The annual April trek to Key
Largo is always a great success. The 2004 trip was no
exception with 21 divers and 2 bubble watchers gathering
for the adventure. The majority of the group had arrived by Friday evening and enjoyed a
typical Caloosa Dive Club dining experience at Kelly's
dockside BBQ grill. By early afternoon we were briefed,
gear loaded and on our way to the first dive sites.
Group at table - Bob Barger; Group on
dock - Brian Chouiniere
The winds
were not very cooperative and both days were plagued with big rollers
that made getting back on the boat challenging. The first dive on
Saturday was on the Winch Hole at Molasses Reef where the surge in the
shallow water propelled divers back and forth across the coral patches.
A second dive at French Reef provided a little more depth for anyone
wishing to make a second dive. The water temperature was about 77
degrees. Batfish by Cherri Wood
Morning seemed to arrive too
quickly and with the wind still blowing several of our
group decided to sleep in and enjoy a relaxing morning
on dry (and still) land. The rest of the group decided
to enjoy the comfort of a half empty boat and rocked and
rolled their way out to the wreck of the Benwood. The
Benwood was a Norwegian Freighter that collided with
another ship during WWII and currently rests at 25-45'.
The visibility was about 15-20 feet so photography on
this dive was challenging but the wreck is home to many
varieties of marine life. If you peer down into crevices
and holes, you may spot a big green moray and the
barracuda float effortlessly under overhangs created by
the wreckage. The last dive on Christmas Tree Caves at
French Reef. the visibility had deteriorated even more
so this possibly spectacular dive was just a little
murky. The divers who made this dive were greeted by a
fair sized stingray and a very cooperative sea turtle
that appeared unperturbed by our presence.
Barracuda by Brian Chouiniere; Turtle
by Gary Wood
Thanks to the Captain & Crew at Kelly's on the Bay
in Key Largo. It's nice for a group as large as we are
to be able to find accommodations and a dive boat large
enough to handle our group in comfort. Being able to
charter the entire boat makes it even nicer for us.