To Dive?

Did you know the month of June is “Dive” month? Are you a certified diver? It’s a great thing to do on vacations. I mean who wouldn’t want to swim with the fishes and see beautiful coral?

Step out of your comfort zone and “Learn to Dive” in Fort Lauderdale this month! All you need to do is:

• Start the pre-certification online
• Conduct an open-water dive in Greater Fort Lauderdale
• It takes 3 days to complete the certification process
• Enjoy a free fourth night when you stay a minimum of three nights at a participating hotel
• Free graduation dive. Congratulations!

If this sounds good to you – learn more about the different dive packages!

Ever Wondered…

Have you ever wondered why St. Patty’s Day always seems to be commemorated with a parade? How exactly did a celebration for a Saint turn into a parade with floats and all things green? According to the History Channel:

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place not in Ireland but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called “Irish Aid” societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.
In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Today, that parade is the world ’s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants.

Each year, nearly three million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants.
So now you know. How do you like to celebrate St. Patty’s Day?