Blue Grotto

[bpcfire1]

I am headed to Blue Grotto this weekend with the family and friends. Of course there is no cave diving there but I wanted to do some SM practice. I just started SM but I have never been to Blue Grotto. My buddy was telling me that he didnt think it would be easy to get set up the way there entrance was. Like I said, not ever being there before, can anyone tell me if it can be done or is to hard.

[sskasser]

I am headed to Blue Grotto this weekend with the family and friends. Of course there is no cave diving there but I wanted to do some SM practice. I just started SM but I have never been to Blue Grotto. My buddy was telling me that he didnt think it would be easy to get set up the way there entrance was. Like I said, not ever being there before, can anyone tell me if it can be done or is to hard.

I dove sidemount last time I was there. Just carry your tanks down one at a time and stage them off to the side of the lowest ramp. Then, move to the edge of the pier when you're all ready, and gear up. No worries, just step carefully. The stairs can be a bit slippery.

[RETIRED 11]

Blue Grotto and Paradise are great equipment test sites (IMO)

[bpcfire1]

Thats whats I needed to know. I agree, I play around with my gear all the time getting things just right. I will not attempt to dive SM until I know I have everything the way it needs to be and I am safe.

[ScubaSteveL]

It's very easy to dive SM there. I always walk into the water and stand on the platform at the bottom of the steps. It's about 4 feet deep. Put your tanks on and head on out.

[Walter Pickel]

I am curious (not trying to flame) what a site's conditions have anything to do with sidemount (SM)? If you a SM diver, would it not be expected that you can put your tanks on horizontally, vertically, in the water, out of the water, while hanging on rope? Since there are courses in SM now, is this not taught?

[Skorpiov]

It was taught in my class... We had to take em off, put em on, swim with one, pick up stages while staying neutral, and we even did some simple no mounting at 20'. I like to throw my tanks in and swim down to them to pick em up. Just gotta put the reg in first.

[DogHouseDiver]

I dove sidemount last time I was there. Just carry your tanks down one at a time and stage them off to the side of the lowest ramp. Then, move to the edge of the pier when you're all ready, and gear up. No worries, just step carefully. The stairs can be a bit slippery.

+1 I dove there SM Friday morning, $40. Fill eslewhere, $$$$$
Do not try to SM in Devil's Den. The distinguished gentleman (senior couple) that is there two days a week yelled "no doubles" at me as he watched me rig up from above. I couldn't convince him it was two singles and necessary for weight and redundancy. Ended up monkey diving a single 72, wet, with a football helmet sized rock as ballast to get to 20 ft, where I hovered over my OW friend.

Bottom grates have fallen apart and were replaced with gray plastic conduit..... Yes really.... Flexible too. No sweat getting through if so inclined.

Maintenance chief was reinstalling prefab sections of chainlink squares, said they had trouble with folks sneaking it, and he was ".....told to make it bulletproof". Nice enough guy though, all of them were, made us coffee, really nice folks, just beware the no doubles rule, probably to prevent exploration.

[DogHouseDiver]

Ps, Went for lead on dive two with my second 72.

[Sludge]

You should have asked him if you could carry your second tank with no regulator on it.