with a cavern that leads to a vent at about 20 ft. From there you have over 1,200 ft. of caves reaching depths over 100 ft. The outflow spills into the Suwannee via a small river, hence the name, Little River springs. Where the river pours into the Suwannee there are a set of rocks creating rapids. A good snorkel and pretty scenery to enjoy. Excellent dive if your cave certified.

Often used as a training spot for cave diving.

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Comments

SantaFeSandy - 5/14/2019 3:14 PM

I went scuba diving here on 4/2/2019. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Mudd Tunnel to Serpentine, to Florida Room & then turned. Great vertical fissures there for photos on a clear day. Water was up to 2nd platform on steps. Greenish. Viz was >/_ 50 ft. Moderate flow. Great dive. Cavern Student there running reels with his instructor, Ted McCoy.

SantaFeSandy - 8/04/2018 10:57 AM

I went scuba diving here on 8/3/2018. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Friday Aug. 3, 2018 - What an awesome day of diving and doing a photoshoot with my main cave buddy Guy. While the surface water was uninviting to the swimmer or snorkeler due to river water intrusion, inside the cavern and cave one partook of a dramatic party! Eye candy everywhere!!! ;-)

Check out some of these photos to see what I mean.

flickr.com/photos/santafesandy/albums/72157671912524818

SantaFeSandy - 5/13/2018 5:17 PM

I went scuba diving here on 5/2/2018. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
First jump left after entering Florida Room. Upon exit, we went to the vertical fisdure in Harper’s Tunnel.

SantaFeSandy - 12/13/2017 9:10 PM

I went scuba diving here on 12/13/2017. Average viz: 91-100ft/28-30m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wed. 12/13/17 - What a most magnificent day of diving at Little River today! 100 ft. visibility, no particulate, totally low flow, and zero other divers! What a wonderful pre-Christmas treat!!! It was the best dive day at Little River, EVER!!! We had an easy swim back to the Well (2250 ft. penetration)! Only 28” of deco, and despite my diving wet, my body did not chill until I began to disrobe!

SantaFeSandy - 10/18/2017 10:45 PM

I went scuba diving here on 10/18/2017.
Wed. Oct. 18, 2017 - Guy didn’t receive equalized tank pressures on his last fill, so he had to balance them out himself, without the extra gas that is.

Nonetheless, we had a great dive. Water levels were high up over the second step. Vis was at 50-60 ft, much particulate, with the normal high flow of Little River inside the cave.

SantaFeSandy - 8/31/2017 9:38 AM

I went scuba diving here on 8/30/2017. Average viz: 71-80ft/22-24m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wed. Aug. 30, 2017 - Awesome day of diving with Guy. No other divers there. Visibility was 70-80 ft. No particulate. Would have been a great day for photography.

We took the Serpentine to 1500 foot in, took a shortcut jump on the right to another sidemount jump, tying off on the gold line rather than the line we came in on (which forms a small circuit). Went until it pinched off for Guy in backmount.

Went back out to the gold line, and took it to another red arrow jump on the right, which we check out a wee bit before hitting thirds. It was very pretty and will be explored more next time.

26 mins. deco!!! Yuck! Max depth was 107 ft. on 31%. My dive time was 91". Guy served another 15".

SantaFeSandy - 6/28/2017 7:22 PM

I went scuba diving here on 6/28/2017. Average viz: 41-50ft/12-15m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wednesday June 28th, 2017 - Today was a great dive day for Guy and I as we attempted to video inside Little River. It has been just shy of a year since our last video here.

Meanwhile, as we were taking advantage of the lower flow, and better visibility, i.e., conditions, we happened upon 2 Navy buddies who evidently did not have cave certification, diving full cave.

They were improperly equipped, and lacked the training to be in the environment they have been frequenting.

The wives waited for their men above, requesting that they be safe!!! And yet, the men were being fools filled with pride, just testing God to see if how often they can skirt the Grim Reaper!

When my buddy and I passed these guys in the cave, the severity of the situation became evident. All the wrong gear, none of it configured properly, lacking of backup lights and reels, while they were both diving backmount, they also hooked 2 additional bottles each onto their bc’s (not sure what they were AL or Steel, as they all had boots on them), and the bottles were hanging like really bad stage bottles right in front of their chests. Additionally, 3 of the 4 second stages were dangling like a novice recreational diver, snorkel still on (and the wrong side at that), etc.!!!

I am now learning that multiple divers over the past few weeks, including today, have tried to talk to them and get them to get trained correctly and officially, but it’s all falling on deaf ears.

If any of you knows a 50+ and 60+ Navy dive buddy team who is here in North Central Florida at this minute, who dived Little River today, please let me know who they are so that we can get them help before their wives end up as widows. Seriously.

SantaFeSandy - 4/19/2017 11:50 PM

I went scuba diving here on 4/19/2017. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
The 3 of us took our stage bottles in as we dropped our O2 bottles, and assisted the cave shoot by taking additional strobes in for our photographers, Dan Wright and Gene Page. Richard Black, on a CCR went in earlier, and stayed longer to help the guys.

After we dropped the lights, we went topside for 45" as we waited for them to test all the gear. Then we returned for the photoshoot.

SantaFeSandy - 12/22/2016 9:13 AM

I went scuba diving here on 12/21/2016. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Photoshoot dive. flickr.com/photos/santafesandy/albums/72157674315715893

SantaFeSandy - 10/12/2016 8:57 PM

I went scuba diving here on 10/12/2016. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Today we scootered back to the Dome Room, parked the scooter, and then swam to the Well casing, where we turned the dive. Wow! what an impressive well, and what an impressive room that the farmer just happened to sink his well into!

Max. penetration was around 2200+ feet. Started with 3500 psi x 2, and ended with 1500 & 1900 after 12 mins. of deco.

Being that my buddy dives using air, I gave him my O2, as the mouthpiece on his O2 reg tore off, and I was diving 32% anyway.

SantaFeSandy - 9/15/2016 11:14 AM

I went scuba diving here on 9/14/2016. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Dove Harper’s Tunnel. Beautiful.

mangoman1 - 8/20/2016 1:50 PM

I went scuba diving here on 8/19/2016. Average viz: 31-35ft/9-11m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Cavern dives in higher than normal flow and slightly reduced viz(milky) due to recent heavy rainfall.

SantaFeSandy - 5/26/2016 6:07 PM

I went scuba diving here on 5/25/2016. Average viz: 36-40ft/11-12m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Water levels were below the first cement step to the right of the sidewalk. The waters reflected a healthy, clear green, but inside the cave the flow was kicking, and the particulate was abundant, making it a bad time for photography or video.

No swimming in the cave on this day, as without a scooter, it was all pull and glide. We made it around 50 foot past the Dome Room, and with around 350 foot remaining until we hit the well, we called the dive.

Next time I’ll get some pics. :-)

SantaFeSandy - 3/31/2016 8:46 AM

I went scuba diving here on 3/30/2016. Average viz: 41-50ft/12-15m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Guy and I had a beautiful dive together on a warm, sunny day in Branford. Water levels were up over the fourth step, and over the wall into the rocks. The flow inside the cave was moderate. We went left at the split, onto the Serpentine, through the Florida Room, and turned the dive at the Dome. Max depth was 111 ft., dive time ending at 99 mins., and on EAN 32 my deco was 12 mins., which was spent looking out the beautiful cavern window at all the happy little fish.

This dive was my 3rd dive practicing with a stage bottle (dropped between the 2 splits), while being my 55th full cave dive, but only the 22nd full cave after receiving my fc certification card. Total lifetime dives are now at 296. Time to print more dive log sheets. :-)

SantaFeSandy - 2/03/2016 7:37 PM

I went scuba diving here on 2/3/2016. Average viz: 101-110ft/31-34m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - Guy & Me, hoping to get some shots. Not as tannic as one week ago, but maybe we will get some good shots anyway, despite the lack of sunshine.

SantaFeSandy - 1/28/2016 9:49 AM

I went scuba diving here on 1/27/2016. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wednesday Jan. 28, 2016 - Water levels way up, along with the tannins completely to the steps. Visibility to the cavern entrance was about 1%, though the boil could be seen on the surface. Once inside the cavern zone the waters cleared completely up. Vis was great and the flow low. I totally LOVE Little River, as she has so much to offer.

There are a ton of jumps to explore, the white limestone walls make for excellent photography, the small passageways are a lot of fun to navigate, and the tannins in the run, or in this case, right at the cavern entryway, make for such a dramatic impact on the mind, body, spirit and soul.

siboles2000 - 1/18/2016 10:09 AM

Rating Added: 5
Very little Flow on 1-16-2016. Excellent dive in January...no one was there.

SantaFeSandy - 1/11/2016 8:38 AM

I went scuba diving here on 1/10/2016. Average viz: 101-110ft/31-34m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
What an awesome, mind blowing dive at Little River today for all of us. My team member, Steve Jackson led our dive with his beam switching Big Blue on floodlight, and for me as a photographer, given the low flow and high vis, my trip was enhanced to the max. I will now seek to buy the same Big Blue Primary that he has, or better, since that one is no longer in production. That’s a great light, that will help my camera focus on my subjects in low lighting, all the better.

Meanwhile, the inside of Little River is magnificent. Absolutely a favorite dive site.

mangoman1 - 12/30/2015 7:43 PM

I went scuba diving here on 9/16/2015. Average viz: 91-100ft/28-30m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.

mangoman1 - 12/30/2015 7:41 PM

I went scuba diving here on 10/20/2015. Average viz: 91-100ft/28-30m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.

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