SLS033112A - Friday

I didn't post this right away because I was packed and gone by 03:30 Saturday morning but now I have a little time.
The last day isn't as bad as the first day, but it is a busy day. We started with a quick cold breakfast. We had to get going because it was windy and we knew it would take awhile to get to the dive site. We headed out right after breakfast and we were right...the wind was really blowing, making it a bit 'sporty'. We headed back to Toppino's buoy since we knew we could moor there and be protected from the bigger waves by the reef. We were suspecting poor dive conditions since visibility had been dropping since wednesday but when we arrived we were pleasently suprised. The conditions check reported great visibility with a moderate surge. Not too bad!
The dive went well and everyone enjoyed it. It's good to end the week with a good dive.
The ride back wasn't too bad and everyone spent the time packing their personal gear and scuba gear. WE also managed to have lunch. We had a little trouble docking the boat since the wind was up and it was pushing us off of the dock. Once on the dock we emptied the boat and gave her a good scrubbing.
We said our good-byes, loaded the vans and headed back to base. It was a 1 1/2 hour drive and I think everyone slept. Back at base we unloaded the vans, washed our scuba gear and checked the crew back into the dorms.
We met for flags under the threat of rain and then headed under the dorms for our Luau. The crews that were in attendance performed skits and songs and we were all suprised when young Andy got up in front of everyone and performed a song that he had written. It was great! After the skits and songs we moved over to the volleyball courts for some luau games then it was time for dinner. At dinner Megan awarded the crew their Florida Sea Base patches, Duty to God patches, SCUBA BSA Cards and the Captain's Club Award.

It was a great week with a great crew. Thanks for being so much fun and being civilized.

SLS033112A - Thursday

I woke early to the sounds of a thunderstorm. It didn't seem to wake anyone else. A hard rain is good...it washes all of our gear that's up on deck. We call it a 'Key West Bum Wash'. We we're on the dock overnight for our mid-week break so we had a civilized, cooked breakfast of pancakes and sausage. After breakfast we set out to go diving again. It would be a long ride because we were going west. We filled tanks along the way and tried fishing again. It was a bumpy ride since the winds had been blowing again.


Green Moray Eel



We arrived at Eastern Dry Rocks with a good roll on the ocean. The boat really rocks and rolls when it is tied to a mooring ball, making getting dressed and changing tanks challenging. The conditions were more spring-like rather than the summer-like conditions we had earlier in the week. The visibility was only about 40 feet instead of the 100 feet and there was a good surge below. We found a large Green Moray Eel as soon as we started out.

Golioth Grouper

The next two dives were at Sand Key. This site is marked by a Civil War era lighthouse that has lasted through many storms. We did two dives at two different locations on the reef. The first dive was at a mooring ball that is tied off right next to a hugh coral head. Alot of the divers got turned around and ended up diving out in the deeper side of the reef rather than the shallows. The second dive was down at an end that I had never been at before. I led a group of four divers on an easy tour of the shallows where we encountered a hugh Golioth Grouper.

After the dive we headed back to Key West where our mooring is. We passed by the Sunset Festival crowd at the Mallory Square waterfront. Everyone loves to wave and photograph the boat as it goes by. We tied onto the mooring ball and went about getting dinner ready. This was our last night on board so it's Steak Night! Capt. Denny also cooked up the mackeral that was caught the night before. After dinner was cleaned up we all turned in for the night. Scuba diving is tiring business. 

Capt. Denny 'launches' a diver.

Gustavo hides from the sun.

SLS033112A - Wednesday

This was a quick wake up day. We had alot of miles to cover to get back down to the Key West area so Captain Denny had everyone up and moving. We spent the first part of the morning motoring to Looe Key, having breakfast and filling tanks along the way. We also caught 1 1/2 Mackeral. The 1/2 had been eaten by something big on the way in and all that was left was the head. We kept the whole one to eat ourselves.

The conditions at Looe Key were not as stellar as the day before but they were still great for Spring. The wind had come up a bit overnight causing some wave action which stirs things up a bit. After the dive we headed for Western Sambo, a site close to Stock Island. We had lunch on the way, filled more tanks but didn't catch any more fish or partial fish.

The conditions at Western Sambo were a little better than at Looe Key although we still didn't have the fantastic visibility we had enjoyed previously. Two of the boys decided to go kayaking instead of diving and had a great time in the waves breaking over the reef.

After the dive we returned to the dock at Stock Island for our mid-week break. Here the crew had showers, real toilets, air conditioning and no anchor watch. We all went out to dinner at a favorite local restaurant called the Hogfish. The walk to and from isn't too bad and goes through a 'colorful' neighborhood.

When we returned to the boat everyone hit the bed immediately...a well needed rest and break from anchor watch.

SLS033112A - Tuesday



Gustavo Jr.

 We stayed overnight out on the ocean at Looe Key. Conditions are fantastic. You could almost see a penny on the bottom; it's that still and clear. Here'a a picture of yesterday's fish. Unfortunately it's the only fish caught so far; a large Wahoo. Very tasty.
We started the day with a quick cold breakfast and then hit the reef for the first dive. It was great. There was a group of five large Eagle Rays swimming around which most of the divers got to see. Then there was a large Blacktip Shark swimming about.

We moved on to Sombrero Reef just outside of Marathon, FL. It is marked by a 142' tall lighthouse, the tallest in the Keys. I'll post a pic tomorrow. It was a trip of several hours which gave us a chance to refill tanks and do some more fishing and of course napping. Sombrero was crowded. It's a very popular spot, my favorite dive spot in all the Keys.

Pillar Coral in the backround

The dive conditions were still fantastic. Visibility was around 100' with no surge and no current. The coral, especially the soft corals, are very health here and the sand between the channels of coral is very clean and well defined. There are also many, many types of fish here. There was even a group of five Permit swimming about. We finished the dive and moved down to the other end of the reef to do a second dive. This end is marked by a large Pillar Coral formation. Again the conditions were great.

After diving we headed in for the anchorage outside of Boot Key. We're still out in the ocean but now we're protected by the islands. The crew did a little fishing with 'Cuban Yo-Yo's to catch some bait fish for a shark line we would be putting out at night. Dinner was brautwurst and beans. Denny started the generator so we could run the fans to cool off the cabin before going to bed.

Here's a pic of a diver entering the water:

I really enjoy writing this blog. If you enjoy reading it please leave a comment so I know someone is out there.

SLS033112A - Monday

Today was the crew’s first full day on the water. We started with a normal wake-up at 07:30. Some of the boys were slower than others getting up. They were tired from standing anchor watch. We had a quick, cold breakfast and headed out to the reef. We passed two cruise ships that were docked at the Key West pier then we were on the ocean. The ocean was very calm.


First stop was Western Sambo, Haystacks. The dive site is a large reef complex named Western Sambo. The section where we were diving is called the Haystacks. This is because there are a bunch of coral formations shaped like the old time haystacks. The conditions were great for springtime. The visibility was around 80ft with no current or surge. Everyone had a great dive.

Next we headed for Looe Key. It’s a long ride, several hours, so we put out the trolling lines and headed to deeper water for the trip. Along the way Gustavo Jr. caught a large Wahoo. What a beautiful fish. A lot of the crew also managed to nap along the way; a favorite activity on the Live-Aboard. I have always said it is the civilized cultures that observe the practice of siesta. We arrived at Looe Key around 13:00. Conditions looked fantastic. The surface was smooth and we could see the bottom clearly. Almost everyone got in for this dive. This was my 1000th dive, a special occasion for me. Divers measure their dives by the hundreds usually and 1000 is a major milestone.

After the dive the crew jumped off the boat, went swimming and just relaxed. More napping. We had decided that we would be doing our night dive at Looe Key so we headed out to do some more trolling. We motored around for a while, not catching any fish, then returned to Looe Key to make dinner and prepare for the night dive. Preparing involved more napping and checking the dive lights.

We jumped in right at sunset, which was beautiful, and met on the bottom under the boat. The water was clear, great for a night dive. I led the group up one of the sand channels to a clear spot, checked them then turned them loose. Later in the dive I ran into most of the divers and it became a lead dive again. We ended the dive and moved the boat to another mooring ball whenre we spent the night on the ocean.

1000 Dives

Today I hit 1000 dives; 1001 actually. It was a beautiful dive at Looe Key. I was hoping that it would be a special dive and it was. I did a conditions check and reported great visibility, no current and no surge. The depth was 31 feet so the computer was going to want me to do a safety stop somewhere along the line. After everyone was in I headed up one of the sand channels by mooring ball 20. About halfway to the shallows I ran into a pair of Trunkfish. I have been hoping to see a Trunkfish again. I saw one at Sombrero Reef years ago and didn’t have my camera. This time I did and I got several pictures. I kept moving up into the shallows, hoping to see some reef sharks. I did find a Nurse Shark lying under a ledge in a dead end.


I turned around and started working my way back toward the boat. I ran into the Trunkfish again but there was also a small gaggle of divers that spooked them. I kept taking pictures as I swam and soon I was back at the boat. It wasn’t long before the divers had also returned to the boat. While they were on the surface a large Reef Shark came along and swam under the divers that were on the surface.

1000 dives is a milestone for me. It’s one of my major ‘bucket list’ items. I’m not going to stop diving or stop keeping track but I can stop chasing that number now. Another ‘bucket list’ item related to diving was to become a SCUBA instructor which I achieved in 2005.

In all of those dives I only had one major incident. I was diving the Eagle with my good friend Alex Bergstedt. I had given Alex my pony bottle because he was ever so slightly nervous about deep dives. The dive started normally but soon after we hit the wreck trouble began. My Poseidon regulator went into first stage lock-up. Regulators never go into first stage lock-up. I have yet to meet someone that knows of someone that has had it happen. Anyway, Alex was watching an Angelfish as I signaled to him low air then out of air. His eyes grew big and then he went into action providing me with is alternate air source. In that short time it is amazing how much goes through your head. I contemplated going up the line with one breath, sure death, but Alex was there. We made a ‘shared air’ ascent and turned a near tragedy into a non-event. Practice, proper ‘buddy diving’ and calm nerves made it so. I now know that when ‘the **it hits the fan’ I can keep my wits about me.

If I never properly thanked you before I’m thanking you now buddy! You saved my life!

SLS033112A - First Day on the Water

The first full day was a tough one. The crew was not fully rested from their travels and they had to be up at 07:45 for Flags. After Flags it was breakfast. After breakfast we met at the Commisary where the real work started. First the crew loaded six large coolers with ice. The coolers were loaded into the trailer then a few coolers of food and a bunch of containers with more food. It takes a lot of food to feed 15 people for a week on the ocean. Although the trailer seemed full there was still alot more to be loaded. We moved over to the SCUBA area where we loaded all of the SCUBA gear, the personal gear and 15 tanks into the trailer and a truck. With everything loaded we headed out.


Schooner Conch Pearl

 We were headed to Stock Island a 1 1/2 hour drive from Florida Sea Base. It's the island right next to Key West and is the home of the Conch Pearl. The drive isn't too bad; the scenery is nice.

We arrived at the marina to be greeted by Captains Denny and Holley. Now it was time for the real hard work. Everything that had been loaded into the trailer and truck had to be carried to the boat, about 50 yards away. The trip included a small set of steps. The crew was motivated and completed the task in good time, without any complaining. Once everything was at the boat it all had to be loaded. The food was taken down below and stowed, the SCUBA gear was set up and all of the personal gear was brought on board. Now it was time to set out.

Emmanuel (spelling?)

We untied the Conch Pearl and headed out to the ocean. We had lunch on the way to the dive site. We were headed to Toppino's Buoy, a popular dive site. On the way the ocean was smooth, like summertime and the water was clear. We tied up to mooring ball no. 2 and prepared for our first dive. The first dive is a lead dive, where the crew stays with the instructors. This way we can assess their skills and work out any remaining problems, of which there was only one. One diver couldn't clear his head and had to return to the boat. I lead the dive and Megan followed up. The water was beautiful; no current, no surge and about 80 feet of visibility. Everyone did welll on the first dive so we turned them loose for the second dive; a buddy dive. This is where they go off on their own with their dive buddy. I was in the water for this dive and stayed around the boat watching the divers and taking pictures. This was also an awesome dive.

We motored around Key West, past the Sunset Festival, to our mooring ball. On the way Denny fired the cannon at the Jolly II Rover who in turn returned fire. Arrrrgh! Once we were tied to the mooring ball we had dinner; hamburgers, mac and cheese and salad. After dinner the crew settled into their bunks. I don't know what else took place, I was down for the evening.

SLS033112A - Puerto Rico Troop 35 Arrives

Crew SLS033112A is my last crew for the spring season and probably for the year. I don't expect to return again this year. I may teach at the Divemaster Academy over Christmas...it's too early to commit. I'm working with Megan Ware, world traveler. We worked together last August and it went well so I'm looking forward to a great week.

The crew arrived at around 13:00 which is a good time to arrive. It gives us enough time to complete all of the things that we need to without rushing. The crew is Troop 35 from Puerto Rico. I wasn't sure how the language difference would work out but they speak perfect English. I don't know any Spanish. The crew has these great long sleeve t-shirts for their crew shirt. It's good to see a crew that goes through the trouble of doing something like having shirts made. It serves as a uniform here at Florida Sea Base (FSB).

We went through the usual check-in activities. The crew had their picture taken and then they checked into the dorm. From there we went to the lagoon for a swim test. After the swim test we issued scuba gear to those that needed it. Everyone has their own mask, fins and snorkel which is good for a diver. We issued BCD's and regulators to everyone and headed to the SCUBA pools. In the SCUBA area we issued wet suits and weights. Now everyone had everything they needed to dive. We set up our SCUBA units, briefed the divers on the skills they would have to perform and then we got into the deep pool.

In the deep pool the divers performed a skills review. This is a review of about 15 basic SCUBA skills. Most of the divers are newly certified so the skills are still fresh for them. Everyone did well and there were even a few 'stars'. That's a relief and also impressive. We're always afraid of having divers that can't perform the simple skills. After the pool the crew went back to the lagoon with all of the SCUBA gear to do a salt water buoyancy check. This assures that they are properly weighted for diving in the ocean. After the buoyancy check we packed up our SCUBA gear and headed to dinner. We missed the evening flag ceremony because we were running a little late.

After dinner we headed to the Chart Room for an orientation. It's called the Chart Room because of the table that is in the room. It is very large and has nautical charts of the Florida Keys imbedded in the top. The orientation is a necessary evil that gives us an opportunity to start teaching the crew about their adventure and what to expect with life on a boat. Nobody fell asleep even though they had been up since the wee hours of the morning. 

After the orientation the crew was turned loose to go pack, sleep or do whatever. It's going to be a good week.