The Little River Cave System

Florida (global-adventures.us): To most, Florida is known for its sunshine, entertainment, and subtropical vegetation. Much of the state is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. Spanning two time zones, it extends to the northwest into the panhandle along the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The Florida peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock. Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout the state and supply most of the water used by 18+ Million residents. The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell.  The area roughly starting south of the Georgia Stateline to Ocala is known as “Cave Country.”

The Little River Cave System is not the largest or longest cave system in Florida, but it is a favorite to many cave divers. The spring is located on the eastern side of the Suwannee River just north of Branford. The cave begins with a steep drop to 65 feet where the main line begins on the left. Following the line, divers will reach the "chimney,” which drops to around 90 – 94 feet, depending on the water level. After a short swim, the mainline swings to the right and divers can see the “Mud-tunnel” straight ahead. It basically goes parallel to the main tunnel and connects back to the main line further into the system.

After a few minutes of pull and glide, divers arrive at a large plastic triangle. To the left is the Serpentine Passage. 20 or 30 feet into the passage, divers will discover the Harper Tunnel to the left. At an average depth of just over 100 feet, it soon narrows down to a small room, called the turn-around room.

The white line ends at this point and experienced cave divers can take their doubles off and continue with a no-mount stage bottle or in sidemount configuration. However, there is no opportunity to turn around after this point, so to venture further into the Harper Tunnel is not recommended.

Exiting the Harper Tunnel leaves several options. If divers stay left, they will continue through the Serpentine Tunnel and reach the Florida Room soon. If they decide to go right (back to the large plastic triangle), they can continue straight ahead (coming out of the Serpentine Tunnel) to the Mary-Go-Around Tunnel or turn right to exit the cave system. Shortly after entering the Mary-Go-Around Tunnel, divers will find a jump to the Shortcut Tunnel on their left. Both tunnels lead to the Florida Room.

At a penetration of 1,030 feet, divers will reach the Big Rock. If they look to the left, they can see another tunnel, called the “Florida Room Siphon.” Experienced divers will take note of the water flow, since any silt stirred up during entry will follow the diver further into the system. While pretty, the Florida Room Siphon has some major restrictions and it gets very silty past the Last Chance Room.

Divers who continue further into the Florida Room will soon encounter a large clay bank. Shortly after, the line turns to the left and the cave changes. Walls get somewhat darker, and divers can see and feel that this section is less traveled. After encountering another clay bank, divers can tie into the Long Way Line on the right, which will lead them into the Deep Section. After a short swim, they will see the Little Loop Siphon to the right, which leads past the Catacombs back to the main line.

Divers following the Long Way Line will soon encounter another T. If they continue to the right, they will find the entrance to the New Deep Section on their left. With a depth of up to 125 feet, this section of Little River is the deepest part of the cave system. Several tunnels shoot off to the left and right, and some don’t have any lines in it. The New Deep Section is getting narrower towards the end of the tunnel and it will become almost impossible to turn around.

Only the most experienced cave divers should even consider exploring the Small Creek Tributary, which is a continuation of the Long Way/Short Way Tunnel. The entrance to this section of the cave is restricted by almost 75 feet of mud and clay banks, and divers may have to dig their way through the area, which almost certainly will result in a major silt-out.

Divers turning left on the Long Way Line T (instead of right, which leads them into the New Deep Section) will follow the Short Way Line for a while until they reach another T. To the right is the Old Deep Section, a tunnel similar to the New Deep Section with some small clay banks on the left. If they continue straight ahead instead of turning into the Old Deep Section, they will soon see the main line leading back to the Florida Room on the left.

If they decide to continue straight ahead, they will encounter a tunnel with no line on their left. The short tunnel leads to a vertical shaft which many believe is the water source for the Harper Tunnel.

Shortly thereafter, the main tunnel makes a sharp (90 degree) turn to the right and divers will reach the Dome Room, which is a good drop-point for scooters. Continuing from here, the tunnel get’s smaller and a bit siltier until divers reach the Last Room, or Well-pipe Room. They will encounter a white plastic pipe penetrating trough the rock and diverting water to the surface.

For most divers, the journey will end here. The tunnel continues a couple of hundred feet and crosses the last known water vent before becoming very silty and tight. The water in this part of the cave is more tannic, and the usual 100 plus feet visibility diminishes.

If divers get lucky, they may encounter some Albino Crayfish on their journey trough Little River. While not the biggest or the deepest cave in Florida (far from it), the Little River system is a favorite among many cave divers because the system is diverse and still has something to offer after 50 or more dives. The Bone Alley Line, The Catacombs, and The Wormhole Line are just samples of many areas waiting to be explored.

Dive Centers

Several dive centers offer gas fills, equipment (including rental gear), and service. Possibilities include:

Amigos Dive Center, www.amigosdivecenter.com, phone: (386) 497-3876, contact: Wayne Kinard, 5472 SW Elim Church Rd, Ft. White, FL 32038

Steamboat Dive Inn, www.steamboatdiveinn.com, phone 386-935-2283, 503 Us Hwy 27 # 553, Branford, Fl 32008, phone 386-935-2283

Accommodations

Cave Excursions, www.caveexcursions.com, contact: Bill Rennaker, phone: 386-776-2299, 20338 180th Terrace, Live Oak, Fl 32060, offers several trailers for rent.

Camping is also possible.

Other opportunities include the Paramount Plaza Hotel & Suites, www.paramountplaza.com, 2900 SW 13th Street, Gainesville, FL, 32608, phone: 877-992-9229

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We offer almost monthly trips for all experience levels to Florida, so if you are interested, please contact us here.

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