RIC SCUBA Trip 2005

Key Largo, FL

RIC’s outdoor programs took seven individuals to Key Largo, Florida June 19th-25th for a scuba diving adventure! The students worked hard to complete their book work so they could just concentrate on the open water dives and skills while in Florida.

Our flight down to Fort Lauderdale went without any problems. We rented vans and drove to our hotel in Key Largo that night. It was a very late night and by the time we checked into the Marina Del Mar everybody was ready for a great night’s sleep.

After a tasty breakfast Monday morning, we had a little time to explore out surroundings and try to acclimatize to the hot humidity that makes up the Keys. Following lunch, we got our scuba gear and hopped in the pool to work on skills before our open water dives the next day.

Tuesday morning brought with it the excitement of our first open water dives in Key Largo. The group was excited but also a little nervous as they did not quite know what to expect. We all took Dramamine before the boat ride to prevent any motion sickness. Our seven new divers were paired with two buddies each. Their buddies were already certified divers who were there to help calm the new divers and provide assistance when needed. The buddies were also a great asset in pointing out different interesting plants or animals in the ocean. All our dives took place in the John Pennekamp Coral Reef Park. The first dive was a place called Minnow Cove. There was a lot to see around the reef there including millions of minnows swimming in schools. They were too quick to touch, but fun to watch. Our second dive for the day was at the Christ of the Abyss which has the statue of the same name. Everyone got pictures taken around the statue (which should not be touched because of the fire coral covering it!). We got back to the hotel very hungry and ordered pizza for dinner which was delicious.

The second day of dives brought more excitement. Everyone was more comfortable in the water and could enjoy what they were seeing more easily. We dove at Dry Rocks and Horseshoe. The reef has a lot of aquatic life that was fun to discover. We saw sting rays, eels, lobsters, underwater bristle worms, and lots of exotic fish.

Our last day of dives included two morning dives. We went to the City of Washington wreck. Our first dive brought with it the anticipation or apprehension of having sharks around. The sharks were pretty harmless nurse sharks and we were able to pet, hold, sit on, hug, and even kiss them. It was definitely one of the more memorable dives. A goliath grouper named Bruiser likes to spend time near the wreck. He was a camera hog with the video being taken of us playing with the sharks. He was huge! Our second dive we were able to spend more time exploring the actual wreck. We saw a barracuda, sting ray, Christmas trees, angel fish, lobsters, crabs, as well as the shipwreck. It was an excellent dive site. After getting cleaned up for the evening, we drove to Key West. We got there with time to celebrate the sun going down and watch a big storm come in. We experienced a wonderful thunderstorm and downpour and sought shelter in open stores and restaurants.
Friday morning began by going to Dolphins Plus for a session with the dolphins. We split into two groups and went in different areas with the dolphins. We swam around with them and played little games to get them interested in swimming with us. It was an incredible occasion. The afternoon was our time to just take it all in and chill out. We spent time playing in the pool, working on our tans, and finding souvenirs for friends and family. For dinner we went to a restaurant where we had a banquet to celebrate everyone’s accomplishments. Everyone was able to express their feelings about the trip and it was a wonderful opportunity. We took a lot of pictures to capture the memories between buddies and as a group.

Saturday started with an early trip to the airport and an uneventful relaxing flight home to Chicago. Friends and families were happy to get their slightly more tan loved ones back in one piece.
We would like to thank the Diveheart Foundation and president Jim Elliott for making this trip possible and a grand success. Also, a thanks to the many volunteers on the trip and behind the scenes. There is no way we could have done it without you!