Blu Grotto Rpt ,,57 degrees !

[Johnoly]

Do you have pictures of the tank donning area?

I'm sorry I didn't think to take a picture of that section. As you look at the floating dock, they are attached to the outside edges on either side of the stairs entrances. You can see a 3 foot wide section of white dock between. So the procedure is you stand up on the underwater deco platform. The water is ~4feet deep and about right at below your chest and the white dock floor is right at your arm pits. You unclip your stage easily and weightlessly in the water and then lift it up and slide it on the white floor infront of you. Then go to the stairs, remove your fins, walk up and then re-claim your deco bottles. But today, all the divers just left their deco bottles where they put them on the floor. Then took a break and returned to the water & the deco bottle station and re-attached them weightlessly in the water. It's a great setup and all the drysuit diver's today loved it because you don't struggle and block the stairs and it's deeper than the stairs to make it easier.

 

[Marie13]

Wow. That tank donning area wasn’t there when I was there in December.

 

[ecp]

it was 50 when I got there around 830AM on Sunday. Wasn't too crowded, just a few groups in the water.

The new floating dry dock is nice. Very sturdy unlike the old pontoons they had. I really like they keep investing in it, but it seems the dock just gets bigger and bigger. Pretty soon it will only be a small stride in

Good time with students. Gotta love the hot water showers on these cold days!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Thanks for the report and pics of the dock improvement. I almost ended up there on Saturday to practice skills, thinking the caves might still have been blown out from the storms. They do seem to keep investing in the place. At 48 bucks per person entry fee, they ought to be.

 

[Couv]

they installed a Software update to the Tesla Battery bank. After 3 days this week of full testing & stressing it,,,,they have been 1 0 0 % O F F G R I D !!

Does the power come from solar panels or is there a generator on site? Considering the power needed to operate the compressor system(s), air-conditioning, and refrigeration, I'm very impressed.

 

[Johnoly]

Does the power come from solar panels or is there a generator on site? Considering the power needed to operate the compressor system(s), air-conditioning, and refrigeration, I'm very impressed.

There's a ton of panels in the back 2 areas. They have been there for 5+ years but the Tesla battery wall is new and I'm clueless what batteries they had before, load draws, inputs, wiring and all that stuff. They had a hydroponic grow facility but it appears 'dormant' but still standing. They spend all their income on facilities improvements, and it's a really nice place.

 

[Gone for diving]

At 48 bucks per person entry fee,

Wow
At USD that's very expensive...
are air fills included as well?

 

[Manatee Diver]

Wow
At USD that's very expensive...
are air fills included as well?

No, but it has hot showers which is a huge selling point.

Blue Grotto is the most expensive site in cave country that I know of (exception being Forty Fathom Grotto which is priced absurd to technically be open for divers to meet the contract requirements). But they do really take care of the site, it is clean with good pavilions, nice bathrooms, good training platforms, etc. It is probably the best place in the area for training.

That being said, I wouldn't go there unless I was forced to for a class. I much prefer other places like the Basin at Ginnie or OG.