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Dry Suit Diving In the Florida Keys? It's a Reality this Winter!
search... Saturday, March 06 2010
Dry Suit Diving In the Florida Keys? It's a Reality this Winter! Written by Polina Reznikov Monday, 01 March 2010 13:23
Tags: Florida Keys | Polina Reznikov
DiverWire contributing writer Polina Reznikov has just returned from a trip to the Florida Keys. She talks about her recent scuba diving adventures where cold waters forced her to wear a dry suit - not that there's anything wrong with that...... Stepping off the plane in a tank top and shorts, I was looking forward to some mid-winter warm-water diving. However, I was not prepared to be greeted by the Arctic blast barreling into South Florida with temperatures in the 40’s. Iguanas were literally falling from the trees and laying motionless on the ground going into hibernation, and turtles washing up on shores from becoming lethargic due to the cold. I had to ask myself “am I really in Key Largo”? My objective was to experience diving the famous Key Largo wrecks and fishy reefs under the expertise of a local guide, and to come back with memorable images. The sun was shining, the air was a bit nippy, and I was hop skipping with joy at the prospect of my upcoming dives. The first dive was the wreck of the USCG Duane. This 329-foot cutter was decommissioned in 1985 and intentionally sunk in 120-feet of water to serve as an artificial reef in November 1987. Being closer to the Gulf Stream than most wrecks in the Keys, the Duane lies outside the reef line and is frequently engulfed in ripping current. On this dive however, my dive guide and I spent considerable time admiring the towering wreck from the front of the bow in still waters. The Duane presents itself as a perfect photographic subject vibrantly encrusted in sponges, gorgonians and hydroids. The hull and railings are cloaked in brilliant splashes of all colors of the rainbow. Schools of barracuda, parrotfish, grunts, and angelfish swarm the ship’s flanks and open rooms. Ducking into one of the open hatchways I was bedazzled with the visual experience. I was constantly weary of my mounting deco obligation while positioning my willing model/dive guide in various configurations. Finally, I begrudgingly started my ascent and deco obligation. Even on the ascent line, my dive was not over. I was accompanied by a curious barracuda that was just as interested in reviewing the pictures on my camera screen as I was. The surface interval could not be over fast enough. Our second dive was Snapper Ledge, the fishiest dive I have experienced in some time. The marine life is astoundingly dense. Hordes of Grunts and Yellowtail Snappers obscure the sight of my dive guide in a continuously moving wave of gold color. With the scene changing in the blink of an eye, I find it challenging to compose my shots with any predetermined