Upper Keys Easter Offers Egg Hunts on Land and Underwater April 4

Spencer "Cottontail" Slate suited up in a giant Easter bunny costume layered over his dive gear Saturday and descended into the waters off Tavernier, carrying on a tradition he has maintained for more than two decades. His Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures, at Mile Marker 90.7 oceanside in the Casa Mar Village shopping enclave in Tavernier, offered only 26 spots for the 2026 underwater Easter egg hunt, with pricing set at $120 for full gear, $100 for tanks and weights, $65 for adult snorkelers, and $55 for child snorkelers.

What separates this hunt from novelty is the conservation ethic built into its design. Instead of plastic eggs, organizers used real hard-boiled eggs dyed with nontoxic colorings, a deliberate choice to prevent chemical or plastic impact on the reef below. The hunt unfolded within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a 2,900-square-nautical-mile protected zone co-managed by NOAA and the State of Florida that shelters North America's only living barrier coral reef, the third largest in the world, along with more than 6,000 species of marine life. NOAA estimates ocean recreation within the sanctuary generates approximately $4 billion in economic activity annually.

Proceeds from the underwater hunt benefit Kids In Special Situations, a local charity that provides gifts and holiday support to area children in need throughout the year. The egg hunt is one of several themed dives Slate stages annually to promote marine animal protection and reef conservation. A PADI-certified center, Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures has operated in Florida Keys waters since 1978, and the underwater Easter hunt, now in at least its 23rd year, has drawn national media attention in prior editions.

On dry land, Islamorada's Parks and Recreation Department hosted an egg hunt at Founders Park, MM 87, from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Children 12 and under, divided into age groups, hunted for eggs alongside an Easter Bunny appearance. The finder of a special golden egg took home a prize. Because the Founders Park office did not open until noon due to the Spring Fest Egg Hunt event, families were advised to arrive early and plan for limited staff access during the morning window.

Together, the land and sea hunts gave Upper Keys families two distinct ways to mark Easter Saturday: one rooted in the manicured parks of Islamorada, the other in the reef-studded sanctuary waters that define the Keys' global reputation as a dive destination. For Slate, the bunny suit over the regulator has become as recognizable a sign of spring in Tavernier as the golden egg waiting somewhere in the grass at Founders Park.