Course Locations
North Florida – High Springs / Lake City, Florida
Where it all started! The diving is all freshwater based and will be held across the various springs in North Florida based on current conditions. We have a ton of options to choose from and will try to get some variety. One of the best parts of taking the course in Lake City is we have the ability to visit or even have the first day of class at the Dive Rite factory. Also, as all the training is in the world famous Florida springs we very rarely lose days to the weather and boat schedules.
Getting There:
North Florida is conveniently located to the Orlando Airport (2 Hours) the Jacksonville Airport (1.5 Hours) the Tampa Airport (2.5 Hours) and even Gainesville (30 Minutes) has a small regional airport. You will need a car for training in North Florida so pick the airport that best suits you needs and grab a rental car and go!
Getting Around:
As we mentioned above the diving will be done at different springs scattered throughout the region. You will need your own vehicle to get to and from the dive sites and to get fills after diving. Most of the springs are within 30-45 minute’s drive of High Springs but some can be a little further away. We won’t know the sites we are diving until a few days before the course at best as we base site selection on student progression and water conditions.
Dive Logistics:
We are in North Florida the mecca of US cave diving so logistics are as simple as they can be anywhere in the world! We recommend Extreme Exposure for all you gas fills, rental equipment, and gear needs during the course. They are a fantastic shop and have been great with supporting our team. They are also a Dive Rite dealer so any last minute bits and pieces are easily acquired.
Extreme Exposure
18481 High Springs Main Street
High Springs, FL 32643
Monday-Sunday 8AM – 6PM
+1 386-454-8158
Diving:
As mentioned above the diving will be all freshwater springs in an open water environment. Water temperatures are 72F year-round which makes the diving comfortable. We will be in the water for 3-4+ hours at a time so please make sure you have appropriate exposure protection. For most this means a drysuit but some students have been comfortable with diving wet.
We have the potential to dive the following spring systems during the course; Ginnie Springs, Orange Groove – Peacock Springs State Park, Royal Springs, Troy Springs, Blue Grotto, Buford Springs, Hudson Grotto, and more.
Where To Stay:
We strongly recommend that you stay in High Springs. This will put you central to most of the dive sites but also to the most reliable fill station at Extreme Expsoure. High Springs as two motels that cater to divers. The High Springs Country Inn or The Blue Gem Motel. There are also numerous “cave” houses that cater to traveling divers and students have had great success with airBNB. High Springs also has the best dining options near the springs without having to travel all the way to Lake City or Gainesville. There are multiple restaurants and even a full-sized grocery store in town.
Other Things To Know:
The dive site entrance fees range from free to around $40 per person. Your instructor will let you know how payment and each site works prior to heading out so you will be prepared. If you specific questions please reach out to you instructor.
