“Florida’s Premier Pre-Historic Spring”
After an early morning wake up, we were ready to hit the road again. This time traveling 2.5 hours to our next adventure, snorkeling in an underground cave...but first, Coffee!
Coffee, check.
Snorkeling gear, check.
Go-pro, check.
Meghan, check.
Let’s do this.
We arrive at the Devil’s Den with 10 minutes to spare, as our reservation time was at 10:30 am; just enough time to get my gear ready, get checked in, and be ready to get in the water.
“Please be aware that All snorkel and dives are by appointment only and if you are under 18 years of age, you must have a parent on the premises.”
When we arrived, it was an overcast, balmy, 54 degrees, and yes, that statement is dripping with sarcasm. We were told the water temperature was 72 degrees. Perfect we think, the water is warmer than the outside temps, we should be great. That’s what we get for thinking so early in the morning...when we got out, it was cold, when we got in, it was cold. Regardless of being in or out of the water, we were cold. On the bright side, we are both adventurous people, who wouldn’t let a little cold deflect us from this experience, so with flippers in hand, off we went.
We walked to the entrance of the cave. It had a beautiful vine covered archway over the steps leading down inside. It gave it a secret garden’ish feeling, and since we were the only ones there, it was like our own private retreat. Once inside though, that’s where the cool factor kicked in. There before us was an unadulterated wonder. The wheels immediately begin to turn, how and when did this place come in to existence, who discovered this place, who swam here before me...on and on the questions rolled.
At the top of the cave was a somewhat large hole, that resembled a great blues blow hole. This hole was the only light source in the cave, it sprinkled light through the draping grasses around the rim, that danced on the water, sending rays deep within the darkest places, turning the water a gorgeous turquoise color. The sun was definitely this caves friend. One spot was illuminated, giving us a taste of the possibilities on a bright sunny day.
Click on my photo to see the full vlog on YouTube!
Once my eyes had had their fill of the magnificent visual that was before me. I began to focus on the task at hand...getting in the water. There before me was a nice landing platform to stand on to gear up, put on flippers or what have you, and then - take the plunge into the 50’ abyss - it’s cold - and dark, did I mention it’s cold and dark! If I didn’t, trust me, it was cold and dark. Definitely bring a light with you and if you have a wet suit, absolutely wear it. They also rent them there, so it would probably be worth the extra money to go ahead and rent a suit.
As the sun played with the water, we could see large fish and rock formations. There were huge catfish, almost Meghan size. I had to keep an eye on her! There was also a pet turtle hanging out with us, as well as these tiny fish who constantly nibbled on our legs and feet. It was as if we were at a fish spa, getting all of our dead skin cells eaten off by school of Garra Rufa fish. I’ve never had a fish pedicure before, but feel that I came pretty close to what it would actually feel like in that cave.
I swam around for a bit, to get as much footage with the go pro as I could before our time was up, as we were allotted an hour and a half to swim with our reservation. I will say this, if you don’t like cold, dark water, this may not be the excursion for you. But, sometimes it’s good to step out your comfort zone and just go for it; you won’t regret it, ever.
Our time had ended at this unique place and it was time to go home. We loaded our selves up in the car, reflecting on the magnitude of this adventure. Our next mission - search for food before we began the long drive back home.
I leave with the knowledge that I will probably never get Meghan back in a cave to swim ever again, but am glad to have had this experience and to be able to help places like this keep their doors open. I would go back!
Fun Facts:
DEVIL'S DEN SPRING:
• 120 ft. surface diameter
• 72 degrees F/22.2 degrees C year round water temperature
• Inverted mushroom shape below the surface
• Maximum depth is 54 ft/16.45
To be continued...
On Site Accommodations from Devil’s Den Website:
EQUIPMENT RENTAL:
• Scuba diving equipment
• Snorkeling equipment
GIFT SHOP:
• T-Shirts, post cards, stickers, and much more
• Snacks and Beverages
LODGING:
• 4 Cabins - each sleep 4
• 1 Double wide - sleeps 6
• Vast R.V Park
• Tent Campgrounds
RECREATION:
• Heated Swimming Pool
• 2 Large changing areas with showers and bathroom
• 30 + Picnic Tables
• Charcoal Grills
• 5 Cabanas
• 2 Large Pavilions
• Assorted lawn games
Devils Den Spring can be found by their website, as well as on Facebook and Instagram
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DevilsDenSpring
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devilsdenspring/
Expenses Incurred:
Admission: $15.00 USD per person
Rentals: $12.00 USD per person
Affiliate Links:
💻Follow us on social media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sethandmeghanfawley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethandmeghan/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SethAndMeghan/
Our New Website: https://lkbynd.wixsite.com/sethandmeghan
🗺Locations in this vlog
Devil's Den: http://www.devilsden.com/
📸 The gear we are using
The drone we use: DJI Mavic Air 2
The gimbal we use: DJI Ronin SC
The iPhone cage we use: BeastGrip Pro
The bags we carry: Wandrd Prvke Series
🎧 Where our music and sounds come from
Copyright FREE music for you!
👚🩳 Brands we love
The best t-shirts: True Classic Tees Use code MM10 for 10% off https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1599575&u=2756223&m=100400&urllink=&afftrack=0
The most stylish men's and women's apparel: use the link for $10.00 off your order!
Bylt Basics: http://rwrd.io/pcdq759?c
As always, Thank you for stopping by and reading our blog, we hope to see you on our next adventure as we explore Florida.
Please be aware that affiliate links will be included in this post, as always all of our affiliations are tried and true as we want to provide our readers/subscribers with the very best information to help you make informed decisions about your next travel experience.
Seth & Meghan
Comments