Diving Divas Trip Report

Debi Moir decided she knew enough women scuba divers and thought what better place to gather a group together than Juliet, her favorite liveaboard. The group all came together, four Divas are from Minnesota, four from Virginia, three from Florida, and one from Georgia. ?A few were previous passengers on Juliet, and one was almost a new diver!

Many of the group wondered how to recognize the others and this was simplified by a canvas bag with the Diva Logo generously given to the group by Carol Cox and held up much like the limo drivers do at airports – so the first 10 piled into a taxi to make their way to the Windward Passage Hotel. ?Two divas got there after a roundabout trip from Richmond to Charlotte to Orlando to Miami to St. Thomas, without luggage. ?But the next day, Captain Rudy was very calm and accommodating and said Juliet could go and do a couple of dives around St. Thomas and come back for the luggage. Eventually, everyone was assembled, luggage and all, and the fun began!

During the trip, several exciting things happened. ?Judy Zier, the newest diver, found a seahorse on the pier at Frederickstaad, and completed her 20th dive. ?She and Terri Schultz were also the divas of most night dives. ?Leslie Layton completed her 50th dive, and Terri Schultz very quietly finished her 150th dive. ?The Divas dove around St. Thomas, St. Croix and the BVIs, braving some unpredictable weather but enjoying the adventure.

Jess, the marine biologist, found a second seahorse on a wreck that was named Diva 2. ?The Divas dove that wreck and three others at the same site twice in order to see that seahorse and were able to also see a couple of eagle rays.

The divas enjoyed many meals on the lily pad replacement, presentations by Jess, and of course, excellent service from all the crew: Capt Rudy, Divemaster/artist Trevor, Cook Will, assistant Hillary and where would anyone be on Juliet without Jimmy, the engineer?

Other creatures included turtles, a few sharks in the distance, and of course, numerous species of fish. ?Unfortunately we also saw lionfish, but not on every dive. ?The dive to the RMS Rhone was absolutely spectacular, super viz, no current and just the divas.

Thursday night some paid a visit to Foxy?s, some stayed on Juliet for a private party, enjoying fabulous drinks mixed by Will.

There is definitely another diva trip in the future!