Holes in the Ground

First stop the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa. 

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

Too cold for our tastes but fascinating.  It was fun to watch folks dive in from the low and high platforms.  There were no scuba divers in the water when we were there but there were plenty preparing to dive or just finishing.

Near Grants was the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano.  These can be found within the same commercial site.  There was a $10 entrance fee for each of us, which covered both the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano.

We all hiked the trail up to the volcano.  Tom made it almost all the way when he decided to wait for us.  The uphill trek was hard, but worth it to look right down into the 1,400 ft. wide, 800 ft. deep, crater  We were lapped by a group from France. 

Next was another hike in the opposite direction to the Ice Cave.  The less strenuous path took us to a stairway--70 steps down into the Ice Cave where the temperature never goes above 31.  The ice of the floor of the cave is about 20 ft. thick.

A stop to the Trading Post was a must.  Sherry and I bought some gem stones.  On the way back we stopped at the El Malpais Information Center for information on the volcanoes and lava flows in the area.  The two rangers were very helpful.  We asked where we could buy real Native American jewelry and afterwards went to his car and got a bolo and gave it to Jim.  What a nice guy.

Another early night to bed.