Buford springs in Hernado county florida

[seahuntjerry]

Hi,
  does any one have the exact directions to find Buford springs?
  Any help appreciated.
                          Jl

[jleech]

I got this off "tampadiving.com    - Jeff

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Latitude:  28° 38.006' N
Longitude:  82° 35.442' W

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Buford Sink is probably one of the most beautiful cavern dives in Florida. Situated almost a quarter mile from the access road it is not easily gotten to. However, the reward is well worth the effort.

Buford Sink was discovered in 1973 by Will Walters, who also discovered the DiePolder Sinks. I have been told that Buford Sink was named after Buford Register, an old cracker logger that Will talked into showing him the sink. It was off-limits/hunting property for years, but with the WMA now open, it is accesible. Many say that this is the second largest cavern in Florida, after Wakulla.

Access is via Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area. Divers must check in at an iron ranger at the entrance and pay the $3.00 daily fee, or you can purchase a yearly Wildlife Management Area pass for $26.50 at most hunting supply stores, Wal-Mart or on-line at: . Either the day pass stub or the Management area pass should be displayed on the dash so that law enforcement can see them while you are in the water.

The access road to Buford Sink is closed. There is a cable gate that ensures there is no vehicular traffic. Please leave the cable gate in place. The walk sucks but it is worth it.

The dive is awesome. The maximum depth is 165' at the siphoning downstream end of the main cavern/cave. The inflow comes from some outflowing areas at 140'. on the right side of the cavern, all this area seems to be a collapse zone that has eroded its way open to a small degree over a long time. There is also some slow flow from some low bedding planes on the left side of the cavern at 60-70'. The water that flows out of the sink goes 50 yards or so as a run, then syphons back down into a no-mount/sidemount crack that corkscrews its way down to 180 ft, where a large area of breakdown makes further passage difficult (but not impossible). It gets tannicy down there, and is flowing noticeably through a large room to the breakdown.

When entering and exitting the system, make sure to do so by the cypress tree at the end of the spring run. This will not only keep the visibility clear over the entrance but also protect the fragile entrance.

[seahuntjerry]

hi Jleech,
  Thanks i have that info,still need clear directions to get into the spring.
                  JL

[LKunze]

There's a pretty clear zoomable google map on that web link that he posted that has all of the roads etc. on it.

[Kirk]

Drive north of Weeki Wachee about 10 miles.  The entrance to the wildlife management area is on the left.  At the pay box, there is a fork in the road.  Go right (actually straight…  left takes you toward Eagle’s Nest).  After about a mile there is another fork in the road, go left.  After another mile or so, you will see a trail going into the woods on the right side of the road.  Find a place to pull off the road and park (if you don’t find your way up to here, ask a hunter for assistance).  The trail goes back about a quarter mile, and then just ends.  Buford Sink is a couple hundred feet past the end of trail through the swamp.  Bring mosquito repellent and watch out for water moccasins and alligators.  Enjoy, it is a beautiful dive site.  - Kirk

[seahuntjerry]

Hi Kirk,
  Thanks  my friend Will Adams  told me you answered.
    Thanks,Jerry

[tcjtn0]

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo..............
When are you coming down to MY neck of the woods then? 

Jeano Beano
Fort White , Florida

P.S.  I am about 2-2.5 hours north of Buford (The nest etc). 

[timm_hagen]

Definitely a cool site.  I was diving in Florida this past weekend and needed to find a site to dive being the Captain called off the Gulf trip because of high winds and seas.  We walked back to the site...its is .4 miles from the gate according to the GPS and the last 300 feet is muddy swamp...worse if it rains we found it to be dryer if going in off to the left rather than straight back.  When we got to the site there was a Gator in the water and being I am not that crazy about diving with Gators in the water at a site I passed, but I will probably check on it again being my Friend lives about 2 miles away directly across Hwy 19.  Definitely worth checking out, it is suppose to be the 2nd largest Cavern in Florida.