Cave Diving closest to South Florida

Hello,
I've moved to West Palm Beach from the Keys and want to do some cavern cave training.
What are some recommend dive spots and trainers that are on the southern end of the cave system, since I want to spend my weekends diving and not driving.

Ryan

if you don't find anything closer to you, check out EZ Scuba in tampa. it's a full tech shop with PADI and IANTD instructors. I'll be finishing up my Full Tech Cave with them this September.

in water training is done up in cave country over several weekends.


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There's really no avoiding the drive....I'm up there two-three times a month (7hr round trip drive)....Best way to train is find an instructor who'll do the complete course over a 5-7 day stretch and just stay....I think 'cerich' is looking for two people to do a NAUI Cave 1 course over 4-5 days....But the better caves are along the Suwanee and Santa Fe rivers; Ginnie, Peacock, Madison, Cow etc....Some others are in the Pan Handle, Jackson, Hole-in-the-Wall, which is even further.....No way around it........

I know a guy near Central Florida.

The Bahamas are only an hour or so by plane....

North Florida is the place but there are a few cave instructors closer. Off the top of my head, I think Stuart Scuba does cave instruction as well as Scubavice in Ft. Myers, and Dayo in Winter Park. There are many others as well. This page will give you a lot of Cave Country info:
SCUBA Diving in North and Central Florida caves and springs | Florida Dive Connection

Closest? Probably the Bahamas. Closest (time/money)? Maybe Mexico. Closest (domestic)? Tampa area, but those are pretty much 'full cave' territory. Closest (none of the above)? High Springs area, probably.

The Ocala area has a few caverns that OW can dive. Paradise Springs, Blue Grotto, Devils Den.
Most of the caves, but not all, are blown out right now in north Florida due to high rivers. The above caverns are ok.

Superlyte would make a great instructor and he's in Central Florida, near Orlando. There are a few places to train in that area, but you are probably going to have to get used to driving. I live in Key Largo, and have to plan way ahead to do this.

We have TONS of tech shops in "central" florida, also many on here are cave instructors, and most of us all know good friends that are cave instructors. Plenty to pick from
I'd be glad to recommend my instructors if you are looking, PM me for info.

As far as what's the closest you can drive to from West Palm?...
Blue Springs State Park (Cavern) - Orange City
Paradise Springs (Cavern, cave at the very bottom, AOW allowed to dive here) - Ocala area
Devil's Den is kind of interesting (open water, but mostly cavern-ish and tight cave type swim throughs, all INSIDE a cave) - Williston
Blue Grotto is plain boring (big cavern) - Williston
Manatee Springs State Park - only about 30mins closer than the rest of the north florida caves. Has a cavern, but nothing spectacular, the cave is more interesting.

My two favorite caverns are Paradise Springs and probably Orange Grove at Peacock.

Aside from those, you just need to keep driving north to cave country (Luravilla, High Springs Live Aak areas) where everything else is.
My west palm buddy drives up often to dive with me. He usually makes it a weekend since he has to drive the extra couple hours to Orlando before we head the few hours north to the caves.