When we checked into the RV park we were given a brochure with a map of the area inside, the rules of park on the back, lots of advertisement around the perimeter of the brochure advertising local restaurants, Laundromats and other small businesses. What was most striking about this brochure was the cover. It featured a deep blue swimming hole surrounded by small cliffs that children were jumping off. The Blue Hole. Having to forget about tires and wheels and brakes for awhile we decided to go see what The Blue Hole is all about.
It wasn’t too far from where were staying, perhaps a 20 minute drive across town. Fifteen if we had known where we were going.
We drove past a good sized lake which had no one there. It was empty even though it was a Saturday, it was a beautiful sunny and warm day. Chaise lounges were lakeside on the beach and not a person was to be seen. We just didn’t understand it. Past the lake, about a half mile down the road we saw the sign for The Blue Hole and pulled into the gravel parking lot. The first thing we noticed was several tent canopies set up and a couple of dozen people walking around in wet suits. It certainly contradicted what we saw in the near distance of children jumping from small cliffs, clad in bathing suits, into the same water the wet suit-ers were going into.
As we got closer the SCUBA tanks came into view. Ahhh,,,,its not that adults were wimps and needed wet suits, they were diving. When I read the sign then the need for wet suits really came into play and I realized it was the children who weren’t playing with a full deck. The water was only 61 degrees. A steady temperature all year round.
It was a hole and it was blue so the name fits.
The Blue Hole of Santa Rosa is a circular, bell shaped pool that is one of the most popular dive destinations in the US for SCUBA diving and training.
The Blue Hole is an artesian well that was once used as a fish hatchery. It is a clear blue body of water with a constant 61 °F temperature and constant inflow of 3000 gallons per minute.
While the surface is only 60 feet in diameter, it expands to a diameter of 130 feet at the bottom, hence the description of bell shaped.
Around the edges the water was crystal clear.
We watched the kids jumping off the cliffs for awhile.
For the ones who were jumping for the first time today, their squeals as they hit the cold water had every one laughing.
On the was back to town we passed this very old church.
Well, what was once a church I should say.
It had a small cemetery and I have to say, it was well kept and many of the graves had flowers or flags.
On the was out of town on the way to The Blue Hole we noticed these painted paw prints on the road.
It was on our way back through that we noticed the high school. These are the prints of the Lady Lions and King Lions and they lead all the way to the parking lot of the school.
Before we left the RV park today on our adventure, I stopped in the office to see if any word had been heard from the owner’s friend. The answer was no but we were told where the shop was. We decided to go check it out, to make sure we could fit in the parking lot at least.
We had to turn around and pulled into a parking lot of a business that boasted several old cars and trucks in the parking lot. One was especially photo worthy.
An Edsel.
We found the place we were looking for and the parking lot was plenty big. We had forgotten that this place caters to big rigs. It just so happened that some of the guys who work there were on the premises. Bob talked to one fellow and was told that in all probability they would not be able to help us. Oh No! What do we do now?
We headed back home and talked about our options. It doesn’t seem we’re going to be able to get the problem fixed here. Movin’ on tomorrow….slowly.
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