KEY LARGO, Florida Keys — Surrounded by spectator fish against a coral reef background, divers are to transform hollowed-out pumpkins into jolly jack-o’-lanterns during the Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest set for Sunday, Oct. 24.

Buddy teams can meet at Amy Slate’s Amoray Dive Resort, located at mile marker 104.5, to compete during the 8:30 a.m. dive. Their mission is to create pumpkins worthy of praise and prizes from the experienced judges, who double as the crew of the Amoray Diver dive boat.

Contestants submerge to a depth of less than 30 feet, with dive knives as their carving tools and their imaginations for inspiration. Prizes await the top three pumpkin sculptors.

The regular dive boat fee of $80 per certified diver applies for the two-tank, two-location dive, including tanks, weights and snorkel equipment. The Amoray Dive Resort also offers specially priced multiple-dive and dive-lodging packages.

Divers are encouraged to sign up for the contest early because space is limited. For more information about the contest, call 800-426-6729 or visit www.amoray.com.

To find out about area accommodations, call the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce at 800-822-1088 or 305-451-4747, or visit the Florida Keys & Key West website at www.fla-keys.com.
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