Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [28]
All this historical junk at the bottom of the river and lake beds is interesting not just to scientists and archaeologists who descend in the name of cataloging the artifacts, it’s also interesting to scuba enthusiasts looking for an off-the-grid green diving experience. Although the number of dive shops offering organized tours is still limited, anyone with PADI or NAUI certification and their own equipment can take the plunge. If you’re looking for a dive experience that goes beyond the usual submerged chambers and tropical fish, and is also not harmful to the environment, then this is the trip for you. Diving here means exploring some of the USA’s least visited sites in its least expected environment – the landlocked desert. Plus the dive community tends to be based around small mom-and-pop shops located in small towns, and the surge in diving popularity has helped sustain their sagging economies. By diving in an artificial setting – ie not on a living reef – you’re taking the most ecofriendly option. You can’t do much damage by accidentally slapping your fin against an abandoned old bomber, but you can kill a number of living organisms in a reef with just one swipe.
Complete the Southwest scuba trifecta by diving all three spots in one trip – please note you need to be an experienced diver to do this trip. However, less experienced divers can dip their toe in the Colorado River. Start in Santa Rosa, in eastern New Mexico off historic Route 66 (also called I-40 here) about 1½ hours from Albuquerque. Santa Rosa is a hole-in-the-wall town best known for its amazing Blue Hole. On first drive through the town doesn’t look like much – just a dusty road with a smattering of fading neon-lit restaurants and curio shops left over from the Route 66 glory days. But once you reach the packed parking lot of the premier scuba spot in the Southwest, you’ll have a new appreciation for this little middle-of-nowhere town. Appropriately called the Blue Hole, the lake is a crystal clear 81ft-deep artesian well that attracts scuba enthusiasts, researchers and college classes from across the country. Located in semi-arid ranch country, where the great plains meet red mesas, the bell-shaped hole surrounded by a rock wall is a geological phenomenon: a constant 3000-gallon-a-minute flow of fresh water keeps it crystal clear and a comfortable 64° F year-round, even when it’s snowing. Look up from underwater to see trees and buildings on the shore reflected in the mirrorlike surface. You have to be PADI or NAUI certified, and comfortable diving without an instructor, to scuba here. If you have your own equipment, all you need to do is pick up a permit from the Santa Rosa City Hall and head to the hole. If you need to rent tanks or have yours refilled, head to the Santa Rosa Dive Center, located right next to the hole. The center is currently under construction, with a new building set to open in August 2009, but is still operating. You can also get permits here. Please note that there is no organized scuba excursions at Blue Hole, it is a do-it-yourself activity. Once you are underwater check out the 131ft-long submerged cavern in the lake: it’s quite a sight.
Blue Hole is just one of a dozen lakes fed by underground mineral springs around Santa Rosa. If you just want to swim, head to Park Lake, the Southwest’s largest natural swimming pool, located smack in the middle of downtown Santa Rosa. There’s a long twisty waterslide tube that drops you into the lake. And should you tire of propelling yourself through the water, you can fish from the shore. Santa Rosa is a classic pitstop on Route 66 – the road’s original alignment is now the tree-lined path leading to Blue Hole – and home to nine long -stablished family-owned diners and roadside cafes, all with historic allure. Try Comet II Drive-in for dinner. The classic drive-up joint is run by Johnny and Alice Martinez, and