Florida · about 21 km from Live Oak
Lineater Spring (Stevenson Spring)
Info · exploration
Information only: an exploration project of Karst Underwater Research (KUR). The river spring lies on a Suwannee River Water Management District conservation easement; the inland entrances are on private land, where KUR negotiated access in 2016. We found no public arrangement for divers.
- Max depth49 m (161 ft)
- CertificationFull cave
- SpecialExperienced divers
Diving and fills
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Fills nearby
- Amigos Dive Center (Fort White)Air to 4,500 psi (~310 bar), nitrox 21–40 %, medical O₂ (also for rebreathers), custom trimix (continuous blender), argon
- Ginnie Springs dive shopAir (high-volume) and nitrox 32 %; no trimix listed. Prices 2026, excluding tax: air $9, doubles air $14, nitrox single cylinder $15, nitrox $0.15 per cubic foot (for top-offs and doubles)
- Extreme Exposure (High Springs)Air, nitrox (32 %, 50 %), O₂ (AL40) and trimix ('mix' in doubles); walk-in fills of your own tanks: ask
Now at Lineater Spring (Stevenson Spring)
The dive
From a boiling spring on the riverbank a wide passage with strong flow runs inland, with pits, tight side passages and kilometres of passage further in.
Profile and sections
From a boiling spring on the riverbank a wide passage with strong flow runs inland, with pits, tight side passages and kilometres of passage further in. Visibility is usually 5 to 12 m and can drop to near zero with silt and percolating water. When the Suwannee is high the flow reverses and the spring becomes a siphon.
Guy Bryant and Lee Sams explored the spring from August 1981 and called it Lineater because it 'ate' their line. In 1982 they connected the cave with Burnice Sink and other sinks inland, until the owner withdrew access at the end of that year. In 1986 Tom Morris and Buford Pruitt found the Down Pit. KUR regained inland access in September 2016, installed a decompression habitat in 2017 and explored the cave to ~7.7 km from the river; Sheck Exley already suspected a connection with Cathedral.
Practical: information only.
- Depth and profile
- Plan for more than -49 m: ~49 m and more in KUR's newer passages (according to Guy Bryant); the Down Pit drops from ~-12 to -40 m, near the river entrance to ~-18 to -20 m · explored to ~7.7 km from the river entrance
- Configuration
- Formerly backmount and scooters; side passages such as the Cold Tunnel are nearly sidemount-only. KUR installed a decompression habitat near the entrance in 2017.
- DPV: unknown
- Scooters were used in exploration; no rules published.
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Configuration unknown — research beforehand
- Goes down to 49 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
On the south bank of the Suwannee in Suwannee County, across from the Seven Sisters Springs and upriver of Suwannee River State Park; the spring can only be reached by water.
Around Lineater Spring (Stevenson Spring)
Fills3 fill stations · nearest 68 km
Amigos Dive Center (Fort White)
5472 SW Elim Church Rd, Fort White, FL 32038
Air to 4,500 psi (~310 bar), nitrox 21–40 %, medical O₂ (also for rebreathers), custom trimix (continuous blender), argon
During shop hours (times not listed) — ask
Walk-ins welcome. O₂-clean equipment required for O₂. Dive centre in 'cave country' since 2006.
Ginnie Springs dive shop
Ginnie Springs Outdoors (in the park), near High Springs, FL
Air (high-volume) and nitrox 32 %; no trimix listed. Prices 2026, excluding tax: air $9, doubles air $14, nitrox single cylinder $15, nitrox $0.15 per cubic foot (for top-offs and doubles)
Park hours: Mon–Thu 8:00–17:00, Fri–Sat 8:00–19:00, Sun 8:00–18:00. Last fill between 15:00 and 17:00, depending on the fill technician's availability
Rents cylinders (incl. nitrox steel 85), BCs, regulators, suits and lights. Personal compressors are banned in the park.
Extreme Exposure (High Springs)
18481 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, FL 32643
Air, nitrox (32 %, 50 %), O₂ (AL40) and trimix ('mix' in doubles); walk-in fills of your own tanks: ask
Daily 8:00–18:00
Tech and cave shop since 1995. Rents singles, stages and doubles (steel/alu, air, nitrox or mix), regulators, backplate/wing, lights and scooters; training.
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