Singer Island 2021

After a two-year COVID hiatus, Diving with Heroes returned to the water with its first domestic excursion. Alumni and their significant others were gathered on Singer Island, just off the coast of West Palm Beach, Florida.

 

The divers stayed at Sunshine Shores Boutique Apartments and dove with Pura Vida Divers for the week, venturing north to Jupiter to dive with Jupiter Dive Center for one day. Exploring the waters off West Palm Beach, the DWH group encountered countless wrecks, Goliath Grouper, Southern Stingray, and sharks – nurse, lemon and bull. The group also dove the famed Blue Heron Bridge twice, arguably one of the best shore diving sites in the U.S.

 

The highlight of the week was the blackwater night dive where the divers drifted 3.5 miles in the Gulf Stream over 700+ feet of water. This type of diving is conducted beyond the outer edge of the reef where it begins to drop-off to the deep ocean. This edge is where the diurnal vertical migration of larval marine life occurs, and allows for divers to encounter some pretty out-of-this-world creatures.

 

In addition to the amazing 15 logged dives, the DWH group earned their SDI Computer Nitrox, Drift and Underwater Photographer Specialties, and participated in seminars on identifying risk, risk minimization and personal responsibility.

 

Returning Alumni: Heather Deerenberg, Chad Doncaster, Neal Hamilton (as a DWH volunteer), Sam Rosales, Rocio Villanueva, Kevin Wallace and Bill Yurek.