Tim Garrett’s Terrifying Wrong Turn: Near-Death in Little River Spring Cave
| Incident Location | Diver Full Name |
|---|---|
| USA, North Florida, Little River Spring | Tim Garrett |
Little River Spring, located within Swan River County Park in North Florida, is one of the most beautiful and inviting natural places you can visit. The spring is known for its constant water temperature of 72°F throughout the year, making it an ideal spot for diving enthusiasts. The spring itself stretches about 150 feet in length and conceals an extensive cave system that extends over 12,200 feet.
The Cave System
Just a short distance from the Swan River, you’ll find the entrance to a massive underwater cave system. When water levels are normal, the entrance is submerged in about 15 feet of water, but it quickly slopes down to a depth of 65 feet.
As you explore this hidden world, you’ll notice the current becoming stronger as you turn left from the main cavern. This is because the cave passage narrows, channeling the water more forcefully.
The cave floor is made of hard limestone covered by a layer of sand and pebbles. As you venture deeper, the cave’s layout changes dramatically, with the walls and floors becoming covered in thicker mud.
Under the right conditions, the river water becomes so clear that it’s almost invisible. This means you can stand near the entrance and look down into the cave without getting wet.
Tim Garrett: A Passionate Adventurer
Tim Garrett was a lover of dangerous adventures, known in his community for his passion for outdoor sports, particularly caving. His fascination with exploring caves began during his PhD studies in marine biology, where he combined his interests in caving and diving, eventually becoming a skilled cave diver. Tim’s younger brother, Max, shared this passion, and together, they became well-known in their neighborhood for their enthusiasm for diving.
The Garrett Brothers’ Adventures
Both Tim and Max acquired the necessary skills and certifications to safely explore underwater caves. They spent countless hours together, diving into the mysterious and beautiful underwater world, always eager to discover new caves and share their adventures.
The Fateful Dive at Little River Spring
Tim’s upcoming dive was planned for Little River Spring, a location he and Max had explored before. However, in the days leading up to the dive, Tim felt unusually anxious. Normally excited and eager, he found himself feeling uneasy about the planned exploration. Despite this, Tim decided to proceed with the dive.
Tim’s Anxieties and Max’s Concerns
Tim shared his concerns with Max, who sensed that it might be a sign of something bad. Max tried to convince Tim to cancel the dive, but Tim, not taking his brother’s advice seriously, decided to stick to his plans. Unfortunately, a day before the dive, Max received an urgent work call and had to travel to a neighboring town, leaving Tim to dive alone.
The Dive Begins
On the morning of the dive, Tim arrived at the dive site, suited up, and called Max to let him know he was about to begin. The dive was planned to last about 60 minutes. To explore more efficiently, Tim and Max had previously decided to use special underwater scooters, which allow divers to use less air and swim faster, making it easier to reach different parts of the cave.
The Dive Plan
Tim, an experienced diver, followed a carefully planned route through Little River Spring. His goal was to reach the well casing point and then safely ascend back to the surface.
Little River Spring has a main tunnel that leads to a depth of 900 feet. At this point, the tunnel branches into two paths: Serpentine Way and Merrygoround Tunnels. Divers can choose either path based on their experience and preference. Both paths eventually connect in a large area called the Florida Room.
Navigating the Cave’s Complexities
Tim Garrett was exploring Little River Spring’s underwater caves. He followed a rope to stay on the right path. It’s important to see clearly while diving. If the water gets cloudy, it can be hard to find your way back.
The Dome Room: A Challenging Terrain
Tim’s dive route took him through a section known as “The Dome Room”, characterized by its significantly lower floor. In this area, he swam over a large pile of sand that had fallen from above. This section differed starkly from the rocky pathways he had traversed earlier. Here, the floor was covered with a thick layer of mud and silt, making the terrain softer and more challenging to navigate. Any movement could stir up debris, further obscuring his view.
Tim knew the next part of his cave dive would be tricky. He turned off his scooter and parked it nearby. From now on, he’d have to rely on his swimming skills and a rope to guide him. After a careful journey, he reached the well casing. He had made it through the cave safely and was ready to head back up.
The Ascent: A Deadly Mistake
As Tim began his ascent, he meticulously retraced his steps through The Dome Room, navigating over the sand pile and through the layers of mud and silt. Once he reached the clearer, rockier sections of the cave, he reactivated his underwater scooter to move more efficiently. However, at a depth of 25 feet, he encountered a critical juncture where the cave split into a “Y” shape.
A Wrong Turn
According to his dive plan, Tim was supposed to take a specific branch of the “Y.” Unfortunately, he mistakenly took the wrong turn, believing it was the correct path because it was ascending. However, as he continued, his dive light suddenly died, plunging him into darkness. He soon realized his terrible mistake when the passage he followed ended in a dead end. His depth gauge indicated that he was at 11 feet—much shallower than he should have been.
To make matters worse, Tim’s dive tank became entangled, making it impossible for him to move. In the eerie silence of the underwater cave, he could hear faint sounds from above, reminding him of the world he needed to return to.
A Race Against Time: Max’s Growing Concern
Meanwhile, Max Garrett had finished his meeting in the neighboring town and knew the dive should have been completed by now. Growing increasingly worried, Max called Tim’s phone multiple times, but there was no answer. Fearing the worst, Max began to sense that something terrible might have happened. He called home to check if Tim had returned, but no one had heard from him.
The Search Begins
Deeply concerned, Max managed to locate one of the officers at Little River Springs and shared his worries. Upon checking the area, they found Tim’s car still parked at the premises, confirming that he had not yet surfaced. This realization meant that Tim was likely in a dire situation underwater.
The Rescue: A Glimmer of Hope
By this time, Tim had been in the cave for 27 extra minutes, waiting in complete darkness, knowing he would die when his last gas cylinder ran out. It had been 40 minutes since the dive was supposed to end when rescuers were alerted.
Discovering Tim
Two rescue divers courageously entered the cave to search for Tim but couldn’t find him along the expected dive route. On their way back, they noticed a “Y”-shaped area with disturbed silt, realizing that Tim had taken the wrong turn. Using their dive lights, they finally spotted Tim at the far end of the section. His dive tank had become entangled, and he had been waiting in total darkness for 2 hours and 20 minutes. By the time they found him, Tim had used his primary tank, his decompression tank, and was breathing from his 100% O2 tank for the last stage of decompression.
The rescue divers gave Tim a spare tank and escorted him back to the surface. Fortunately, two hours at an 11-foot depth were enough to fully decompress, so he didn’t need to pause before surfacing.
A Joyful Reunion
When Tim finally emerged from the water, his family was overjoyed to see him alive. Despite the harrowing experience, Tim survived the ordeal, thanks to his diving skills and the brave rescue divers who found him in time.
