From the DPBM forum:
Date: 9/2/2007
Journey: Key West
Purpose: To Dive with Deep Blue Marine
We arrived mid-morning, and located the address Randy had given to us. Then we immediately drove to Key West and picked up some necessary items in town. We enjoyed the slower pace of life here on the Keys, the green foliage and fiery colors of blooming plants and trees.
Later, we returned to where Randy lives and were warmly greeted by Nancy and Paul. In came Randy with his full smile and friendly hand-shake. Then entered Wilf with energy exuding from his being, and so full of stories. Real stories! Those dreamt by imaginative young children and blessed grown-ups. These were stories about sunken ships, of buried treasure, of military history all packaged into an exciting journey through time.
We just came here to dive. Well, not just to dive. We came here to experience the unfolding of history. Scuba diving has been our most pleasurable endeavor. Then add, not just imagination, but the actual experience of seeing, touching, examining a sunken vessel from hundreds of years ago. Of reaching out and handing items that sank with that vessel; buttons, shoe buckles, a broken dinner plate held together with straps. Those were Wilf’s stories. Real people wore uniforms with those very same buttons, and the buckles were on these men’s shoes. Someone actually ate their meals off this mended plate. Here they were, found on the bottom of the ocean, forgotten for such a long period of time. Perhaps this ship and these men were to be forgotten forever, never to be envisioned by any man or woman again. But now, these men were being brought back to life by men who are fortunate enough to imagine and able to make dreams come true in the discovery of their sunken ship. The ship? Le Scipion, a ship full of life. A ship with 778 men who abandoned their sinking ship to escape certain death into the jungles of Dominica and onto their destiny of fighting war. These were the men who were crucial in our own fight. They were crucial to the people of our United States of America winning our Revolutionary War, our war of independence from the governing bodies of Britain along with their tariffs.
Entered, Tommy, quiet and courteous; then the missionaries. The missionaries came over for dinner each Sunday evening as special guests of Wilf and his family. Laura, Nancy and Paul did the cooking on this evening. Laura, the artist, is Wilf’s partner and wife. The water painting of a broken down boat hangs on the dinning room wall. Soft and tranquil colors fitting for a boat no longer able to make the water journey help to tell this boat’s story. Here was a boat in need of the breath of life, of new paint and replaced boards, in need of a major transformation. Laura painted this boat, both the picture and the transformed boat. What a wonderful dinner. Here we were, sharing food with wonderful people, like having a big extended family. This was an evening that lent to a tranquil and peaceful night of sleep and dreams.
Up! It was early, bowl of cereal for breakfast and off to the boat dock. Dive equipment was passed onto the boat with the aid of the crew. Who is that large sleepy eyed man with the smile and disposition to melt the heart of all who meet him? Dave is his name, known to some as Big Dave. And there is Joseph, a thick Slovakian accent, long blond ponytail. I observe Joseph watching and listening. Joseph, whom I later I observe putting his diving gear on by lifting it up over his head, arms sliding into his vest and tank gently lowering onto his back. He is quiet for the time being. I can tell, he is one of us who opens up to people only after he has made his final observances of character and intentions. Joseph is a smart, experienced diver and has an enchanting grin and very mannerly. And Billy, the boat captain, the best parallel boat parking that I have ever experienced. Paul said to me, “Captain Billy can park a boat better than I can park a car.” Indeed, this was the truth! Well, I don’t know about Paul’s parking expertise, but I know my own parking skills and Captain Billy is good, really good. I’ve been around boat captains, some are big talkers who flaunt their abilities but aren’t paying attention to details. And there is Captain Billy, not loud or gregarious, but definitely paying attention. Captain Billy certainly knows more than just how to just steer a boat!
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