Join us as we take a quick weekend trip down to North-Central Florida and dive the fresh water springs at Blue Grotto and Devils Den. This is a great opportunity to work on your open water checkout dives, continue your education in a specialty course, or make some fun dives with your dive buddies. Training and certified divers are welcome on this great trip.

The trip leaders will leave for Florida early Friday morning. They will be staying on property at Blue Grotto, and will make arrangements to meet everyone at the springs. The trip leaders will be in contact with everyone on the trip to ensure that everyone knows where they need to be and when they need to be there.

Saturday we will be diving at Blue Grotto, and on Sunday we will be diving at Devils Den. The goal will be to be back on the road home by noon on Sunday.

Divers will need to make arrangements to transport their own gear to Florida, make their own room arrangements, and make their own transportation arrangements. If you need help with any of these items please ask a member of the shop staff and we will be more than happy to help you make these arrangements.

The dive sites consist of freshwater springs, and limited ledge or cavern diving for certified divers.  The water is crystal clear and a cool 68-72 degrees.  A warm jacket could be necessary, and a hooded sweatshirt is nice after the dives during cooler months. A full wetsuit will be required. (For SMD Open Water Diver students a wetsuit is included in the price of the course)

Blue Grotto has a large basin that has depths to 40 feet and more with three large training platforms. There is an air bell with viewing windows and breathable air pumped from the surface. We will see Blue Grotto’s favorite resident, “Virgil the Turtle”. Virgil is very curious and will come to see you and say “Hello!”

Devils Den is an underground spring inside a cavern. “On cold winter mornings you can see steam, like smoke, rising from the chimney-like opening.  The early settlers of this area saw this steam rising from the cave's opening and believed that the devil must reside in this cave underground - thus the name Devil's Den.” The swimming area is a doughnut shape around the debris cone and can be up to 54 feet deep.

LESSON PLAN FOR THE WEEKEND: Open Water Diver Students will make three certification dives during the day on Saturday at Blue Grotto. We will make our fourth certification dive Sunday morning at Devil’s Den. Everyone will be done by noon and free to start back home.

Certified divers will follow our location for the two days but can plan their own dives in accordance with their certifications and experience.

Each person going on the trip will be responsible for making their own room and travel arrangements. There are many hotels to choose from in the Gainesville / Williston area.  Meals are available at several nearby restaurants. Approximately nine hours driving time is required to get to Gainesville from the Tri-Cities.

We have reserved some of the lodging options at Blue Grotto during our trip. If you are interested in these options please contact us for availability.

One thing that helps make a great dive is clear water. Blue Grotto has an excellent video about not stirring up the silt in the spring. Check out their YouTube channel “Dive Blue Grotto” and this video about “Buoyancy Control”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5HOpAH4n7U

Open Water Diver Students have rental gear included as part of the tuition for their class. ALL STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO BRING THEIR OWN GEAR TO FLORIDA.

ITEMS TO PACK CHECKLIST - OWD Students

o   Mask, Snorkel, Fins, Boots & Octo Necklace   

o   Full Wetsuit (5mm recommended)

o   Regulator w/ Octo, SPG, LP Inflator Hose

o   Computer

o   BCD w/ L.P. Inflator

o   2 Tanks and Weights

o   Diver’s Logbook or Digital Logbook

o   Underwater Light (optional, night dive requires a dive light and a backup light.)

o   Compass (optional)

o   Underwater Slate w/ Pencil (optional)

Friday we will begin traveling to Williston, FL. You do not need to arrive at any specific time. You just have to be ready to meet at the dive site at 8:15am.

The Trip Leaders will be in contact about what time in the morning we will meet at Blue Grotto. We will be making 3 dives on Saturday.

We will make 1 dive Sunday morning at Devil's Den. We will then pack up and try to be back on the road heading home by Noon.