|
 Some
of us have managed to squeak in a few dives over the winter months but
when April arrived, almost every diver was itching to go diving. We’ve
fiddled with our equipment, read every dive magazine, visited our local
dive shops to get repairs and maintenance, stocked up on every gadget that
we absolutely can’t live without and now it’s time to dive right in.
The Caloosa Dive Club’s official season opener was a trip to Key Largo
with 20 of our closest friends. Once again, we called on the services of
Kelly’s on the Bay and the Aquanut Divers (www.aqua-nuts.com) to grant our
every wish. As always, we chartered the whole boat complete with captain
and crew. This dive was set up for all levels of experience so divers who
are just starting out will be comfortable and divers who have spent the
winter in front of the TV with a bowl of chips and dip will not face any
challenges that are too tough (other than the possibility that our
wetsuits may have shrunk just a little). That doesn’t mean that we were
snorkeling in 10 feet of water, just that we didn’t hit the advanced dive
sites or wrecks that would require more experience and skills.
By Saturday morning everyone had arrived at the dock and begun the process
of loading our gear on the dive boat. As simple as that sounds it can be a
daunting procedure. Kelly’s does a great job of signing us in and
providing the ID tags used to make sure we all get back on the boat after
our dives. They also find out where we want to set up on the boat, and
make sure our tanks are put into the assigned spots. There is plenty of
room for gear bags, weight belts, dry bags and assorted articles of
clothing and food on the boat, especially with only 20 people instead of
the larger number that would be on a normal dive trip. The cameras, and we
do have quite a few photographers in the group, are harder to manage since
we need a safe place where they won’t get stepped on or dropped overboard.
 In
a very short time, we were tied to a mooring buoy over a picturesque reef
area known as The Elbow. Like most of the reefs in the Keys, there are
different areas to dive. Our group ended up on an area where a wreck,
named the City of Washington, rests in about 30 feet of water. Launched in
1877, the large steel freighter was used for passenger transport and cargo
trade and eventually sank on July 10, 1917. The second dive was close by
in an area called The Fingers, and like the name it is a series of finger
like coral structures that provide a nice dive in just a small area. Both
reefs were loaded with tropical sea life and we were blessed with a good
40’ plus visibility. The water temperatures were still chilly, around 74
degrees on this day but everyone was so happy to be back in the water,
that there was little complaining.
The Sunday morning weather looked ominous with gloomy skies and palm trees
swinging in the breeze and a few people decided that Key West was a better
option than hanging over the rail of a boat. Those who decided to go
anyway were rewarded with calm water, no current and good visibility on
The Winch and The Aquarium at Molasses Reef, one of the most beautiful
reefs in Pennekamp Park. And that was only the beginning – the icing on
the cake was the appearance of several large Eagle Rays who thrilled
everyone by gliding over the reef and divers. At times, we could have
reached out and touched them as they passed over our heads, seemingly
unconcerned by our bubbly presence.
 Back
at the dock on Sunday by noon or so, we cleaned up, packed up and enjoyed
a tasty lunch at the tiny Hobo’s Café that sits next to Kelly’s. For the
opening day of the season, we thought it ranked right up there.
And … there was mention of cameras earlier in this article. The Caloosa
Dive Club Photo Competition is heating up. Entry fees can be submitted
anytime before June 2, 2005. This is a fun, amateur competition and covers
local diving as well as more exotic vacation spots. Our recent guest
speaker, Steve May, professional underwater photographer, has offered to
provide some ideas to help our photographers hone their skills. Steve is
also working with Deans Dive Center (www.deansdivecenter.com) in South
Fort Myers, to put together an Underwater Photography class in June. There
will be more information on Steve in future Under the Waves articles.
For the spear fishing enthusiasts, the annual Spear Fishing Competition is
also under way. Rules and information on the contest are posted on the
Caloosa Dive Club website (www.diveclub.org).
Membership in the club is required to join either of the contests. |
