By Robert Trosset
It has been over a month since hurricane Irma impacted so many of our lives in the Florida Keys. It has been a tough recovery for the people, but for the underwater residents it was an immediate bounce back.
Just a few days after the hurricane passed the crew of Finz Dive Center loaded the dive gear and headed south to the Vandenberg. As we left the shop and headed down the channel the destruction was apparent. We had to navigate amidst broken docks, sunken boats, and trees on the short ride. When we arrived at the wreck I immediately knew something was different. The angle of the mooring balls had changed. The wreck has shifted about 25 degrees and settled almost 10ft deeper. For someone who has dove on the Vandenberg numerous times it is a brand new experience.
Without pressure from divers and fishermen for 2 weeks the wreck is teeming with life. All the original inhabitants weathered the storm and new marine life has arrived. Grouper and snapper were everywhere and less skittish than before the storm. I was actually able to get so close to a mutton snapper I could reach out and touch it.
The reefs we have been diving since the storm are in good shape. Marker 32, known for the shallow depths and impressive spur and groove reef formations, had many of the sea- fans still intact and very little damage, that I could tell from the wave action. All of the mooring buoys that we have visited are intact and ready for divers.
The visibility has varied widely over the past few weeks. We had 30 to 40 ft of visibility the week after the storm and have seen up to 80ft since. I am very relieved about how the lower keys reef and wrecks fared during the storm and excited for all divers to return and enjoy the beautiful water we have here.
Robert Trosset
FINZ Dive Center
5130 Overseas Hiwy,Key West • 305-395-0880
www.Finzdivecenter.com • Info@Finzdivecenter.com