Blue Hole

[drdan]

My sweetie got me scuba lessons for Christmas. I was intending to get into scuba at 16 when I got too girl crazy so now over 35 years later I'm doing it. Had some difficulty with breathing in a too tight rented wetuit so I had to leave off the top. We went to a place in Santa Rosa, NM for the open water certification process. It is some kind of artesian or underground river. It is 60 feet across and 81ft deep in the main part and the caverns continue down to 248 ft deep. Most dive shops in the southwest use it. It was fairly cold and I was trying keep my footing on a patch of ice while listening to the initial instructions. We dove to about 30-35 feet in 4 dives and I'm now a certified open water diver!! Here are a few pics.

First guy setting up in early morning light. About 25 degrees.

The pool The water really is blue and goes straight down.

All the instructors were in dry suits which are much warmer.

What is reflection and what isn't. Even I can't completely tell. The bluish rock in center is about 6 feet under water.

The fish looks like it's flying. That's a reflection of an overhanging rock and sky. It's actually 81 feet to the bottom there.

 

[Ab$olut]

wow looks fun but I wouldn't do it watched too many of those in the deep water kinda films :blushing:

Last one is my fave

 

[midget patrol]

Getting my scuba cert. a couple of years ago has already been the most rewarding thing i've ever done. I was expecting the great blue hole of belize (which is a quarter mile across and 400 feet deep) from the title.

Great shots. The one of the fish is phenomenal. First and last are my favorites. :thumbup:

 

[LaFoto]

Congratulations, DrDan!
What a lovely gift.
And what an accomplishment.
I like your documentation of the class, and the last photo is really nice. But I also like the one before that. It really is hard to tell what is reflection and what is not! Cool. (And cold, by the sound of it ).