ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE--AUG 16, 2013--BIG PINE KEY--NO SWEAT & CH ARLI E

We had several incredible dives the past two days. I found four new spots while being dragged behind Charlie's boat and all of them were virgin dynamite with lobsters. Charlie rarely curses but he did use a saucy expletive when he lifted the last bag load of lobsters I brought to him into the boat. "DAMN, THE BAG MUST WEIGH OVER 100 POUNDS."   Needless to say, it probably did.  I swam down on a turtle that was asleep and using a sponge for a pillow.  He was as big as a VW covered in big old barnacles.  When he woke up to see me taking a photo of him he went berserk and made a mad dash to open waters. I also caught a another red grouper, 21", but this time by hand. And on my last dive of the day I had another hammerhead shark come up to me, about 5 ft long.  I wish that I had had the presence of mind to photograph it but simply did not. I had my underwater camera ion my back pocket and could have easily done so. We've been cleaning lobsters as though we work i some factory, day in and day out. I got up this morning and said , "HEY CHARLIE, LET'S GO GET SOME LOBSTERS!"  and we both laughed. Charlie's neighbors drove in from Stuart, Florida and they think he is the best thing since Key Lime Pie.  They said that they didn't move into the house next to him for the house but only to be near Charlie. After compliments like that Charlie threw them some lobster tails to satisfy their urges. You'll see several different lobster photos that I took over the past 36 hours and some that I took yesterday while diving. There is also a photo of Charlie and I at THE NO NAME PUB where he is a celebrity and on the way there you can see a photo of one of the great many KEY DEER that live here on the island. This entire island is designated as a NATIONAL KEY DEER WILDLIFE REFUGE  and there are thousands of them here that roam the streets, yards, etc--all very tame. I saw 6 young bucks standing together yesterday. I've noticed a decline in the iguanas here and the past few days have been watching two different egrets carefully going about the bushes, etc. hunting them.  The Marine Patrol found a dead body close to where we have been diving the past two days--a fellow diver that messed up. Has been on the news all this morning.