Down too long in the midnight sea…

Part 2: the 1st 2 days

When I arrived in Key West last Monday (1-June) I wasn’t quite sure if the intense beating of my heart was excitement over the fact that the next 5 days would be bringing world class wreck diving I’d been waiting a year to get back to, or if it was merely an energy drink induced palpitation.  Regardless I was feeling pretty carefree and enthusiastic as I stumbled out of my car onto legs a little wobbly from over 20 hours of driving.  After some quick introductions to the Capts and crew of the M/V SPREE I headed in to town to tool around for a couple hours…

After a group dinner at the Rusty Anchor we set sail for our adventure. We motored overnight to the Dry Tortugas and our first stop the German freighter M/S RHEIN in 240 fsw.  The Mikes tied us in and in no time we were heading down through the warm blue waters.  I nearly crashed into the deck as the HUGE schools of baitfish made it difficult to get my bearings.  I couldn’t tell what was up and what was down, it was just a swirling silver mass, until eventually a Goliath grouper (Jewfish) cruised through and parted the sea revealing us to be amid some big deck winches and the fallen mast and staring up at the picturesque forward kingpost.  For dive 1 we explored foward around the forecastle and bow, and for dive 2 we checked out the twisted ghostly remains of the stern.  What an awesome wreck!

M/S RHEIN Images