Wrecking Crew

Eleven divers went offshore from Miami with Diver's Paradis on what turned out to be a "private charter" to explore three of the area’s most popular wrecks: the Orion, the Proteus and the Paraiso, and a bonus Rio for some. The day was beautiful on the surface and below it a decent current with visibility around 40 ft and thankfully no thermocline. 

_{From Left: Jessica Bochenek , Fabian Lago, Jeffrey Roth, Samantha Weisz, Jean Gruss, Adriana Campa, Sheila Schlafly, Carl Manzelli, Rudy Lopez, Sam Bochenek and Enrique Menocal.}

Dive 1 – Orion - 90ft
Our return to the Orion felt like discovering the wreck all over again. The blue water was relatively calm with a slight surface current and with visibility stretching to about 40 feet. As we descended, sunlight filtered down, revealing the Orion’s familiar outline below. Huge schools of fish surrounded the wreck, hovering over its coral-covered structure.
But the real surprise was waiting down in the Orion’s shadow. Tucked among the lower sections of the wreck was a massive goliath grouper, seemingly right at home in its steel-and-coral fortress. Rather than disappearing into the darkness, this gentle giant seemed almost curious about its visiting divers, hovering nearby with that unmistakable slow-motion swagger. For a moment, it felt less like we had found the grouper and more like we had been welcomed into its home.
With warm water, decent visibility, swirling schools of fish, and a friendly giant guarding the wreck, the Orion once again delivered a dive worthy of remembering.

Dive 2 – Proteus - 72ft
Returning to the Proteus felt like catching up with an old friend. The conditions were similar to the Orion with a manageable current and visibility of around 40 ft. One of the highlights was getting another visit with our resident Royal Sea Goddess nudibranch. This tiny, brilliantly colored jewel has become something of a Proteus celebrity, (now formally named "Kobe") and it was great to find it still making herself at home among the wreckage. There’s something special about returning to a dive site and recognizing its residents—especially when one is as spectacular as this little sea goddess.
The dive even came with a bit of mystery. The boat’s divemaster reported spotting a bull shark cruising through the blue bu not a single other diver managed to see it. So while the bull shark may have made an appearance, it remains an exclusive sighting for the divemaster—and a story the rest of us will just have to believe!
With a familiar sea goddess, a mysterious bull shark, and the Proteus alive with marine life, this return visit proved that even a wreck you know well can still surprise you.

Dive 3 – Paraiso (Bonus: Rio) - 90ft
Our final destination was the Paraiso, a nice conclusion to an incredible day of wreck diving. With the beautiful day still above us and two great dives behind us the group was ready for the final dive of the day and what it might bring.  One group ventured over toward the Rio wreck, following the familiar rebar path that stretches across the bottom and connects the two sites. Others took the closer route, heading deep into the bowls and interior sections of the old ship.
Inside the Paraiso, the wreck began to reveal some of its history. Swimming through the deeper recesses, we came across the remains of large fans, coils, and other pieces of machinery that appeared to be part of the ship’s refrigeration system. Surrounded by the dark steel walls of the wreck, it was easy to imagine these machines once humming away as they worked to keep the ship’s cargo cold during its voyages.
With no current to push us along, we could slow down and really explore these forgotten corners of the ship, picking our way through its interior and discovering something different around every bend. Whether following the rebar trail toward the Rio or exploring the deep bowls of the Paraiso itself, it was a dive that felt less like swimming around a wreck and more like stepping inside a piece of maritime history.

With that we made our way back to Miami, and just in time, as we could see a massive storm over the city leaving a perfect window for us to make it back to the dock and unload before the typical afternoon Florida shower came down.

^{Underwater photos by Rudy Lopez, Jean Gruss & Sheila Schlafly}