Sophomore Nick De Meo was scuba diving in the Keys one day when he had a close encounter with a certain shallow-water carnivore.
“I saw a reef shark and it caught me off guard,” said De Meo, who is a member of UM’s Scuba Club. “It was awesome.”
This is just one of the many unique and amazing stories that members of the UM Scuba Club share. From the crystal blue waters to the aquatic life that they encounter, being a part of this club is the epitome of experiencing Miami.
The Scuba Club has become one of the largest student organizations on campus with a membership base of around 150 students. While that may be a lot of people to dive at once, they do a very good job of balancing out their members to around 30 per dive.
“I knew UM had all of these clubs, but the one I really stuck to was the Scuba Club,” junior Anibal Herrera said. “It’s a really fun group to be a part of and they are a great group of people.”
Members become certified in just a few weeks as they go through an accelerated program provided by a local underwater sports store rather than the typical semester-long certification process.
Expenses are very small compared to other scuba companies in the area. An average dive in Miami could cost around $100. The Scuba Club charges $30 per dive.
“If you wanted to go diving and just called some charter company, it would probably cost twice as much,” Herrera said. “Plus they facilitate everything for you.”
The club doesn’t just go to one location, however. Its members have traveled as far north as Jupiter and as far south as Key West hitting numerous stops along the way, including the famous John Pennekamp State Park, which allows students to see many different kinds of aquatic life.
“The best dive that I’ve been to was a camping trip to Blue Key down by Key West,” Herrera said. “The reef is beautiful, and the dive was great.”
But the greatest part of Scuba Club is the fact that in Miami, they are presented with a unique opportunity that most other universities cannot replicate.
“This is the perfect location,” De Meo said. “The only other university that you can do anything like this is FIU.”
Web site – www.umscuba.org
E-mail – umscuba@gmail.com