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It's A Dive 305.453.9881 800.809.9881
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Frequently Asked Questions Table of Contents
What is a PADI Five Star Dive Center?It's A Dive is proud to be a PADI Five Star Dive Center. The PADI 5 Star Dive Center designation is awarded, on an annual basis, to progressive PADI Dive Centers that excel in providing dive consumers with a full range of diver education programs, equipment selection, and experience opportunities that actively promote aquatic environmental awareness. A PADI 5 Star Dive Center is active in its community presenting a professional image consistent with, or better than, the norm of the marketplace. These dive centers embrace the PADI System of diver education and are committed to providing customers with quality products, services and experiences. Back to TopWhy should you choose It's A Dive?There are probably more dive operators per square mile in Key Largo than anywhere in the world. Many focus on cheap prices, others boast extreme diving thrills, but It's A Dive's focus is on the recreational and family diver/snorkeler. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun environment for water enthusiasts of all ages. You can find operators with cheaper prices but we believe It's A Dive's competitive prices and high level of service provide value unsurpassed in the Florida Keys. Examples of our service include changing your tanks between dives, fresh water showers and marine heads on our boats, fresh water rinse with citrus disinfectant and guest lockers for your gear, and a large selection of quality rental gear. Most importantly though is our staff! The It's A Dive staff's primary goal, after safety, is to entertain and ensure that your family holiday is memorable and enjoyable with the expectation that you will be a repeat customer. You will see the same smiling faces visit after visit and our large number of repeat guests simply become part of our family. Our instructional staff all hold advance instructor ratings. We specialize in kids and have the patience to help dive students of all ages who might need some extra TLC. Back to TopWhere do you dive and snorkel ?Our dive and snorkel trips visit the beautiful reefs of the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, often referred to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Our reef is six mile offshore and the third largest barrier reef in the world. We visit 20-30 distinct locations between the Elbow on the north and Molasses on the south. The reef is typically 20-30' deep allowing for beautiful colors, lots of bottom time, and easy navigation. We also take trips to the Spiegel Grove, Duane, and Bibb which are deep wrecks just beyond the reef. Back to TopDo you dive/snorkel in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park? Yes and no. Our trips take you to the reef most people refer to as Pennekamp but today is actually in the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary. When Pennekamp Park was formed in the 60's the reef, which is 6 miles offshore, was in the park. At a later date the park boundaries were brought back to the three mile limit and the federal government created the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary to protect the reef. Back to TopDo you go to the Christ Statue?The Christ of the Abyss, or Christ Statue is one of many locations we visit. The statue which was placed on the reef in the mid 60's is located on Key Largo Dry Rocks. Back to TopHow are your trip destinations selected each day? We do not have pre-selected locations. The captain selects the destination for each trip. The criteria he uses to select a destination include requests, weather, visibility, and sea conditions. He also ensures that divers who are diving with us multiple days get to see as much of the reef as possible. Back to TopWhat does a dive and snorkel trip consist of?Our normal reef trips leave the dock each day at 8:00am and 1:00pm. Check-in is 30 minutes prior to departure. The ride to the reef takes about 45 minutes. Once on site the captain will give a site briefing and then you will have one hour to dive or snorkel at that location. After one hour we move the boat down the reef and you will have another hour at the second location. The ride back home of 45 minutes makes the entire trip about 4 hours. We provide bottled water, and fresh water showers for enjoyment and comfort. Back to TopWhat is required to SCUBA dive?You need a certification card from one the many SCUBA certification agencies or be enrolled in a SCUBA class. The minimum age is 10 years old. If you are not a certified diver you may take a the three day open water certification course or the one day resort course which does not result in a certification but will allow you to experience the beauty of our underwater reef. Back to TopWhat is the minimum age requirements for SCUBA diving?The minimum age for SCUBA diving is 10 years old. Not all 10 years old are ready to dive but many of them are. We will be happy to discuss the physical and intellectual requirements with you to help you decide if your son or daughter is ready to SCUBA dive. Back to TopWhat type of boats do you have and how many divers/snorkelers do you take?It's A Dive operates two dive boats. Seastar is our 45 foot Corinthian Catamaran and our primary dive/snorkel boat. It features a large spacious open area that can comfortably take 25+ divers and snorkelers to the reef. Occasionally the boat fills up but generally the number of divers/snorkelers is 12-15. Keep in mind a cattle boat is not how many divers are on board, but how you are treated on board. The It's A Dive staff works very hard to ensure each and every diver and snorkeler receives personalized service. N2Deep is our 30 foot six-pack. It is used primarily for trips to the deep wrecks and special charters Both boats have a fresh water shower, marine head, and complimentary drinks on board. Back to TopCan divers and snorkelers go out on the same boat? The answer is yes for the vast majority of dive sites along the reef. Our shallow reef has a typical depth of 20-30 ft. to the sand with coral heads rising to 5-15 ft. from the surface. Divers can drop into the sand channels getting face to face with abundant reef life while the snorkelers can explore the reef from above. Back to TopWherever you are right now, chances are the weather is better here in the Florida Keys. That’s true even on a summer day. The hottest it’s ever been in Key West is 97º F (36º C), and that was way back in 1880. At the peak of summer, the average high is 89º F (32º C). We don’t have any super-highways or urban sprawl to radiate the sun’s heat. Not only that, but our islands are surrounded by cooling ocean waters. In the winter, cold fronts can bring frost to mainland Florida, but you can be sure there will be no frost here. Rare winter cold fronts may dip into the 60s and the all-time record low for Key West is 41º F (5º C) was set in 1981. Divers or snorkelers usually get by with a “shortie” wet suit. You might be wondering about our hurricane season. Thankfully, direct hits are rare for us. The last major hurricane to strike the Keys was hurricane Georges in September 1998. The hurricane season peaks in mid-September and technically runs through November. Storms are almost unheard of after late October. Back to TopWhat are the water temperatures? The ocean water temperatures vary depending on surface conditions but typically the summer water temperatures are in the mid-80's requiring little or now thermal protection. The spring and fall water temperatures are in the low-80's to high 70's with some divers opting for shorties or light wetsuits. In winter the water temperatures range from the mid to low 70's which are very comfortable with 5 to 3mm wetsuits. There are no thermoclines and the bottom temperatures are generally close to the surface temperatures. Back to TopWhat are the visibility and sea conditions like?If water clarity is distributed along a Gaussian Curve, the days of 100 foot plus happen about five percent of the time and those with less than 20 foot visibility occur with another five percent frequency. Most days range from 40 to 60 foot visibility along the outer reefs and slightly less along the inner reefs. The path of the Gulf Steam is a huge determinant of local water clarity. When wind conditions push the stream near the reef, spectacularly clear water may result.The sea conditions can run from glass to heavy seas with mild to moderate seas being the norm for most off the year. Summers are generally the best time of year but favorable conditions can be found anytime of year. We do recommend our guests take a non-drowsy motion sick medicine if they are prone to motion sickness or if they have never been diving or snorkeling in challenging sea conditions. On days that it is to rough to snorkel or dive, there are other activities to keep you busy in the Keys and we will be glad to help you plan your day. Back to Top
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