Devil's Den/Blue Grotto

[rednose83]

Hi All. I'm thinking about completing my OW certification later this year/early next year. The place I'm looking at does their OW dives at the Blue Grotto or Devil's Den. In reading about these sites, I noticed that they are caverns. Is there a part of these places where you can dive but actually be in OW and not in a cavern? I don't want to be learning to dive in a cavern so if it's only cavern, I'm gonna need to find somewhere else.

[jj1987]

There's an OW area for Blue Grotto, and platforms for training. Blue Grotto is a very nice training site, but I hate the fact that they allow OW divers into the overhead.

[rednose83]

Originally Posted by jj1987

There's an OW area for Blue Grotto, and platforms for training. Blue Grotto is a very nice training site, but I hate the fact that they allow OW divers into the overhead.

Thank you. I won't be going into the overhead area- I know that much.

[ScubaAl]

I was at Blue Grotto and couple of years ago in Feb. First trip was on a Saturday and there were a few open water classes taking place. Because of this vis. was very poor.

Stopped by again a couple of weeks later on a Monday. No one there and the vis was just great. What a difference.

Al

[jj1987]

Originally Posted by ScubaAl

Stopped by again a couple of weeks later on a Monday. No one there and the vis was just great. What a difference.

Al

At least when the viz is crappy you can't see all the graffiti and damage done to what was once a pretty cavern worth paying to see.

[USF_Diver]

Originally Posted by rednose83

Hi All. I'm thinking about completing my OW certification later this year/early next year. The place I'm looking at does their OW dives at the Blue Grotto or Devil's Den. In reading about these sites, I noticed that they are caverns. Is there a part of these places where you can dive but actually be in OW and not in a cavern? I don't want to be learning to dive in a cavern so if it's only cavern, I'm gonna need to find somewhere else.

I am right in your area, have you tried Hudson Grotto?
If you have a boat or when they open Howard Park bridge again a good
shore dive is Howard Park.

[scubajane]

devil's den is so cool!!! it is more like an indoor pool than a cavern. there is a set of stairs carved into the rock that allows you to descend into the water. you get to the platform first and then dive in a circle around the platform. the only place to get into trouble is VERY well marked. so don't go in that hole. there is a skylight broken through the surface so light enters the area. all in all a very cool dive.