What's the dive like now that it's all cleaned up. Do you think it was better with or without the duckweed? I'm headed up there next weekend to help out with class. Any opinions?
40 Fathom Grotto
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I wasn't aware it was even open to anything other than Ray's commercial diving training operation! Let the rest of us know what you find. I heard the vis has remained VERY poor. Probably need to BRING BACK THE DUCKWEED.
OP
From the new website.
Although 40 Fathom Grotto is primarily a diver-training facility and not open to the general diving public, there are nevertheless four different ways you can dive with us, including:
* Become a Grotto Guide: If you are a Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor, you will definitely want to take advantage of this opportunity, as it will give you the ability to bring students and customers here for classes and guided dives. See the Grotto Guides Section for more information.
* Come With a Guide: Most of our guests are students coming with a qualified Grotto Guide to take part in Advanced, Specialty, Leadership or Technical Diver training. (And some are just coming along to have fun.)
Compass Run
* Take a Class: This is certainly among the better values in that, for little more than the cost of a guided dive, you can come away with your Advanced, Rescue or any of a host of Specialty or Leadership certifications. See the Diver Training Section for more information.
* Let Us Be Your Guide: Don’t feel like taking a class? Indulge yourself in two personally guided dives with one of our expert staff members. See the best of the Grotto — including may features the casual observer often misses. See the Grotto Guides Section for more information.
Interesting note on the duckweed,
Even though the duck weed performs a valuable function, no one really wants to emerge from a dive, covered from head to toe with hundreds of tiny green seeds. Nor do they have to. Mounted below the surface of the Grotto are a series of low-pressure bubbler vents. We turn these on before divers enter the water and, within minutes, the air bubbles create a large, duck-weed-free zone at the surface of the water.
40 Fathom Grotto
I suppose I'll see next weekend, report to follow.
I was there a couple of weeks ago. The viz was about 20'. It was 58 degrees at depth. Hit 211Ffw. I was never there before the filters so I can't tell which is better. Its still a good dive.
OP
OP
Seems 20' Vis appears to be the norm. We had about 10' up and down. The dumb waiter is down so we had to hump gear down the steps. Joy. Temp ran an average of 68.
Quite the crowd today with the CDA folks and another group conducting training. Unfortunately the student didn't have the best of luck. The conditions must have pysched him out, poor buoyancy coupled with some massive hoovering made for a long day running drills. Ended the day by dropping his reel down to about 125' while shooting a bag and got it caught up in roots/tree branches. The other training team on site offered to police it up on their final dive as we were on our last dive and low on gas so hopefully he will be able to pick it up from them tomorrow.
Overall the facility looks great and appears to have a solid staff. Included is a link to some topside photos if anyone is interested. I'm beat and we are due back in the morning so I'm headed for a rack.
ScubaBoard Gallery - 40 Fathom Grotto
Quite the crowd today with the CDA folks and another group conducting training. Unfortunately the student didn't have the best of luck. The conditions must have pysched him out, poor buoyancy coupled with some massive hoovering made for a long day running drills. Ended the day by dropping his reel down to about 125' while shooting a bag and got it caught up in roots/tree branches. The other training team on site offered to police it up on their final dive as we were on our last dive and low on gas so hopefully he will be able to pick it up from them tomorrow.
Overall the facility looks great and appears to have a solid staff. Included is a link to some topside photos if anyone is interested. I'm beat and we are due back in the morning so I'm headed for a rack.
ScubaBoard Gallery - 40 Fathom Grotto
OP
I would have seriously considered that trade as well
After 10 hours of knee surgery I try to move slower goin' down stairs.
I'm not sure what it looked like when you were there, there quite a few platforms on the ~130' hole. We never made it to the van as the student needed some work. We'll be back in a month to try 150.
adm3745
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I saw the platform at ~24 ft, a 60 ft one but when I was there a couple were being built. One had a bullseye painted on it so students could practice shooting Lift bags with a clear opening up top. I did some swimming around the baot at 130. Looked for the motorcylce but we couldn't find. I don't think there was a line going to it like I thought there was.
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