7-23-11

The Ancient City Game Fish Association calls upon TISIRI to participate in the installation of the Andy King Reef Memorial plaque. Flattered with the opportunity, Kistel and Kalakauskis were happy to help place the plaque and film/photograph the events.

Kistel and Kalakauskis joined Steve Blalock and his crew just about 7:15am at the St Augustine lighthouse boat ramp. Blalock's vessel was loaded and departed just prior to 8 am to make way to the Andy King Reef. By about 8:45 the vessel and crew reached the reef site.

Once the intended area of the reef was located a marker jug was deployed and Steve and CJ entered the water. Their goal was to secure the buoy to the area of reef where the plaque was to be installed. Five minites later the divers returned to the surface and the buoy had been secured successfully.

The memorial reef plaque was to be deployed at 10 am and the marker buoy was secured by 9am. Kistel and Kalakauskis decided to use the time to execute a video/photo dive of the Andy King reef site. The divers made the dive a short one, hanging within reach of the marker buoy the entire dive. Kistel was able to capture a few shots/video of the reef and its inhabitants and the divers returned to Blalock's boat within 20 mins. By now several support boats of the ACGFA were onsite flying their American flags.

Precisely at 10 am, after a few nice words from Donna of ACGFA, divers descended with the Andy King Reef plaque. Divers Joe Kistel, Ed Kalakauskis, Steve Blalock, Jimmy Costeira, and John Henderson immediately went to work once they reached the sea floor securing the plaque to the reef. In about 15 mins the plaque had been attached indefinitely to a concrete beam. During the process a sea bass stayed with the divers as if to help with the process.

The entire process was smooth and well orchestrated. The TISIRI crew was glad to participate and commends the ACGFA and project supporters for their efforts in this event. TISIRI hopes to compose the video of this project in the near future. Stay Tuned..