Sea dogs. Scallywags. Tales of Treasure. Straight from the heart of Old Town, the Sea Eagle hovers with a daily invitation back to the sea to discover the gems of nature alive and well along the seabed ecosystems within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. “Oh but what if I can’t equalize? What if I start freaking out? What if I see a shark? What if I really fall in Love with new adventure in life?!?”No matter what circumstances you may find yourself anticipating your next dive, whether it is your first or several thousand, the seasoned crew, instructors, and dive masters of Captain’s Corner have you covered. Each comes with many years of experience, and it is clear from the get-go that these dive professionals have been working together for a long while as an established team. They flow together, and there is camaraderie amongst them which provides cordial, warm, welcoming, and supportive environment to guests.From the get go. Leslie & Jen are prompt and informative with returning inquiry calls and emails. The instructors are not only clear in communicating skills and expectations, but also approachable and patient, while teaching PADI curriculum in both pool and open water settings.During a recent trip to Key West, I had the opportunity to dive with them 3 days. On Day 1, my 12 year-old daughter and I took the Discover Dive course. She was very frustrated by not being able to equalize, and Tony was very patient and attentive to helping her through the process. During this trip, she was able to do more skills with confidence than she had achieved in a previous shore diving lesson in Cozumel we had a few months before. Thank you, Tony!
Later in the week, I successfully completed Open Water Certification. For me, it was a life changing accomplishment because I had been struggling with anxiety and fear of drowning for a few years which had become heightened during my first experiences with diving (Snuba) a few years before. The irrational fear and anxiety I was experiencing had become a source of shame for me that I really wanted to heal and let go of. The anticipation of having anxiety during a dive was enough to make me want to avoid trying and up until the morning my Open Water training began, I honestly did not know if I would do it or not. I knew that I could do it, but I just wasn’t sure if I wanted to take the chance of feeling uncomfortable.When I walked in for pool training on OWD Day1, I met my instructor, Joe. I felt at ease, and confident about him as a teacher, immediately. I really appreciate the amicable energy he brings to the learning experience, and yet at all times, he is focused and professional. He pays attention to details, and teaches his students to do the same, with kind redirection that encourages confidence in skill building. I also really appreciate that he took time to carefully review my medical form prior to training, and is conscientious to carefully consider any red flags. In my opinion, as a physician, I feel the ability to notice this level of detail in attributes, whether they be physical, mental, or emotional, are key to triaging a successful dive as things which may not be an issue during pool training, could become significant during the wild card potentials of open water. Joe’s is a wonderful mentor for technique, and has charisma which also makes for learning experience that is fun. Thank you, Joe! During my visit to Key West, there were times when I felt there may still be such things as pirates, sea wenches, and ghosts. Who can say for sure? But what I do know is that every day I spent aboard the Sea Eagle with the Captain’s Corner team was a treasure I will never forget. We dove in the same sanctuary 6 times over 3 days and each dive was different. How is that even possible??!? Amazing. We saw sharks! a sea turtle! lobsters! varied fish and coral formations! And the highlight? A giant spotted eagle ray majestically gliding through the water nearby!And the highlight? Evolving, growing me, into a real treasure that is Life itself. -Alexis BG 4/2021
( Originally published by Alexis BG on TripAdvisor )
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