In the twenty years that Sea Me Dive has been in business, we have had the amazing privilege of traveling to all sorts of places. While we primarily work on inspecting and repairing seawalls, we are also commercial divers. With this unique combination of qualifications, we get to branch out and work on some really interesting projects in all sorts of places. We have worked all over Florida, in Alaska, and as far away as the Middle East and Africa. Yet, despite our many travels, we spend a majority of our time out of the country in the Caribbean and Bahamas.
What’s not to like about the Islands? They offer beautiful warm weather, gorgeous flora and fauna, and the vast, ever-changing tide of the ocean. With this in mind, it is obvious why so many people go to visit them on cruise ships. It’s the perfect vacation destination! Since such a large number of visitors come to and from the Islands every day, it is a given that maintenance needs to be done on the ports, docks, and various resorts one might visit during their trip. This is where Sea Me Dive steps in!
For over 7 years, Sea Me Dive has been working in conjunction with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line on a variety of projects. The great thing about being commercial divers is that we can do a vast array of projects. From working on their piers, performing concrete restorations, inspecting docks and seawalls, building nets to protect wildlife (no sharks entering this beach!), and even salvaging equipment after storms- We have done everything! With this many years of working hard on unique projects and seeing the sights on these trips, it is inevitable that we have picked up some cool stories and experiences along the way.
Since we started working with Royal Caribbean, we have done quite a bit of work in Labadee, Haiti. Sea Me Dive is always curious and connects with companies that have green technology, helping restore the reefs, and encouraging the growth of local sea species. We get to work with some of them in order to implement and take part in a sustainable green future. A few years ago, we had the opportunity to install an artificial reef. The reef served two main purposes: it worked as a wave breaker to protect the coast from a prominent erosion problem, and it helped to promote marine growth. The reef was made out of concrete and fashioned into perforated half-dome shapes. The installation presented a unique process in which the structures had floats attached to them as they were lowered into the water by a crane. Then, a rope was tied from the structure to a waverunner. Once attached, the crane released the dome, and the waverunner pulled it into position. Finally, a chain was installed to connect all of the reef pieces and interlock them. This project was awesome. There’s nothing we appreciate more than combining our love for commercial diving with our passion for the environment.
Observing sealife is another side passion we get to experience while working. We had a team of workers in Coco Cay. After the work had been finished for the day, the divers went Free diving for fun. While exploring the typical beauties: tropical fish, coral, and all sorts of plants. (That, within itself, would be enough to call the dive a success). The group swam out and eventually came across a stingray mating ground. There were tons and tons of stingrays everywhere! These stingrays were approximately 6 to 8 feet from the tip of one “wing” to the other. Our team sat there underwater, just watching these majestic creatures flap around in the clear, blue water. It was exquisite.
We are grateful for these amazing opportunities while working in the Bahamas and the Caribbean. One of our work-in-progress projects is the creation and installation of an underwater sculpture garden. For this project we are collaborating with Eco Concrete, which is a company formed by Marine biologists that patented a special concrete mix that promotes sea life growth. The sculptures would be good for the environment, while also creating a fun snorkeling attraction where visitors could explore the local art forms.
If you stayed with us in this reading so far, we want you to know that we feel blessed working in these beautiful environments, making a difference while playing with the dolphins. Having an amazing great team of Commercial divers which also specializes in concrete restorations and seawalls is simply the essence of Sea Me Dive!