Islamorada’s Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt is April 5!
Divers and snorkelers visiting the Florida Keys who want to become deep-sea “egg-splorers” while supporting a Keys charity can join the annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt staged Sunday, April 5, in the warm, clear waters off Islamorada.
The unique Easter Sunday event is hosted by Captain Slate’s Scuba Adventures, located at mile marker 90.7 oceanside in Tavernier at the Casa Mar Village shopping enclave.
Captain “Cottontail” Spencer Slate has offered dive, snorkel, underwater wedding and glass-bottom boat packages in Florida Keys waters since 1978. He also promotes ocean conservation to divers, encouraging them to be active stewards of the undersea environment.
Slate is renowned for staging offbeat events such as the Easter “egg-stravaganza,” a popular underwater game of hide-and-seek that awards prizes to participants, including a particularly valuable goodie basket for the fortunate finder of a “golden egg.”
Preceding the search, Captain Slate dons a giant bunny suit and dive gear and hides brightly colored Easter eggs for eager bounty hunters. Real eggs and nontoxic dyes are used to avoid negative environmental impacts.
Boats full of egg seekers then head out to a secret location adjacent to shallow reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, where the philanthropic revelers take the plunge to find the hard-boiled hoard.
A morning two-tank trip, the dive excursion is specially priced at $65 per certified diver, including tanks and weights. Snorkelers pay $30 per adult and $25 per child, including gear.
Divers and snorkelers are asked to check in at 8 a.m. Easter morning at Captain Slate’s Scuba Adventures. Up to three boats are scheduled to depart at 8:30 a.m. Participants must pre-register for the event.
Money raised during the annual undersea hunt benefits Kids In Special Situations, providing the area’s needy children gifts and holiday cheer throughout the year.
Event information: www.captainslate.com
Islamorada visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/islamorada or 1-800-FAB-KEYS