Andrew Schubert
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2018
- Messages
- 627
- Reaction score
- 317
I wanted to take a break from the cold weather here in Illinois, and booked a weekend getaway to Key West.
Booked an afternoon trip with Sebago company that took myself and 26 others 6 miles south of the keys to Eastern Dry Rocks reef. It took us about an hour to get out to the reef where we were given an hour to snorkle around.
At first I didn't see much besides some sea fans, sponges, and a couple small tropical fishes. Then all of a sudden I came upon my first school of fish -- yellow snappers. As I swam near I quickly became engulfed in one school of fish after another to the point I was afraid to swim without hitting any of them. Of course this is just how it felt as they were very good at avoiding you when needed. From their I ran across some schools of bluish tangs, which I had to laugh at when. I saw some of them chasing each other around, and swinging their pectoral fins at each other just like my 3 tangs in my tank do. Guess these things are never satisfied no matter how much space they have to swim.
Moving on I spotted some beautiful parrot fish, and some butterfly fish. As I swam further and further away from our boat the larger the fish seemed to become. Then I spotted my first very big fish...until I realize the 10 foot fish I was starring at was indeed a shark! As my first adventure I decided to play it safe and swim in the opposite direction that he was going.
Seeing that shark diffinitelly made me a lot more aware of my surroundings. I could clearly see the bottom, and about 30 feet in any direction...however, you can rest assured the predators in the water had much better sense of me then I did of them.
Swimming in the opposite direction I came across a shallower area of the reef that was no more then 5 feet deep. There I was enjoying the beautiful fish and corals, when I another large fish emerged from behind me and right under me. It was another shark! This time within 3 feet...basically in arms reach. I just floated still, feeling he was so close even the flip of my fins might accidentally kick the beast. He soon moved on, thankfully leaving me intact
. Doing some research I'm 95% sure it was a Lemon Shark.
I always wondered how I would react being faced to face with a shark, and I am actually surprised how safe I still felt. Yea, it made me a little nervous, but never really made me panic. I just kepted telling myself, no one has ever been killed in Key West by a shark before. Then again, I always seem to be the exception with these things
.
in conclusion, it was a great experience that I would recommend to everyone to do in their life! I got cheap round trip tickets to Ft. Lauderdale, car rental for $15/day, hotel for $100, and snorkling charter for just $50. In all, anyone can have this same experience for less than $500...and lets face it, we've all spend more then that on our corals.
Booked an afternoon trip with Sebago company that took myself and 26 others 6 miles south of the keys to Eastern Dry Rocks reef. It took us about an hour to get out to the reef where we were given an hour to snorkle around.
At first I didn't see much besides some sea fans, sponges, and a couple small tropical fishes. Then all of a sudden I came upon my first school of fish -- yellow snappers. As I swam near I quickly became engulfed in one school of fish after another to the point I was afraid to swim without hitting any of them. Of course this is just how it felt as they were very good at avoiding you when needed. From their I ran across some schools of bluish tangs, which I had to laugh at when. I saw some of them chasing each other around, and swinging their pectoral fins at each other just like my 3 tangs in my tank do. Guess these things are never satisfied no matter how much space they have to swim.
Moving on I spotted some beautiful parrot fish, and some butterfly fish. As I swam further and further away from our boat the larger the fish seemed to become. Then I spotted my first very big fish...until I realize the 10 foot fish I was starring at was indeed a shark! As my first adventure I decided to play it safe and swim in the opposite direction that he was going.
Seeing that shark diffinitelly made me a lot more aware of my surroundings. I could clearly see the bottom, and about 30 feet in any direction...however, you can rest assured the predators in the water had much better sense of me then I did of them.
Swimming in the opposite direction I came across a shallower area of the reef that was no more then 5 feet deep. There I was enjoying the beautiful fish and corals, when I another large fish emerged from behind me and right under me. It was another shark! This time within 3 feet...basically in arms reach. I just floated still, feeling he was so close even the flip of my fins might accidentally kick the beast. He soon moved on, thankfully leaving me intact
. Doing some research I'm 95% sure it was a Lemon Shark. I always wondered how I would react being faced to face with a shark, and I am actually surprised how safe I still felt. Yea, it made me a little nervous, but never really made me panic. I just kepted telling myself, no one has ever been killed in Key West by a shark before. Then again, I always seem to be the exception with these things
.
in conclusion, it was a great experience that I would recommend to everyone to do in their life! I got cheap round trip tickets to Ft. Lauderdale, car rental for $15/day, hotel for $100, and snorkling charter for just $50. In all, anyone can have this same experience for less than $500...and lets face it, we've all spend more then that on our corals.
