Diving in the Keyes

I had my first glimpse of wild reef systems over the weekend. Very,
very cool. Dived in Key Largo which was also the site of 3 diving
deaths on Friday which prevented us from diving the Spiegal Grove (
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s070318.html ), but all worked out well
as I spent more time on the reefs.

I was completely amazed by the wild life and corals. I saw a French
Angel (1 of many) which was about 2 feet long and the size of a serving
platter. Many mated butterflies. Schools of blue chromis. Tons of
Tangs, Yellow tails, lobster, crabs, Butterflies, damsels, etc. A brain
coral that that was 6 feet tall and 3 feet across at it's base. Parrot
fish, zoas, on and on.

The sand between reefs appeared lifeless, but looking closely, it teamed
with a blennies. Copepods (or similar flea like creature) swarmed
around small cave entrances, and I even found small multi-celled
cylindrical creatures that floated freely that I can't identify.

My last dive I spent looking for eels and succeeded with a 7 foot Moray,
another small moray, and yet another that resembled a snow flake eel.

It does put my aquarium to shame, but then again, it's the only way I
can keep a reef in my living room. I'll still keep it.

--Kurt