Blue Cave on Bisevo Island

The main reason we took this boat trip is to visit the Blue cave also known as Blue Grotto located on the east side of the island of Biševo.  The Blue Cave is a natural sea cave that is well known for their glowing blue light which is a natural phenomenon that is created by daylight that enters the cave through and underwater opening in the rock.  The intensity of the blue color depends a lot on the season and the sun.  

The boat was so rocky that I have to move to the back of the boat next to the skipper because it is more stable.

 

We are now reaching Biševo island.

 

This the view from the bay of Biševo island overlooking the sea.

 

To visit the cave you have to buy a ticket so that a small boat will take you inside the cave.

Because this is still the low season there is no wait at the tickets' booth .  In the summer the line is at least an hour long and our guide told us that every day they have dabout 2 to 3 thousand visitors that come to visit the cave. That is just crazy!

 

This is one of the larger tourists boat with hundred of people on board.  We were lucky to be just a few minutes ahead of them so we did not have to wait at all.

 

 

This is the boat that will take us inside the cave.

Tise boat is returning back to base after the tour is done.

 

The is the ouside of the cave.

The Blue Cave became famous after the Baron Eugen von Ransonet published in a local Austrian newspaper describing his visit here.  Back then the Blue Cave was only know to the locals and it could only be accessed by swimming or diving. Based on his suggestion, an artificial entrance large enough for small boats was built in 1884.

 

In order to make it accessible to the outside world, dynamyte was used to blow up a small entrance to the cave.

You can see in this picture the small entrance to the cave ( look in the center of the picture and notice how small it is).

 

As we are approaching the entrance of the cave and on the right is a boat coming out after visiting the cave.

 

Look at the level of sea and the entrance of the Blue cave (left).  We were not able to get in this morning because the tide was too high and the opening of the cave was under water.   Fortunately, the tide retrieve and we can get in but just barely.

 

Everybody on the boat is taking a picture before entering the Blue Cave.

 

We were told to duck and to put our hands down so that our head does not hit the entrance of the cave.

 

Once inside the cave is pretty dark but and it looks like a vault with a tall roof/ceiling (not sure how to call it). 

You go through a narrow gate way in the darkness.

 

Our guide has to jump up and use a baton to help the boat stay clear of hitting the rock wall.

 

The boat slow down a lot and our guide is pretty much using his hands and the batton to navigate through the gate way.

 

Then the gate way led us to a circular cave with a bright blue color of the water... it was really amazing.

 

Simply breathtaking

 

With its silvery-blue color, created by light refraction of sunlight entering through a crack in the stone.

 

Basically the sunlight reflects through the water coming from the white floor of the cave and bathes the grotto in aquamarine light.

 

The black dots you see are tiny fish swimming in the water...

 

 

 

small fish swimming in this beautiful blue water.

 

 

Inside the cave, there are also 2 more boats so I assume there can be only 3 to 4 max inside the cave at once.

 

We are now leaving the cave.  The whole visit maybe around 5 minutes but it is a feast for the eye.

The cave itself is 78 feet long, 32–39 feet deep and up to 50 feet high.

 

The cave was formed by the wave action of the sea, as sea water eroded the limestone rock of which the whole island of Biševo is composed of.

 

This  is the only way in or out.

 

The inside of the cave is pretty dark and here you can see sun shinging through the opening of the cave.

 

On our way out of the cave.

 

Here you can definitely see how small the entrance of the cave is.

 

The outside of the cave made of limestone.

 

 

One last look at the cave...

 

Navigating back to where our boat is docked.

 

 

 

In the summer, this area is full of people standing in line waiting to get in the cave.

 

 

 

On our way to see Vis Island.

 

Next... Vis Island and Budikovac Island