DIVE REPORT: SUMMER SEAS & KIDS CAMP COMING UP

Jeff’s Juniors will help local kids learn how to comfortably and competently enjoy our underwater world. Laya Clode / UNSPLASH

This Week’s Dive Report

Conditions this past week were great. We had low winds, and visibility was pretty good. We ran our usual courses and trips out to local reefs and wrecks, which do not disappoint. Do you have a favorite dive spot to visit? Being in the scuba diving capital of the world, we have quite a few. 

Next Week’s Dive Report

Jeff Leonia was an avid and talented fisherman. CONTRIBUTED

This coming week, the conditions look to be in our favor again. Summer is here, so the winds are low, the water temperatures are in the low 80s and the visibility is great. Get out there and enjoy it. This is what life in the Florida Keys is all about.

Now that the good weather is here, we’re also gearing up for our first annual kids camp: Jeff’s Juniors Sea Camp. We are honoring the late Capt. Jeff Leonia, a good friend of Islamorada Dive Center, whom we lost too soon. He was a boat captain, diver and fisherman. A true waterman through-and-through, he loved helping others experience the wonders of the sea. We couldn’t think of a better way to pay homage to his legacy than to help others learn how to enjoy our waters. 

That’s what this camp is all about. We will help kids in need experience the underwater world and achieve numerous milestones that may not be available to them. Kids will learn about coral conservation, shark awareness, marine debris clean-up techniques, etc. We will teach them how to fish our waters and certify them in scuba, if they are of age. 

We’ve been raising profits throughout the year to defer costs, and all costs are paid for by the Live Like Jeff non-profit organization. To learn more or sign up, call Islamorada Dive Center. 

Conservation Update

I.CARE planted on Rocky Top reef on June 4. At last official count, we had 4,670 corals outplanted by 805 recreational divers. We’ve always said it is a team effort, and nothing shows this more than these numbers. We’re incredibly proud to be part of this effort. 

Conservation Tip

Passing on a love of our waters is one of the best ways to encourage the stewards of tomorrow.

I.CARE Tip

This week, I.CARE will be planting more corals on Victory Reef with Islamorada Dive Center. Give us a call to join.

Eric Billips is is the owner, captain and instructor at Islamorada Dive Center and Floridia Keys Dive Center. He specializes in scuba, rebreather, spearfishing and captaining in the Florida Keys