News
Want to get married underwater with Christ as your witness? Amoray Dive Resort can make it happen
An essay contest is under way to award an underwater wedding to mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic Christ of the Deep statue’s installation in Atlantic waters off Key Largo.
The 9-foot bronze Christ of the Deep has become a symbol for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, America’s first underwater preserve created in 1960.
It is a replica of the Italian original Il Christo Degli Abissi, or Christ of the Abyss. Visitors from around the world come to snorkel, dive or ride glass-bottom boats to view and photograph the statue that rests in less than 25 feet of water about 5 miles off Key Largo.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the statue placement, Key Largo’s Amoray Dive Resort has organized the contest to win a subsea wedding. The couple that best describes in 100 words or less why they want to be married at the statue will be selected as the winner.
The grand prize is valued at $1,500 and includes four nights at the dive resort, valid from the 23rd – 26th August, 2015, with the officiate fee and morning undersea wedding ceremony taking place on August 25th; and a wedding dinner at Sundowners Restaurant, bayside along Blackwater Sound at mile marker 104.
Entries must be submitted to manager@amoray.com by tomorrow (July 31st). Contestants must obtain a Florida state wedding application for a license and must already be certified scuba divers.
Created by artist Guido Galletti, the original was placed in the shallow San Fruttuoso Bay near Portofino, Italy, in 1954. Galletti also crafted the mold for a Christ statue that was cast for Egidi Cressi, who donated it to the Underwater Society of America in 1961.
Christ of the Deep traveled 6,000 miles from Italy to Chicago, where it was placed in storage.
Although state dive councils in Illinois, Michigan and the Northeast petitioned for the statue, it was decided the clear waters of Pennekamp were to be the statue’s resting place.
In late 1963, the statue was transported to Orlando, placed on display, and later exhibited at St. Petersburg and Palm Beach before arriving at Key Largo where it was stored outdoors at Pennekamp.
Finally, executed with the aid of local dive operators and park officials, a small budget and donations of concrete for the statue’s 20-ton base, the statue was lowered beneath the surface and secured to the seabed Aug. 25, 1965.
Source: www.keysnet.com
Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.
After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.
With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.
Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!
Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
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