Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt Set For Islamorada April 1

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — 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. The 23rd annual event is to be staged Sunday, April 1, in warm waters off Islamorada.

The unique 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, and promotes ocean conservation among divers, encouraging them to be active stewards of the undersea environment.

Slate is renowned for staging offbeat events like this 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.”

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.                         

Before the undersea 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 revelers can take the plunge to find the hard-boiled hoard.

A morning two-tank trip, the dive excursion is specially priced at $85 per certified diver including tanks and weights. Cost is $45 per adult snorkeler and $30 per child snorkeler including gear.

Divers and snorkelers are asked to check in at 8 a.m. at Captain Slate’s Scuba Adventures. Boats are scheduled to depart at 8:30 a.m. Participants must pre-register for the event.

 

Event information: captainslate.com

Islamorada visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/islamorada or 1-800-FAB-KEYS

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