There are weekends where everything just clicks. The kind where the gear behaves, the weather cooperates, and the ocean shows off like she’s been waiting for you all week. This was one of those weekends.
I packed up DWF’s trusty ScubaMobile and pointed it south toward Florida with a car full of gear, snacks, and excitement. Meanwhile, my students, two dads and two sons, flew down to meet me. They were ready to finish their PADI Open Water Diver certifications somewhere warm, clear, and full of life. In other words, not a quarry in Pennsylvania or Virginia.
Day One: Springs, Skills, and a Turtle Named Virgil
Our first stop was Blue Grotto Dive Resort in Williston, Florida. The water stays a perfect 72°F year-round, the visibility was absolutely stellar, and the local legend Virgil the Turtle made a few surprise appearances to say hello.
We spent the day working through skills, floating in perfect control, clearing masks, hovering like pros, and finding that moment of calm that only diving delivers. The dads and sons synced up fast, communicating like dive buddies instead of students. Watching that happen is one of my favorite parts of teaching.
And I’ve got to admit, I felt a little envy (the good kind). These guys were experiencing it all for the
very first time. That first weightless glide. That first perfect neutral hover. That first moment when the world goes quiet and you realize you’re actually breathing underwater. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime feeling, and seeing it again through their eyes reminded me just how lucky we all are to be part of this world beneath the surface.
Day Two: Reef Dreams and Ocean Reality Checks
The next morning, we swapped the calm of the springs for the open ocean and headed to Boynton Beach for a two-tank reef dive with Starfish Scuba.
I’ve been diving with Starfish for years, and if I’m bringing students to this part of Florida or just out for some fun diving, it’s always with them. Their crew runs a smooth operation, they know the reefs like old friends, and they have that rare mix of professionalism and fun that makes every trip a good one.
The second we rolled off the boat, we were surrounded by life. Coral heads covered in color. French and Queen Angelfish gliding by like royalty. Trumpetfish, Triggerfish, and Smooth Trunkfish stealing the spotlight. Soft corals waved gently in the current, squirrelfish peeked from caves, and everywhere I looked my new divers were pointing in every direction, wide-eyed and grinning.
They weren’t just performing skills. They were doing what we all dream about when we first start diving: exploring a living, breathing reef and realizing this is their new world now.
By the time we surfaced, there were smiles you couldn’t remove with a crowbar. On the ride back, the laughter was nonstop as everyone replayed their favorite moments.
That night, over a celebratory dinner in Delray Beach, the talk turned to what’s next. Quarry diving. Dry suits. The Great Lakes. Wrecks. The kids were hooked, and the dads were just as fired up.
From Students to Dive Buddies
This is the part I love most. Somewhere between the first giant stride and the final logbook signature, these four stopped being students. They became dive buddies.
That’s the Dive With Frank difference. It’s not just about earning a certification card. It’s about connection. It’s about shared experience, laughter underwater, trust in a buddy, and that spark of discovery that keeps divers coming back for more.
Was it a challenge to make all the logistics work? Sure. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Because by the end of it, we didn’t just certify four new divers. We made four new friends.
Welcome to the tribe, gentlemen. You earned your fins. 🐠
Let’s do some diving.