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Diving

Mariners hospital in Tavernier has a hyperbaric chamber.

Diving

A DAN membership can be a lifesaver

No matter where you are, diving can present unexpected risks, and the right support resources can be the differences between life and death

Divemaster Mario Roman Arreguin readies scuba gear in Cozumel.

Diving

Unfamiliar dive? Use a divemaster

Because many of the dive sites in the Keys are shallow, most dive operators don’t require a divemaster unless a diver is new or inexperienced

Neal Watson and Jack Levarity on a shark dive in Bimini.

Diving

Take ‘47 Meters Down’ with an ocean full of salt

Scientists agree that sharks are vitally important for the well-being of our oceans

Anastacia and Tony Washer on a recent dive on the Eagle wreck.

Diving

The Eagle ‘just right’ for most divers

Hurricane Irma changed some things on the popular dive wreck

Divers float above the sunken Coast Guard Cutter Bibb.

The Bibb was among a group of cutters or “327's” famous for peace time and wartime service during World War II, Korea and Vietnam providing naval gunfire and search-and-rescue support, fighting off German U-boats, rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoy ships, and serving as amphibious task force flagships.

The coral and fish seem healthy at Molasses Reef, as seen in this Nov. 7 photo.

Diving

Looks like the Keys reef is as resilient as its people

As was the case on land, the most coral damage was done at the Middle and Lower Keys areas of the reef.

Memebers of Force Blue, a nonprofit conservationis scuba dive organization, are working with the Coral Restoration Foundation this week on repairing corals damaged by Hurricane Irma.

Local

Documentary Thursday tells the story of Force Blue, conservationist scuba divers who served in the U.S. special forces

The screening and meet and greet will take place on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Coral Restoration Center’s Exploration Center, at 5 Seagate Boulevard, Key Largo

Mark and Liz Brown swim up to a ship’s winch at Molasses Reef post Hurricane Irma.

Diving

Dive boats shipshape and ready to go

Many dive shops suffered heavy damage, but most are back in business.

Volunteers remove tarps and plywood from the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada after Hurricane Irma passed Sept. 10 and 11.

Living

Diving Museum back open following Irma

Parking lot was used as a staging area for first responders and clean-up crews after the storm.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission researchers check out coral at Davis Ledge.

Diving

Battling snails may help save the reef

It turns out that coral eating snails have been a problem for the restoration efforts.

An inshore lizardfish tries to make Don blink first.

Diving

Face to face with the inshore lizardfish

They live a solitary life of up to nine years in shallow water over sand, mud or grass beds. Some partially bury themselves in the sandy bottoms for camouflage.

Diving

Vintage Weekend at the Diving Museum

There will also be a barbecue and viewing of “Sea Hunt” episodes.

Zack Rago (left) and Dr. David Vaughan, executive director of Mote’s Summerland Key center, check out some of the coral nursery.

Diving

‘Chasing Coral’ cast member chases Keys coral

Zack Rago comes down for the film’s screening, then sticks around to learn what Mote does.

Lobsters stand in a row underneath a rock off the Upper Keys.

Diving

The eve of regular lobster season is near

Most lobster hunters are honest and well-intentioned. Very few think they can get away with poaching lobsters, breaking laws, not learning the rules or believing they won’t get caught. That is a bad decision.

Diving

These veterans are healing the ocean and themselves

Turns out the mission, besides teaching combat veterans how to preserving coral reefs, also helped heal the veterans from the horrors of combat, and to become a new voice for ocean conservation.

Environment

‘Chasing Coral’ to debut in the Keys

Award-winning documentary chronicles the rapid decline of the world’s coral reefs.

Justin Lansford, 27, a retired staff sergeant from Tampa, takes a giant stride off the boat as he heads out to help plant corals near Looe Key off Big Pine Key. Lansford was a member of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division when he lost his leg in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan in 2012.

Diving

Mission: Possible, as wounded veterans, youths and scientists plant new Keys corals

Wounded veterans, students and scientists come together to plant 500 corals at Looe Key reef in the Lower Florida Keys.

Dominic D'Agostino, USF College of Medicine & IHMC; Pedro Duque, ESA Astronaut, Cmdr. Kjell Lindgren, NASA astronaut; Trevor Graff, chief scientist, NASA ARES Program; (inside the window) Sean Moore and Mark Hulsback, FIU Aquarius Habitat technicians.

Diving

NEEMO 22 preps astronauts for the real thing

NASA is developing the technologies and systems to transport future explorers to multiple destinations, each with its own unique and extreme space environment.

Members of the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge work with Mote scientists and SCUBAnauts youths help restore a reef in the Florida Keys.

Diving

Young corals getting a start on life

Military veterans, youths and scientists come together to plant corals off the Lower Florida Keys.

Diving

They’re called trash cans. Use them

Turns out there are many "garbage patches" including five massive gyres of trash particles swirling around in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Diving

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