Learn To Dive in the Florida Keys
The ocean is a world of color and quiet, exploration and discovery. Once a new diver experiences floating through an enchanting undersea world populated by bright-hued fish, sea fans and coral — all without having to surface to take a breath — he or she is often hooked on diving for life.
And what better place to learn to scuba dive than the Florida Keys, home to the only coral barrier reef in the continental United States?
To help determine whether you want the Florida Keys to prepare you for a lifetime of diving fun, adventure and memories, here are some basic facts.
WHO can learn to dive?
Scuba diving is an adventurous sport that any healthy, active individual as young as age 10 can learn and enjoy.
WHAT certification classes are available?
If you’re seeking entry-level certification, allow three to five days for training.
Also called “open water” certification, basic certification requires elements of classroom work and pool training, followed by one or more open-water dives at the reef. After passing a knowledge test and completing the required number of dives, the student becomes a certified recreational scuba diver, eligible to rent gear and book dive trips with most operations worldwide (please note that some destinations offer dives that require more advanced specialty training).
Generally, a basic certification covers depths to about 60 feet.
Short on time? Learning at home, through video or online computer courses, enables dive students to complete classroom work — covering concepts such as basic physics and physiology, and the importance of monitoring time and depth during a dive. Some online courses require students to be at least 13 years old to participate.
Once this classroom work is done, you can schedule your time in the Keys to complete your in-water skills during open-water dives and explore the reef.
HOW much will it cost?
Scuba is an exciting sport and an investment in adventure. The price of scuba certification classes varies throughout the United States, as well as within the Florida Keys, but a basic certification course generally runs a few hundred dollars.
Important considerations when researching professional dive operations include determining value versus price, asking what rental equipment is included in the cost, and finding out whether you are to receive personalized one-on-one service and training.
Keep in mind that most Keys dive operators require a refresher course for individuals who haven’t made a dive in the past two or three years. This is typically a morning pool session to get you reacquainted with diving gear and safety procedures, followed by an optional afternoon guided dive with an instructor on a nearby reef.
WHEN are classes offered?
A primary advantage of the Florida Keys over other U.S. destinations is location, location and location. Year-round subtropical weather and clear seas make for an ideal learning environment to practice skin diving and scuba skills at virtually any time of year.
Why learn to dive in a cold, dark quarry or lake up north (even in the summer months) when the Keys offer warm, clear water year-round?
Your Underwater Classroom
Training usually is conducted in small groups that allow for personalized attention or even instruction on a one-to-one basis.
The Keys’ shallow barrier reef means training conditions are nice and easy, with light currents and typically great underwater visibility. You’ll learn about ocean waves, marine life, beautiful corals and navigation around natural formations during a dive.
Ocean depths from the shoreline to the reef rarely reach 20 feet. The reef lives in water as shallow as 5 feet and as deep as 50 feet, but most reef divers log a maximum depth of 20 to 30 feet.
The Keys’ shallow diving offers two immediate benefits: longer time safely spent on the bottom exploring, and brighter and more vibrant colors because more natural sunlight reaches shallow depths.
WHERE do students receive their dive training?
The entire Florida Keys island chain is a dive destination unparalleled in the continental United States. Some of America’s first businesses offering recreational dive training were opened in the Keys.
There are dozens of dive operations to choose from, and all are staffed with highly trained professionals. You can be confident that Florida Keys dive instructors actively teach and train each day, not just intermittently or seasonally.
Click a region here to view available professional dive facilities:
Within the dive listings, many are designated as Blue Star operators. This designation, awarded by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, recognizes adherence to environmentally responsible criteria for dive customers to help ensure the health and future of the Keys’ marine ecosystems and coral reefs.
WHY dive the Keys?
A wide variety of dive sites in the Keys — from coral reefs to historic shipwrecks — offer both recreational and expert divers the chance to experience otherworldly beauty.
The Florida Keys attract some of the world’s most diverse species of fish, and divers also can enjoy a “wreck trek” of centuries–old historic wrecks and ships intentionally sunk to create artificial reefs. These artificial reefs are home to an enormous variety of delicate corals and hundreds of species of fish.
The Florida Keys, with its enchanting undersea world, is a top choice for those interested in learning to dive. Photo: Tony Timpano
A diving instructor works in a pool with a young student on important elements of dive safety, understanding dive gear and more on the way to dive certification. Photo: Capt. Slate's Scuba Adventures
Divers earning their Open Water Certification are able to enjoy diving in depths of typically up to 60 feet, including many colorful shallow reefs. Photo: Stephen Frink