 While
the landscape around Santa Rosa is more semi-arid ranch country
than desert, it's true! Santa Rosa is a scuba diving mecca.
There's the famous Blue Hole, a geological phenomenon. The natural,
bell-shaped pool is 80 feet deep and has astonishing clarity
and a constant water temperature of 64 degrees. There's even
a training platform at 20 and 25 feet.
 A
privately-operated dive center near the pool provides divers
with tank refills, equipment rentals and is one source of
permits to use Blue Hole for diving exercises. (Be sure to
bring your PADI or NAUI certification papers in order to purchase
a permit.) Permits can also be purchased at Santa Rosa City
Hall, open 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. Another diving
attraction is a twin-engine plane 55 feet down at the bottom
of nearby Perch Lake. This lake is primarily for advanced
scuba training.
BLUE HOLE FAST FACTS
- Diameter-80' at surface, 130' at bottom
- Depth-over 80'
- Temperature-constant 64°
- Visibility-80' when undisturbed
- Flow-3,000 gallons per minute; water recycles every
six hours
- Altitude-4,600' above sea level making the bottom
equivalent of over 100' of depth in the ocean
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