Dive conditions this week were decent, which is saying a lot for this time of the year. We had a little wind, but our visibility remains spectacular.
Speaking of clear waters, we had an awesome group in town from Clearwater. Mac Sports brings down a big group every few months to dive our famous Florida Keys wrecks and reefs. It’s always a pleasure to host divers from other parts of Florida and to compare what they see with what we have here in the Keys.
This time, they also did a night dive, which is always a treat. The reef at night is a totally different experience. Different animals will come out because they are nocturnal. They might be feeding, spawning, searching for mates or doing whatever else it is that ocean creatures do at night. For instance, octopuses come out to hunt at night. They’re especially a treat to find.
Sometimes, the same animals we are used to seeing during the day will also behave differently at night. For example, parrotfish will make a mucus sack around them to protect them while they “sleep.” They’ll also hide themselves in crevices of the reef for the same reason.
Next Week’s Dive Report
This coming week looks very similar (yes!), with some higher winds mid-week and calmer seas coming into the weekend. Fingers crossed for a peaceful and pleasant holiday an end of 2021.
Conservation Update
We completed a large coral planting with students from Clemson University. We love outreach events like these where we get to share our love of diving and corals with others. In this case, education, outreach and in-water experience went hand-in-hand. Students were able to learn about corals and the threats they face before diving in to restore the reef with actual endangered coral species.
This type of real world learning environment is irreplaceable and usually results in some life-long advocates and ocean lovers.
Conservation Tip
Remember to watch where you anchor. Also, be mindful of your fin kicks and trash coming off your boat.
I.CARE Tip
Key Dives will be hosting this Saturday’s coral plantings. Call them to reserve a spot.
