A Four Pack of Certifications. And a Little Bit of Frostbite.
Sometimes a good idea comes with a downside. That was the case for my brother and I on our New Mexico scuba adventure.
We have both been scuba certified since 1992. We have both gone through periods of time that we didn’t dive due to various life situations and times that we were able to spend time, and money, enjoying the hobby. Part of that hobby includes ongoing training and earning additional certifications that allow a diver to do deeper and more challenging dives.
I had plans to do a week of dives in Grenada that were going to require an Advanced Diver certification. So I started researching courses that would move me up in my certification level. And Dave decided he would like to join me.
Diving in Denver, Colorado is limited, both by season and by location. I found a course at our local dive shop that would include four certifications and would move me to the Advanced diver level. The course included Computer, Night/Limited Visibility, Deep, and Navigation. The catch was that we would need to do the exam dives at Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. In February.
Blue Hole is a unique place. It is a spring fed natural pool in the middle of the desert southwest. The water comes up clear, with easy visibility across the 60 foot width and to the bottom 81 feet below. The water is consistently 61º, regardless of season. The water has very little life in it beyond the crawdads. A variety of trinkets and decorations have been set at the bottom. This isn’t a place that you go because of what you will see. It is a place you go to take care of a task.
We were fortunate to have good weather. Blue cloudless skies for both days of diving. But it was cold. Freezing cold. Ice crystals in our regulators. Crackling noises when putting on a 7mm wetsuit. Waddling to the hot showers between dives so that we could get the feeling back in our fingers. Submerging in 61º water so that we could warm up. COLD.
The dives were the task. But we also had some free time. Santa Rosa is located along historic Route 66. And the one remaining tourist attraction in town is the Route 66 Auto Museum. This retro decorated metal building houses a great collection of cars and memorabilia from a past that feels very distant at times. We spent a few hours wandering around the displays, talking about cars, and maybe wishing for an addition to our own garages. Also trying to warm up.
It isn’t a good road trip without trying out the local food. If you are ever in New Mexico, order the enchiladas. And when they ask you if you want red or green, the correct answer is always Christmas. The enchilada platter at Chico’s was a good dinner. The green chile could have been spicier. The red was smoky in all the right ways. The chili rellenos at Joseph’s were also good. Again, the correct answer is Christmas. The green at Joseph’s was better than Chico’s. The rice and beans could use some work. The clincher at Joseph’s was the local beer selection. The El Sombearo Mexican Lager form Boxing Bear Brewing in Albuquerque was a perfect match.
I won’t say that I regret the trip. I won’t be going back to dive Blue Hole in February again. But we earned the certificates and I have been able to do several dives since that would not have been possible without the Advanced card. The car museum, the food, and the time with my brother more than made up for the frozen nose.
