In August of 1999 I certified in Key Largo, Florida.  Here I am with a puffer fish that the certification dive instructor handed to me:

Key Largo was great.  Here's a parrotfish:

and a butterflyfish:

Dave went on a night dive and saw the famous Christ of the Abyss:

Many thanks to the people at Captain Slate's Atlantis Dive Center.  They were very helpful through the whole process.