A recent student of ours sent us this great write up about her first ocean dive  after getting certified with us. She went down to the Key Largo, Florida and dove with Amoray Dive Resort. Here’s her story:

First Ocean Dive: Equal Parts Thrilling & Serene

Diving in Key Largo was an unforgettable thrill….a salty, sun-drenched adventure that left me breathless in more ways than one. It was my very first taste of saltwater diving, and everything felt brand new: the buoyancy shifts, the brilliant light slicing through the water, and that heart pounding moment of descent when the world above fades, the mind calms, and something quieter takes hold.

Exploring History: Ghostly Shipwrecks

Our underwater journey took us through the ghostly remains of two shipwrecks.  First, the City of Washington, an iron hulled steamship with bones now encrusted with marine life.  And second, Mike’s Wreck, a steel ship of unknown origin. Swimming through the remnants felt like time travel…half history, half dream.

Reef Diving: A Living Underwater Gallery

We also dove two distinct sections of the Elbow Reef, each one a living mosaic. The first site was surreal, with incredible barrel sponges the size of armchairs!   They were otherworldly and ancient-looking, like something that had been there since the beginning of time. Then we moved to a section known as “The Fingers,” where long coral ridges jutted out like the hand of the reef itself. It was a playground for marine life and a sanctuary for divers trying to catch their breath from the relentless tug of the current (yikes, it was strong).

Marine Life Extravaganza

And the sea life? Oh, it was a kaleidoscope of motion and color. We spotted sleek barracudas eyeing us from a distance, trumpetfish hovering curiously, and goofy porcupine puffers peeking out with cute cartoon faces. Schools of yellowtail snapper shimmered past like underwater confetti, and we caught flashes of angelfish, hogfish, goatfish, and lionfish.  Such funny names, aren’t they?  Some species were elegant, some a little menacing, and all of them impossibly beautiful.  I could have gazed at them all day.

There were grunts and groupers, butterflyfish flitting delicately near the coral, and the irrepressibly bright blue tangs and parrotfish bringing pops of electric color to the reef. Triggerfish darted in and out of view, while gobies and wrasses went about their tiny, busy lives along the seafloor. Everywhere we turned, there was movement, shimmer, life, and intricate corals and sponges that made the sea feel like an underwater cathedral.

To be so small and so immersed is overwhelming in the best way.  I was completely captivated and awed by the wild beauty of it all.