Mary's Place

I don't really know who Mary is...but I guess she really enjoyed this particular place...two years ago Paul and I had taken this dive...the conditions were not the best and I was not a huge fan. However always ready to stand corrected...or maybe just to go diving...we, Stan, his son, daughter-in-law and I decided that since some thought Mary's Place was even better than Calvin's Crack...we just had to go find out. We took one of the "real" dive boats again (versus taking our respective dingys) and this time only had the four of us with two extras! It was a beautiful calm morning!We swam along a wall where the sponges ...and Banded Coral Shrimp were plentiful! We continued along the wall (don't you just love underwater communication?) until we came to an opening...a crack in the massive rocks! It was at around 80 feet or so and into that we followed the divemaster! The rock formation surrounding us was massive, impressive and LONG! As we came to the opening on the other side we made a left turn and continued into another passage of cave-like wall formation! Through that we came out into the most beautiful wall!One picture exhaling...one picture inhaling! Back through another crack in the underwater rock formations...Stan appears! And son and daughter-in-law enjoy the wall colors! Stan taking a Lionfish picture...then my picture of the same Lionfish! Back DOWN through another crack...and then into the original passage from whence we came...just at a different depth! At this depth there were these beautiful coral fans...and I will be the first to admit that pictures just do not do these formations justice! There was another group of divers off of another dive boat behind us going through the tunnel as we passed above it! We meandered to 30 (ish) feet and found all sorts of interesting photograph opportunities...Queen Angelfish...Squid...Spotfin Butterflyfish...and a tiny beautiful critter that I will have to wait until I get my books back from Stan to identify...very cute though...To our 3 minute safety stop. So, now, I guess I kind of know who Mary is/was...thank you Mary...it is a beautiful dive! And, Stan thank you for sharing your family...