Our reef is less than two miles from shore. It is half way between land and the outer barrier of reefs that surround the island. This means it is calmer and we never get ocean swells. The flip side is that the water is not as clear as it is out on the edge. Click here to see our dive site. Our boat is actually visible from orbit. The sandy area surrounded by reefs is called Halfway Flat. Our diving area is the sandy area just below below the stern of the boat.
Once at our reef, we pick up our mooring ropes and position the boat bow into the wind, with the stern at our sandy diving area (8-12 foot depth). We have ten spots where cold chisels, cement and chain provide an anchoring spot for our nylon ropes. Hook anchors damage the reef and sand anchors disturb the stabilizing sea grasses. Dive boat Rainbow Runner must be anchored down like Gulliver, because the ladder would hit the reef if the stern swung.
If the water is below 80’F we will be wearing wet suits. Because of the extra flotation we then would wear weight belts to keep the buoyant bodies below the diving bell.
Once we are securely moored, the 8 foot ladder is attached to the platform, the generator and compressors are started, the hoses are deployed and the first dive begins.
