 The
light of the sun can barely be seen on the horizon but the dock at the
Cristal Clear Charters Key Largo Marina is a beehive of activity. Sleepy
divers drag their heavy gear bags onto the big 42’ Newton trying to
locate the perfect spot to set up in anticipation of the 3-wreck day
ahead. Soon the dim lights of the coastline are behind us and the first
markers on the wreck of the Duane are directly ahead.
On this day, the Duane, a 327-foot long Treasury Class U.S. Coast
Guard Cutter, resting in 120 feet of clear, deep blue water, is the
first scheduled dive. The water is unbelievably calm and there is no
current at all, an unusual but much desired condition for this wreck.
Divers are suited up by the time the buoy is hooked and within 2 minutes
all 20 have splashed off the dive boat. Our early arrival insures that
we are the only divers on the wreck this morning.
At the surface, a glance down provides enthralled divers with a view
of the wreck below and upon descent the crow’s nest, at a depth of 65
feet, is clearly visible. Horizontal visibility is easily over 100 feet.
Divers explore the wreck at different depths investigating the bridge,
chart room, radar transmission area and wheel chamber. Some head a
little deeper to the superstructure deck which holds the Commanding
Officer’s cabin and various storerooms. The main deck, at 100 feet,
contains the crew’s quarters, carpenter shop and ships office.
The time passes too quickly and we head toward the surface. The view
from the safety stop is a wash of bubbles rising like seltzer water in a
huge champagne glass. Back on deck, the divers share glowing reports of
their excellent dive. Captain Jorge and Divemaster Matt pull in the
lines and set the GPS to the second wreck of the day, one of the Keys
most popular dive sites, the Eagle.
The Eagle is a 268-foot steel-hulled freighter that was intentionally
sunk as an artificial reef. It has many features that make it a
desirable scuba diving site. Diver entry can be made at several deck
levels but it is also very easy to spend the whole dive exploring the
external structures such as the cargo booms and mast assemblies. On any
day, divers would normally report that visibility of 60 feet was
excellent but on this day, it seems only ho hum after the earlier dive
on the Duane. Again, the divers are blessed calm water and only a slight
current on the bottom.
Before the next dive, the group wants to accumulate some surface time
and after swapping the used tanks for fresh ones, everyone enjoys lunch
and the first warm rays of the sun. In October, south Florida can be one
of the best places in the world. The water temperatures are still in the
mid 80’s and the sun still has enough heat to evaporate water droplets
from your cool skin. Many divers on this trip are wearing shorties or
diveskins but it’s clear that the approaching cold fronts are going to
send everyone scurrying for warmer dive apparel in the very near future.
Refreshed, relaxed and ready to dive describes the group as the
Spiegel Grove markers are sighted. By this time of morning, the other
dive charters have begun to arrive at the buoys but our group is already
geared up for our third dive of the day.
For many Florida divers, the Spiegel Grove is the ultimate. The huge
ship spans 510 feet and it is a rare day that divers have a chance to
see more than a small section of the wreck. On many days, the current on
the Spiegel Grove is humming. Not so on this day. Once again King
Neptune is on our side. No current – repeat – no current. Seas are still
flat and life is good for this group of divers. Visibility is up to the
100 plus feet that was enjoyed on the Duane. The water is clear and
blue. The down line leads to the bow and wheel house area. It’s easily
possible to spend many dives on just this one section of the wreck. The
lack of current means that divers can explore a bigger area and know
that they will be able to return to the buoy that takes them back to
their boat, waiting on the surface. Some divers take an opportunity to
explore the cabins and passageways that aren’t easily accessible in
heavy current conditions. Others just hang out around the wheel house.
Tiny creatures have made a home in every nook and cranny of the wreck.
It’s easy to focus on the big structure of the ship and miss the little
splashes of yellow and red dotting almost every surface. Shining a light
into a corner of a cabin reveals sharp razor clams with exposed mantles.
Hard yellow corals give a preview of live animals that will appear in
the darker evening hours. The Spiegel Grove has become home to a myriad
of life in the ocean. Reluctantly, we return to the surface and back to
the dock, surprised that it is barely noon and we’re done for the day.
There’s plenty of time to shower, rinse gear and cameras, and enjoy an
early dinner before collapsing into bed.
Sunday morning show time is a leisurely 8:00 am. Back on the Spiegel
Grove, we’re diving just forward of the cranes. Visibility is down a
little from Saturday but not enough to complain about. This is the only
wreck we will visit today so we’ve got more time to explore some of the
passageways and rooms that are located on this section of the wreck. A
U.S. flag provides a patriotic backdrop for photographers in search of
the perfect memory of the dive. Small schools of fish dart in and out of
the huge crane structure. Divers enter one of the small cabins - a
surprised Gag Grouper darts into the passageway and disappears into a
dark hatch. A bright beam of a dive light against a piece of wreckage
reveals a colony of purple sponges surrounded by a rainbow of red and
orange encrustation. It seems like we just got here and it’s time to
leave. Exploration over, the dive teams begin the slow ascent toward the
surface and soon the transom of the Cristal Clear Diver III comes into
focus.
One more dive to go, this one on a shallow reef where we can relax
and maybe find an unlucky lobster to invite for dinner this evening.
Captain Jorge knows about a reef area where we can take photographs or
hunt for lobster. The reef is shallow and we have lots of time to
explore the many coral heads that are sprouting over the sandy bottom.
There is also plenty of space to spread out the dive teams so we aren’t
bumping into one another. An hour later, everyone has returned to the
safety line and waiting for their turn on the ladder. As each diver
clomps back to their seat and begins stuffing the wet gear into their
dive bags, snippets of conversation can be heard about the “perfect dive
weekend” we all experienced. This is why we dive!
The Wreck Trek has become an annual event for the Caloosa Dive Club.
It is one of the only dive trips that require Advanced Dive
Certification and there is plenty of time between now and next October
to get the certificate needed. All of our local dive shops provide
Advance Diver Training – wouldn’t that make a nice Christmas present for
your dive buddy? |
