Orange Grove Sink Spring

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Orange Grove Sink Spring is a shore accessible fresh water dive site, located at 18081 185th Road, Luraville, FL 32060. This dive site has an average rating of 3.77 out of 5 from 22 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 71-80ft/22-24m. The average visibility is 41-50ft/12-15m.

Orange Grove Sink Spring is located in Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park and is open for ALL divers (including Open Water divers but not solo divers). The surface is covered with duckweed, but once you are down the vis is excellent. There is some aquatic life but not much. However, you can descend very deep and still see clear to the surface. Yes, there is a cave entrance but only for cave divers (a sign at the cave entrance warns non-cave divers to stop). Open water divers are also not permitted to carry lights to discourage untrained cave divers from going in the cave. Still a very enjoyable dive if your cave diver buddies decide to ditch you. ;-)

All divers must show proof of certification before diving.
•Cavern and cave diving is available to certified dive teams in Orange Grove Sink & Peacock Springs.
•Open water divers are allowed in Orange Grove Sink only.
•No lights for open water dives.
•Instructors conducting a class must have a Commercial Dive Permit.
•Divers dive at their own risk.
•No solo diving is permitted
•Dives cannot extend past 5:00 p.m.
•No scooters (DPVs) or ATVs.
•No fishing.

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Comments

SantaFeSandy - 3/11/2020 3:26 PM

I went scuba diving here on 10/22/2019. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Tues. Oct. 22. 2019 - We did the Grand Traverse to Peacock 1 going the back way. Total penetration from Orange Grove to P1 was 4200 feet. Began with 3600 psi in both LP 85’s and ended with 2000 psi in both.

Hockeyrottie - 5/03/2019 12:10 PM

Rating Added: 4
Did part of my cavern training here, liked the openness of the cavern.

I thought was a little cold, but was in a 5 mil.

Lost my Paralenz in the run trying to film a turtle. Partner found it 2 days later, with 35% battery still left!

SantaFeSandy - 11/09/2018 8:45 AM

I went scuba diving here on 10/31/2018. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Photoshoot. Great dive.

flickr.com/photos/santafesandy/albums/72157672944452237

SantaFeSandy - 11/01/2017 12:54 PM

I went scuba diving here on 10/31/2017. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Tues. Oct. 31, 2017 - Guy and I dove Orange all by ourselves...no other divers there when we entered the crystal blue water. Jill Heinerth and her colleague explorers were at Peacock 1 working with the Sunfish for outer-space exploration, inner-space.

Meanwhile, Guy and I took the jump to the right into the Distance Tunnel, and proceeded to the split at the end.

What a magnificent dive. The basin was crystal blue with a giant light ray beaming through it. The old, dead trees were picturesque, and the duck weed surface was a luminescent yellow. Marvelous. Will take the Martz Offshoot next time. Great tunnel for photos.

SantaFeSandy - 9/29/2017 9:02 AM

I went scuba diving here on 9/27/2017. Average viz: 71-80ft/22-24m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wed. 9/27/17 - Goldline to Challenge and back. Would have gone on to Peacock1 the back way, completing the grand traverse, but Guy was just getting situated with his new gear, and the dump valves weren’t working correctly.

Lots of monster mosquitoes at Orange, but the State Park had done great work cleaning up all the downed trees from Irma that were blocking the parking spaces.

80 ft. vis., a bit of particulate. Nobody else there.

mangoman1 - 9/17/2016 5:30 PM

I went scuba diving here on 9/12/2016. Average viz: 71-80ft/22-24m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Cavern diving with a thermocline at about 35ft. Above that level, temps about 74 and viz maybe 10ft. Below thermocline, temp about 71 and viz 80+. We brought bug spray for the mosquitoes this time! No other divers all day.

mangoman1 - 8/23/2016 3:38 PM

I went scuba diving here on 8/22/2016. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Above ground/water, the mosquitoes were relentless! Under water(and a lot of duckweed), there was a thermocline at about 35ft. Above 35ft the water temp was about 75F and viz was maybe 20ft. Below 35ft the water temp dropped to about 71F and viz cleared to an easy 80ft+.

mangoman1 - 7/23/2016 5:58 PM

I went scuba diving here on 7/15/2016. Average viz: 71-80ft/22-24m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.

SantaFeSandy - 6/27/2016 1:44 PM

I went scuba diving here on 6/26/2016. Average viz: 16-20ft/5-6m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wonderful day with Paul practicing skills and drills in both Orange and Peacock1 in preparation for his cave training with Lamar.

mangoman1 - 6/20/2016 7:44 PM

I went scuba diving here on 6/18/2016. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
Cavern dives practicing running reels. Recent high temp reduced viz down to about 30ft when it finally cleared up.

billsoccer - 4/21/2016 11:11 PM

Rating Added: 4
Entrance and above ground surroundings give you a Jurassic-Park look. Entrance looks uninviting - duckweed and seems small. However, Duckweed easily dispersed and surprisingly a lot of room underwater. My buddy and I shared with at least 3 others and plenty of room without crowding. Plenty of ledges to explore if you’re not a cave diver, but heavy silt so your buoyancy better be top-notch. We’re not cave-certified so didn’t take lights, but wish they were allowed. I understand there’s been plenty of people who died in this system, so I ’get’ the reason for the ban - some people don’t know their limitations.
You’ll come away with insider knowledge about how Florida is built on ’swiss-cheese’!

mangoman1 - 3/15/2016 9:29 PM

I went scuba diving here on 3/14/2016. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
Duckweed completely covered the surface, but it was all small seeds and a very thin layer. At least 6 other divers on our 2nd dive so we had to pick our spots carefully.

mangoman1 - 3/08/2016 8:09 PM

I went scuba diving here on 3/7/2016. Average viz: 91-100ft/28-30m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.

mangoman1 - 12/30/2015 7:18 PM

I went scuba diving here on 4/18/2015. Average viz: 71-80ft/22-24m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.
Cavern Certification dives with Lamar Hires

mangoman1 - 12/30/2015 6:56 PM

I went scuba diving here on 12/22/2015. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.

mangoman1 - 12/04/2015 10:46 PM

I went scuba diving here on 7/15/2015. Average viz: 51-60ft/16-18m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.

mangoman1 - 12/04/2015 10:18 PM

I went scuba diving here on 12/4/2015. Average viz: 81-90ft/25-27m. Water temp: 66-70°F/19-21°C.

mangoman1 - 12/01/2015 10:06 PM

I went scuba diving here on 9/1/2015. Average viz: 71-80ft/22-24m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.

SantaFeSandy - 11/05/2015 10:45 AM

I went scuba diving here on 11/4/2015. Average viz: 91-100ft/28-30m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Wednesday Nov. 4, 2015. Today Guy Bryant and I did a photo shoot inside the Orange Grove cave system. We penetrated approximately 1000 feet before turning the dive, and got some absolutely sensational & surreal shots.

SantaFeSandy - 7/23/2015 8:57 AM

I went scuba diving here on 7/15/2015. Average viz: 16-20ft/5-6m. Water temp: 71-75°F/22-24°C.
Lots of duckweed blocking sun but, it was a cloudy, rainy day anyway. Water levels were up, and viz down. Dark green in there! Once inside the cave system, viz back to normal.

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