After five long weeks, Blue Grotto is open again. As you can imagine, we are eager to see the return of all our friends, both new and old.
However, before you drop everything and rush over here, there are some things you need to be aware of. We want you to have realistic expectations regarding what you will see. You must also decide whether this is the best time to visit or if you should wait a while longer.
Visibility
This is the key issue. The unbelievably intense August 28 thunderstorm that dumped several inches of water on us in a single evening washed well over a ton of clay, mud and debris into the usually clear water. This, in turn, provided the nutrients needed to fuel one of the worst algae blooms in recent memory.
Now, five weeks later, things are only beginning to return to normal. So, what should you expect if you come to see us in the coming week?
- As of October 15, visibility in open water was in excess of feet. The visibility is improving steadily; it may be better by the time you read this.
- Visibility improves in the cavern. As of October 15, you can see from the back of the cavern all the way to the entrance, 100 feet away.
- Most importantly, as long as your remain above 60 feet, you should have no difficulty telling where the daylight is coming from.
Of course, these numbers depend entirely on divers’ ability to not stir things up. Which brings us to…
What instructors must know
Over the past month, hardly a day has gone by without one or more instructors calling to ask when we will re-open. Clearly, there are dozens of instructors who miss their favorite training site.
As we re-open, we expect most of our visitors will be instructors eager to take advantage of our facilities. If you plan to be among them, here are some things we will ask you to do:
- Limit how many students you take down at once. It is better to have two groups of four students at a time rather than eight at once.
- Avoid the shallow side of the platforms. Students often inadvertently stick their fins over the edge and right into the mud.
- Ensure students are neutral and horizontal before leaving the platforms. If students end up vertical and kicking downward to maintain depth, they will decimate the visibility in seconds.
We’ve been busy
The fact we’ve been closed for over a month doesn’t mean we’ve been idle. We’ve taken advantage of the opportunity to clean, paint, make repairs and resurface floors. This is because we follow the Japanese principle of Kairyo — the process of continuous improvement. Visitors seem to appreciate this.
As we said going in, we are eagerly awaiting the return of our friends. So, if you have any questions, feel free to call or email us. We want your next visit to be as safe and enjoyable as possible.