CajunDiva
Contributor
![[img]](http://[img]https://www.flickr.com/photos/cajundiva/29308642692/in/dateposted-public//[img])
This trip was to be all about relaxation. After a leisurely drive down to south Florida, we arrived at Rainbow Reef Dive Center to begin our diving on Wednesday, August 24th. As soon as we walked in, I heard a familiar voice...none other than Elena - "MsElenaous" What a great welcome
This lady is such a great addition to the Rainbow Reef staff. She is so versatile and able to contribute to the operation on many different levels, number one being that she is such a joy to be around.Wednesday and Thursday we enjoyed 2 dive trips with Rainbow Reef. The seas were calm and inviting and the sun was out...made for some really relaxing dives. On Wednesday we headed out to Logan's Run and Sand Island. Thursday was Snapper Ledge (one of my favorite sites) and Pickles Reef. Fish life was plentiful...puffers, large parrot fish, an above average number of trumpet fish, a beautiful spotted drum - we even spotted a turtle and a distant reef shark before a spotted eagle ray came cruising by.
On Friday, our long-awaited rendezvous with Reefman and TimG took place - what a GREAT time we had! These two have been diving together for a long time and we benefited from their local knowledge. The original plan was to dive Deep Molasses, but upon arrival we determined that the current might be a bit brisk and Reefman decided to move over to buoy M19 - Pillar Coral/Permit Ledge. Dive #1 was 103 minutes! We saw so many cool things that we weren't ready to move on and decided to dive the same area again. We were rewarded by a whole squadron (7) of spotted eagle rays making a fly-by. It was surreal. I was so determined to take it easy this trip that I even refused to pack a single camera. For those of you who know me...that is HUGE! Thank goodness TimG was kind enough to share some of his wonderful pictures with us:
I surfaced on the second dive after 93 minutes with Reefman still at the bottom looking at more stuff. He reluctantly came back up to the boat assuming I was out of air. I still had 1100 psi in my tank, but I was worn out! Reefman outdid me
But between a first dive of 103 minutes, a second dive of 93 minutes, and a martini drinking contest the evening before (which we'll call a draw ) I needed a break!
Meanwhile...on the Weather Channel...a little storm that would become "Hermine" was beginning to form south of us. We kept watching the weather reports and noting the increased seas. Saturday morning we were back with our friends at Rainbow Reef Dive Center. When the seas start to get a little sporty, there's no better dive vessel to be on than the 46' Newton dive boats in use at RRDC. There was rain on the way out, but the seas were only 1-2 ft. We enjoyed 2 morning dives out at the Winch Hole area, where we spotted another turtle, moray eels, several cleaning stations with Pedersen Cleaning Shrimp and another spotted drum. By the time we headed in, the weather broke loose and the downpour commenced. Seas built to at least 3-4 ft.
After our long dives on Friday and stormy afternoon on Saturday, we decided Sunday would be the perfect day to rest. Alas, Hermine continued to form and make conditions unfavorable. By Monday none of the operators in Key Largo were going out. So what do you do when the weather sucks in Key Largo? Of course...you visit the History of Diving Museum! After a leisurely stroll through the museum, we were talking to the lady who works there and telling her how we learned about the place on ScubaBoard and it was highly recommended by NetDoc. She replied that he had just walked into the museum with a student. Of course we went in and hunted them down
It turned out to be a really fun afternoon at Wahoo's filled with Scuba discussions:
When it became clear that the storm would be re-entering Florida right along the path we would be following to get home, unfortunately it was time to boogie. We had to get from Key Largo to the Florida panhandle before Hermine came ashore. Even with our hasty departure, this was one of the best trips we've had to Key Largo. With every visit to Key Largo, our friendships continue to grow and the place feels more and more like home.
We continue to love diving with Rainbow Reef Dive Center. Over the past 15 years of diving with them, we have watched the operation grow into something really special. Not only do they provide fun dive trips to many and train more scuba instructors than anyone else in the U.S., but they have found a way to contribute to society in a way that only a great dive operation could do. See for yourself:
Great Big Story
(Look closely and you'll see NetDoc on the stern with his tie-dye shirt!)
We look forward to continuing to bring our business to RRDC. Looking forward to the "5th Annual Cajun Invasion" scheduled for June 17-24, 2017!
Last edited:
