Hello to all of our wonderful customers and those of you heading to Atlantis Dive Center for the first time. Christmas was wonderful here in Key Largo, we hardly had a day when there was a one foot sea condition, it was just flat calm and in the low 80’s the entire holiday. Our snorkel/dive/ glass bottom boats ran every trip and hundreds of visitors had a ball seeing our beautiful reef. Worries about high fuel prices and slowing economy were unfounded and as we all know we work hard and deserve a vacation to the beautiful Florida Keys and your favorite dive/snorkel/glass bottom destination at Capt. Slate’s.

 Everyone noticed the new face on our facility not just the boats but also our parking lot and docks have all been rebuilt and look great. We are now in the process of rebuilding the A-Frame highway store and the world famous David Dunleavy mural artist will paint a beautiful mural around the entire building. David is the leading mural artist in the world and has painted over 60 walls, we are so proud to have David paint our building; it will be a welcoming point to Key Largo and all of our fabulous keys.

 Of course you know by now we have the 115’ live-a-board Gulf Stream Eagle sitting at our docks leaving weekly for overnight dive adventures throughout the keys and all the way to Dry Tortugas. Call Teri for all the details on how to book your special keys live-a-board adventure.

 I just returned from my annual live-a-board adventure in the Bahamas on board the Aqua Cat with 21 of the craziest industry icons and our dive friends from Canada, to the UK. The diving was great it is my 6th charter with the Aqua Cat, some of you got on the trip from our web page announcement and our next year’s trip is January 10-17, 09, so let me know now we will surely be and always are full. The boat is a 102’ x 38’ ‘limo’ in the dive industry with individual heads in each cabin and food fit for the best cruise ship on the ocean. We did our shark dive at Amberjack Reef in the Exumas and our ‘lizard’ petting on Allen’s Cay where one of the ‘friendly’ lizards ‘attacked’ John R. and did a number on his finger, scared John so bad he flung the poor guy 10 feet trying to get him off his finger. We are still laughing over that one. Hey, I will stick to barracudas any day.

 Also in May 09 we are heading to Scotland to the famous Scapa Flow where the WW1 German naval fleet was captured and scuttled by the Germans, we will dive into history on battleships and cruisers like no where else on earth. Stay tuned for details.

 Easter Egg Hunt again our 7th year on Easter Sunday (March 23rd.) AM dive trip. I dress in my bunny suit, yes I really do and go out on the reef and ‘hid’ eggs for all to find and win a prize or basket, it is a big hit and we all have fun and raise money for K.I.S.S., Kids in Special Situations, a non-profit here in the upper keys who buys Christmas presents for those kids who would otherwise do without. Only $60. including tanks and weights, and snorkelers go too, I ‘hid’ the eggs in 4 to 15 feet so everyone finds an egg. Don’t miss the fun and chance to help those who aren’t so fortunate.

So winter is almost over (it never hit here, as usual) and it is time to get the dive gear out of the closet, tuned up and on your back underwater here at your favorite dive destination, Capt. Slate’s Atlantis Dive Center. All of our creatures on the Friday Creature Feature are asking where you have been!

We will see you soon!

Capt. Slate and Crew