Who doesn’t love dolphins!? All over the world, this intelligent and charismatic animal has inspired marine curiosity, delighted onlookers with its acrobatics, and rallied support for conservation. Although I never had dolphin training career aspirations, every dolphin interaction I have had is memorable and I can’t help but grin like a fool when I […]

Every summer Atlantis Dive Center runs Kids’ Camp, a week-long chance for kids ages 10-18 to learn to scuba dive. Discounted for locals, Kids’ Camp is a great way to get Keys kiddos in the ocean and appreciating their own backyard. My instructor certification and their camp just happened to fall within the same week. […]

The Florida Keys are communities focused entirely on the ocean. Angling, snorkeling, and diving are everywhere you look!  Billing itself as the ‘Diving Capital of the World’  Key Largo has at least 18 different dive operators on a single 33-mile long island! Thanks to the generosity of Captain Slate’s Atlantis Dive Center I’m here organizing […]

One of the most challenging and exciting parts of the year is living without a long-term plan and being on your toes at any moment to seize a dive adventure as it flies by!  Last Tuesday night around 11:30pm I learned a NOAA research cruise was short several divers for ten day monitoring cruise in […]

This week I’m hunkering down at Captain Slate’s Atlantis Dive Center among a mountain of scuba books and manuals.  I’m taking the big professional plunge and becoming an Open Water Scuba Instructor!   Long time OW-USS supporter, Captain Spencer Slate owns the Florida Key’s longest running scuba, snorkel and glass bottom boat tour company, in […]