Photo By Emily McCamy | A vintage photo shows original members of the Reef Raiders after a successful spear...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA – The Reef Raiders, Guantanamo Bay's only organized dive club, was once notorious for the divers who earned their name from the prizes they claimed from the waters of the bay.
The club, established in 1952, was formed by a group of free divers who dove for pieces of coral which were sold to raise money for the club.
"The club sponsored a couple of spear-fishing meets and one beach coral sale at Windmill Beach," said Locky Brown, an early member of the dive club, who was stationed here with the Navy in 1958.
"It was a close-knit group of civilians and [military personnel...attached to various commands on the base," he added.
To launch the club, experienced members held a class on the basic principles and hazards of scuba diving. The 45-minute pool session taught new divers how to clear a flooded mask, how to handle a scuba tank in water, and to exhale when ascending from deeper water.
"We thought we were safe, informed divers," Brown said. "Today I think back and have pangs of guilt knowing that the resource isn't infinite like we believed."
Today, the Reef Raiders goals and diver education are completely different.
"Back then, they broke off pieces of coral and 'raided' the reef," said Bill Keenan, Reef Raiders co-president. "Over time, we've learned that it's not good for the [underwater ecosystem] so we do the opposite now. We work through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) as well as Project AWARE (a group that promotes environmental conservation through education, advocacy and action), and clean up the beaches as a club.
"Project Aware does a world-wide clean up every year through PADI," he continued. "Because we're affiliated with PADI through Ocean Enterprises, the local dive shop, we try to support it every September.
"Over the last 14 years, the reef systems have become a lot cleaner than they were years ago," Keenan said. "We used to find debris, old tires, and fishing nets out there all the time. We have removed thousands of pounds of garbage from the ocean to dispose of at the landfill."
Of the many unusual items found in the water, a hand-made canoe and a 200-year-old anchor were the most interesting. During the Cuban Exile in 1994-1995, the refugees used any available materials to construct lobster traps.
"(The Cubans) used copper wire, and anything else they could find, to fabricate the traps," Keenan said. "We've pulled a lot of old traps off the reef."
Reef Raiders also maintain the many buoys in the bay. Over time, weather and salt water have left their mark; two or three times per year, members of the dive club bring the buoys to shore for cleaning and maintenance, and replace them in the bay. It's a mission the club is proud to support.
"The base usually funds the cost of materials and as a club, we volunteer to do the work, at no cost to the government," said Keenan. "We like to teach folks the technical aspects behind (maintaining the buoys). We get a lot of help and it's a great learning experience."
The club is active and currently averages 100 to 115 members a year. It offers benefits such as tank service and air refills, as well as providing a facility where members can meet and host events.
"The Reef Raiders facility is where our diving classes take place," said Rudy Rudolph, co-president and dive instructor. "We have a classroom there so we can take care of all the (out of water) instruction."
Rudolph and Keenan have logged more than 6,000 dives combined – the majority here at Guantanamo Bay.
"It's someplace to hang out," Rudolph continued. "We have Internet down there, and when we have our meetings on the second Tuesday of every month, we barbeque."
"All member have access to the club – if they want to host a party there, they can," said Keenan.
"We try to host events periodically," Keenan continued. "At the end of the summer we're looking at scuba olympics. We also do underwater bowling, pumpkin carving and we decorate a Christmas tree – all underwater."
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2008 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 21297 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 1,056 |
| Downloads: | 177 |
This work, Reef Raiders Come Clean, by Emily McCamy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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