WES SKILES PEACOCK SPRINGS STATE PARK

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a special ceremony in the renaming North Florida’s Peacock Springs State Park, a site popular to many cave divers, after internationally renowned cave explorer, cinematographer and photographer Wes Skiles.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s renamed Peacock Springs State Park to honor the late Wes Skiles for his passion for the protection of Florida’s springs and vast understanding of the Floridan aquifer in the form of superb educational and adventurous science films he has produced over the years. As many you know, Wes Skiles died in a diving accident during a filming project off Boynton Beach, Florida back in August 2010.

The park’s new name will now be known as Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park.

The park, located east of Luraville in Live Oak, has two major springs, a spring run and six sinkholes, all in near pristine condition. Cave divers have explored and surveyed nearly 33,000 feet of underwater passages at Peacock Springs. This park features one of the longest underwater cave systems in the continental United States. Only divers who have proof of their scuba certification are allowed to explore the underwater caverns. Around the springs, four major plant communities are represented in the mature forest stands. A nature trail leads visitors on a path tracing the twisting tunnels of the caves far below their feet. Swimming in Peacock Springs and Orange Grove Sink are popular activities during the summer. Grills and pavilions are available for picnicking.

The park’s renaming will be welcome addition to the legacy of Wes Skiles.

© 2011, admin. All rights reserved.