CRYSTAL RIVER and BLUE GROTTO: The McQuarrie Chronicles

By Mr. Tom McQuarrie Jr

This biographical narrative presents the early days of the Florida scuba diving business, from the 1950's to the 1980's, through the eyes and lives of the McQuarrie family, founders of the Fishermen's Pier in 1953, the Aqua Peer in 1960, and the Blue Grotto in 1965. The story includes background information, business developments, and events that helped shape Florida's diving tourism. The writer, Tom McQuarrie Jr., narrates his memories and experiences growing up in the small town of Crystal River, beginning with the adoption of a family dog and the role he played in the family and the river business. The story then traces the activities of the first Crystal River dive shop and the pioneering endeavors of Tom McQuarrie Sr., as he helped introduce the scuba diving recreational sport into Central Florida. The book tells some fish stories, discusses the manatee's surge to national prominence, describes how some of the river springs were named, and details information about local scuba diving and Crystal River history. The story further explains how a water-filled sinkhole located in a cow pasture was developed into a cavern diving tourist attraction that has become a diver's destination, known as the Blue Grotto. If you like fishing, diving, and manatees, and have an interest in local history with a mix of family and river culture, you'll enjoy this biographical rendition by the author, who experienced the Florida scuba diving popularity explosion as a business insider. This book provides a robust sampling of it all.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1980255660
• ISBN13: 9781980255666
• Release Date: March 2018
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 289 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.7" x 5.3"