A Great Day at Molasses Reef

On Saturday, September 26, we headed out with the crew from Sea Dwellers Dive Center to dive Molasses Reef in Key Largo. The weather was perfect—clear skies and a very calm ocean. When we got to the site, the diving conditions couldn't have been better. There was almost no current, making the swim very easy, and the visibility was incredible, offering a clear view of the reef structure and the marine life from quite a distance.

Dive 1: GG Caves - For our first dive, we jumped in at Gorgonian Groves & Caves (GG Caves). The topography here is really interesting, featuring deep sand channels framed by high coral walls, with plenty of natural arches and small caves. We spent time navigating through the different swim-throughs, which was a great exercise in buoyancy control. The wildlife during this first drop was excellent. Right away, we spotted a Caribbean reef shark cruising along the edge of the reef. Shortly after, a large nurse shark actually swam directly toward us, which was amazing to watch up close. We also crossed paths with a small, curious goliath grouper that hung around to check us out, and looked up to see two rays gliding together over the sandy bottom. The whole area was filled with large schools of tropical fish.

Dive 2: Fire Coral Cave - After our surface interval, we moved over to Fire Coral Cave for the second dive. The conditions remained excellent, with great sunlight filtering down to the bottom. We spent this dive exploring the vertical walls and crevices covered in fire coral. The reef was packed with life. While checking out the rocky formations, we managed to spot a small moray eel fully emerging from its cave and swimming out in the open—a perfect way to wrap up the afternoon. 

By the time we got back on the boat, we couldn't have asked for a better day of diving. Between the clear water, the swim-throughs, and getting to see a reef shark, a nurse shark, groupers, rays, and a small moray eel all in one trip, it was definitely a memorable day in Key Largo.

^{Key Largo divers (from left): Lucas Folse, Bill Curtin, Lee Wood, Antonella Gonzalez, Hilda Balbi, Adriana Campa, Jeff Roth.} 

^{Underwater photos by Hilda Balbi.}