Blue Grotto - The Good and The Bad

[**Scuba_Steve**]

I went diving last friday with several others on the board but I will leave out their names since this is what I think and not necessarily what their opinions of the site are.

The Good:

• Crystal Clear Water
• Decent Size for a Cavern/Spring dive
• Lots of room for setup; each setup area has tables and tents
• Good depth, I hit 90ft.
• Cool Air Bell
• Platforms for equipment checks and skills drills before decending.

The bad:

• 2 hours from Orlando
• 40 dollars per person to dive a hole, are you freaking kidding me?
• 25 dollars for a Tshirt, now I know you are crazy.
• The staff (possibly owner) was sort of rude. Maybe just not a friendly person IDK.

Over all i was pleased with the site but not the price or the long drive for the overall value of the dive. For about the same amount of money and time we could have been in West Palm and been in Salt Water.

I will probably not be diving this site again for a very long time, if at all.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Thanks for the review, Steve.

I think that Blue Grotto is a must dive once if you are in the area...well, at least I thought that when I paid $25 many years ago, and I thought that was outrageous. But $40 a head keeps it from getting overcrowded, no? :blinking:

Sunday, you could have driven to Blue Heron Bridge, dived for FREE, and joined us for lunch after for less than $40 even considering gas!

 

[Salmonboy97]

I agree, Blue Grotto is a Once-a-Year, or less, divesite.

 

[divedude1962]

I did Blue Grotto with students, not impressed enough to do it for fun, but when you need to get wet: you get wet.

 

[Fox-Cousteau]

The bad:

• 40 dollars per person to dive a hole, are you freaking kidding me?
• 25 dollars for a Tshirt, now I know you are crazy.
• The staff (possibly owner) was sort of rude. Maybe just not a friendly person IDK.

I dove with Steve and agree with him on the first 2 points. The third point, the guy wasn't the owner. I don't know who he was, but I'm sure it wasn't the owner.

With Paradise at $30, Ginnie at $30 and Devil's Den at $35, I don't understand why the price is so high. There were 4 of us and we were told that it took 5 for a group rate. how convenient was that?

by the way, here are some pics from the day...

 

[metaldector]

I will not dive there. Overpriced, and the owner is always rude and has been for years. Drive a hour further and Ginnie is only $27 for the day ($22 for us Cave Divers), or go to Manatee Springs in Chiefland and dive that spring for $10. Or a little further and Troy Spring is a nice dive for OW. Good luck!

 

[PalatkaBoy]

Should have posted this trip up, Fox. I'd have come down. Although I prefer Troy ($10), Blue Grotto is fine for us NoFlo guys (less than 2 hours away). No good beach diving here and FTL is too far for a day trip. I've still got a couple of vacation days to kill with some diving

I've never gotten a shirt, though.

 

[Fox-Cousteau]

Should have posted this trip up, Fox. I'd have come down. Although I prefer Troy ($10), Blue Grotto is fine for us NoFlo guys (less than 2 hours away). No good beach diving here and FTL is too far for a day trip. I've still got a couple of vacation days to kill with some diving

I've never gotten a shirt, though.

sorry it was a last minute thing. I'd be interested in doing Troy with you as soon as I finish my Dissertation.

 

[Salmonboy97]

I will not dive there. Overpriced, and the owner is always rude and has been for years. Drive a hour further and Ginnie is only $27 for the day ($22 for us Cave Divers), or go to Manatee Springs in Chiefland and dive that spring for $10. Or a little further and Troy Spring is a nice dive for OW. Good luck!

I was at Ginnie this past weekend and it is now $30.

 

[PalatkaBoy]

sorry it was a last minute thing. I'd be interested in doing Troy with you as soon as I finish my Dissertation.

Let me know.