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Amazing Week of Diving with Conch Republic Divers

I have had an amazing week of diving in Tavernier with Conch Republic Divers. My week started with checkout dives for three students from Colorado. Sam, Georgia, and Katie were some of the best students I have had the pleasure of diving with. And luckily for them they had some amazing dives. On their first check out dive at Snapper Ledge we saw two graceful and large eagle rays just swim past us. On their third check out dive we went to China Reef and they swam with at least 30 different nurse sharks. At one spot in the coral formation there were six large nurse sharks feeding while many others circled around us. It was one of those very unique experiences. Keep in mind that this was not a shark feeding episode but simply good timing on our part.

Later that afternoon I was guiding a couple from St. Pete FL on a private charter for lobster hunting. We did not catch any lobsters (it's been a poor season thus far), but I did see my first Queen Trigger in the Florida Keys. They weren't too excited since they had their hearts set on lobsters. While I was there my newly certified divers from Colorado were on French Reef and had the most wonderful and rare opportunity of a wild dolphin encounter. As I understand the story the dolphin even nudged Georgia.

Yesterday I also saw my first Marlin swimming free and feeding off the Spiegel Grove. It was a great experience to witness. Normally I only see Marlins stuffed and mounted on someone's wall or caught on the end of some fisherman's rod.

It was an amazing week thanks to my amazing students and nature's willingness to provide such diverse sea life for us to enjoy (and hopefully preserve).

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