ffestpirate
Guest
I would like to take this opportunity to give Dawn Barber and the entire staff a big round of applause. :wave-smil
Jennifer handled the morning registration very efficiently and friendly(side note:future SB divers make sure you bring your profile printout when signing in for the free dive). I felt welcome the second I stepped through the doors. Captain George and divemaster Jesus did a great job of getting everyone settled on board. The safety and predive briefings were clear and comprehensive. The boat was very clean and meticulously cared for. The boat had everything you would expect: drinks,snacks, 2 freswater showers , seperate mask and camera rinse bins,etc.. We were under way in short order.
Our first dive was on the Spiegel. Minimal current and good vis made for a memorable dive on one of my favorite wrecks.
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Our next dive was on French reef. Also one of my favorite Keys dives. The swimthroughs and abundance of wildlife make for an unforgettable experience. We tied off by Christmas Tree and had a beautiful dive. Upon returning to dock, we were off loaded as efficiently as we were boarded. The majority of us had opted to dive in the afternoon also. We had about 45 minutes to get something to eat. There were 2 little restaraunts immediately on either side of Cristal Clear. Unfortunately, I failed to get the name of where we ate, but they got us in and out with 15 minutes to spare and I had a great burger. From our vantage point, I was able to watch the crew during lunch. There was no rest for them. They were assisting the newly arriving divers and restocking and cleaning the boat. Something I found kind of cool, they didn't have to change out dive tanks. They brought air whips on to the boat and refilled all of the tanks in short order.
After lunch, we had to sign in and pay for the pm dives. Jaclyn had joined Jennifer in the office. Once again, we were greeted warmly and signed in efficiently. For the afternoon dives,Matt replaced Jesus as divemaster and we were joined by Micha. The experience of loading and getting under way mirrored our earlier experience. In no time, we had tied off on Molasses Reef and we were diving again
Molasses Reef boasted a thriving variety of corals and wildlife. I saw a huge brain coral, but alas, I had left my camera on board. Barricuda were out in throngs, ever the silent sentries. We saw big crabs and several lobster (mmmm lobster ). But they realized they were in a protected sanctuary and just waved at us as we passed by.
The seas had picked up in the pm, and getting on the boat required a little more vigilance than earlier. But we were soon safely aboard. During our surface interval, I had a chance to visit with Micha. She was quite entertaining. We were regaled by her story of the company brochure shoot. Apparently, her and Jaclyn had to do the Spiegel and Duane in only their bikinis a couple of weeks ago. Water temps were around 69f-71f. I know I was in a 3/2 farmer john with a vest, I also know I can't wait to see the brochure . I also found out she is a relatively new dm who is working on her instructor license(as am I). She is a good people person and should do quite well.
Our last dive was on another part of molasses. The plant and animal life was as beautiful as the earlier dive. I even found a couple of swimthroughs. I was a little taken aback on this dive. Whoever had dove the morning dive there had a blatant disregard for their environment. We found several large fan coral broken off at the base and lying in the sand. Someone had harvested a lobster tail and left the rest. We found a shark carcas that the head had been cut off(most likely a fisherman). This all occuring in a protected sanctuary:shakehead . The boat crew was as disturbed by this as we were. Captain George had told everyone on each dive that they were in a sanctuary and don't touch, take or molest the environment. I wish the divers there before us had followed the same rules.
We returned to Cristal Clear in the waning hours of the afternoon. I felt tired, yet wishing we had two more dives. We gathered our gear and exited the boat for the final time that day. As we had come to expect, everything flowed like clockwork.
I have dove with Cristal Clear in the past, and will be diving with them again soon(Cinco de Mayo as a matter of fact). I give them 2 thumbs up and heartily recommend them to anyone coming to Key Largo. They personify the dive standards that we have come to love in the Keys.
Jennifer handled the morning registration very efficiently and friendly(side note:future SB divers make sure you bring your profile printout when signing in for the free dive). I felt welcome the second I stepped through the doors. Captain George and divemaster Jesus did a great job of getting everyone settled on board. The safety and predive briefings were clear and comprehensive. The boat was very clean and meticulously cared for. The boat had everything you would expect: drinks,snacks, 2 freswater showers , seperate mask and camera rinse bins,etc.. We were under way in short order.
Our first dive was on the Spiegel. Minimal current and good vis made for a memorable dive on one of my favorite wrecks.
Our next dive was on French reef. Also one of my favorite Keys dives. The swimthroughs and abundance of wildlife make for an unforgettable experience. We tied off by Christmas Tree and had a beautiful dive. Upon returning to dock, we were off loaded as efficiently as we were boarded. The majority of us had opted to dive in the afternoon also. We had about 45 minutes to get something to eat. There were 2 little restaraunts immediately on either side of Cristal Clear. Unfortunately, I failed to get the name of where we ate, but they got us in and out with 15 minutes to spare and I had a great burger. From our vantage point, I was able to watch the crew during lunch. There was no rest for them. They were assisting the newly arriving divers and restocking and cleaning the boat. Something I found kind of cool, they didn't have to change out dive tanks. They brought air whips on to the boat and refilled all of the tanks in short order.
After lunch, we had to sign in and pay for the pm dives. Jaclyn had joined Jennifer in the office. Once again, we were greeted warmly and signed in efficiently. For the afternoon dives,Matt replaced Jesus as divemaster and we were joined by Micha. The experience of loading and getting under way mirrored our earlier experience. In no time, we had tied off on Molasses Reef and we were diving again
Molasses Reef boasted a thriving variety of corals and wildlife. I saw a huge brain coral, but alas, I had left my camera on board. Barricuda were out in throngs, ever the silent sentries. We saw big crabs and several lobster (mmmm lobster ). But they realized they were in a protected sanctuary and just waved at us as we passed by. The seas had picked up in the pm, and getting on the boat required a little more vigilance than earlier. But we were soon safely aboard. During our surface interval, I had a chance to visit with Micha. She was quite entertaining. We were regaled by her story of the company brochure shoot. Apparently, her and Jaclyn had to do the Spiegel and Duane in only their bikinis a couple of weeks ago. Water temps were around 69f-71f. I know I was in a 3/2 farmer john with a vest, I also know I can't wait to see the brochure
. I also found out she is a relatively new dm who is working on her instructor license(as am I). She is a good people person and should do quite well. Our last dive was on another part of molasses. The plant and animal life was as beautiful as the earlier dive. I even found a couple of swimthroughs. I was a little taken aback on this dive. Whoever had dove the morning dive there had a blatant disregard for their environment. We found several large fan coral broken off at the base and lying in the sand. Someone had harvested a lobster tail and left the rest. We found a shark carcas that the head had been cut off(most likely a fisherman). This all occuring in a protected sanctuary:shakehead . The boat crew was as disturbed by this as we were. Captain George had told everyone on each dive that they were in a sanctuary and don't touch, take or molest the environment. I wish the divers there before us had followed the same rules.
We returned to Cristal Clear in the waning hours of the afternoon. I felt tired, yet wishing we had two more dives. We gathered our gear and exited the boat for the final time that day. As we had come to expect, everything flowed like clockwork.
I have dove with Cristal Clear in the past, and will be diving with them again soon(Cinco de Mayo as a matter of fact). I give them 2 thumbs up and heartily recommend them to anyone coming to Key Largo. They personify the dive standards that we have come to love in the Keys.
