# Freshwater Diving in Florida



## clopez1 (Jun 30, 2013)

Great pics, I need to find a nice spot to see plants in Broward Fl. area. Don't trust canals.


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## st3phaniex3 (Dec 18, 2014)

That's right where I live  rainbow river is always fun to float down!! Too bad you didn't get to see any manatees. I actually didn't know that the ludwigia or vals grew so close to me lol good to know!!


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## blinky2088 (Oct 16, 2006)

Awesome pics. Thanks for posting.

I did the manatee tour a year ago last january. Best trip of my life. They are truly gentle giants. Went to crystal springs and saw 30-50 of them. We were the only 2 in the tour that day so had the water to ourselves very cold even with wetsuits. But didnt get to see the nice plant life you did and that softshell turtle too.

when you leave the river you feel like you swam in a bath of baby oil. All those minerals from the springs.

I definitely would go back. Swam with dolphins and scuba in cozumel, cuba, saba, but florida and the manitees was best. They are like mini submarines swimming beside you. There is another tour in the area I would like to try where you snorkel for your own scallops you get to keep what you pick. Maybe one day

Ps an intersting fact manitee are are close relatives of the elephant family.

im interested in knowing the name of that tonnina looking plant. Looks very interesting.


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## leemacnyc (Dec 28, 2005)

Great photos, thanks for the post JM. I went to college in Texas and we had very similar springs in the area. 72 degrees year round and crystal clear. I spent more time underwater than in class

P.S.-We can re-build him...we have the technology!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

What did you use in terms of UW photography?

Planning to go diving Cenotes and reefs in a few weeks, and I bought a glorified zipper bag for my nice mirrorless, and also a cheap waterproof camera. Not sure I want to risk flooding my good cam, even though I would get much better quality shots with the f1.8 lens and larger sensor. Decisions, decisions. :confused1:


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## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

Wasserpest said:


> What did you use in terms of UW photography?
> 
> Planning to go diving Cenotes and reefs in a few weeks, and I bought a glorified zipper bag for my nice mirrorless, and also a cheap waterproof camera. Not sure I want to risk flooding my good cam, even though I would get much better quality shots with the f1.8 lens and larger sensor. Decisions, decisions. :confused1:



It's a Canon IXY Digital 800 IS, just an ole' point n' shoot that I've had for years. I have a Canon Waterproof Case WP-DC800 for it, so it's my diving camera.

I've considered getting a nice case for my D200, but it's hard sell because those nice housings are so pricy.

Housing for my Canon PnS was only like $135, and that was a few years ago.


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

those underwater roots are inspiring


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## FishinGator (Feb 19, 2014)

Hey, that's my neck of the woods. I'm right up the road in Gainesville. Rainbow River is one of the greatest places on earth in my opinion. We kayak it many times throughout the year. My parents live in Crystal River, so I spend a lot of time there as well. That's a bummer you didn't see any manatees, they are still a bunch of them around. We saw a dozen or so two saturdays ago. Not to mention the two that were sleeping in the canal behind my parent's house. There is actually a large population of resident manatees that do not leave the area during the normal migration. Three Sisters Spring is an amazing place. Several years ago there was a proposed development trying to buy the land around the springs, thankfully enough support came forward to have the State & US Fish & Wildlife acquire the land for preservation. Thanks for sharing the pictures!


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