Florida Keys Launches “Become a Reef Explorer” Programme

Scuba divers and snorkelers can enjoy the Florida Keys' underwater world and take home a tangible memory with the newly launched "Become a Reef Explorer" programme, which spotlights Keys coral reefs in a specially created souvenir journal. The Florida Keys are home to the continental United States' only living coral reef.

First-timers, families and fun-loving groups of all experience levels can explore the destination's reefs and be awarded for logging reef dives or snorkels between Key Largo and Key West. 

Interested divers and snorkelers can request a free Reef Explorer journal when they book a reef charter during their Florida Keys visit. Participants then collect validation stamps from professional dive or snorkel operators indicating they have visited one or all of the reefs highlighted in the journal.

After they collect five stamps, one in each region of the Keys, participants can email reefexplorer@fla-keys.com to receive an access code to download, personalise and print a Florida Keys Reef Explorer poster ready for framing.

For further information, visit www.fla-keys.com/diving/reefexplorer 

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures Offers Enhanced Services and New Diving Locations

Captain Spencer Slate recently replaced his popular Atlantis Dive Center with Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures, offering expanded services and diving options in a new location. Slate has moved his complete operation from its previous Key Largo headquarters to Tavernier in the Casa Mar Village shopping enclave.

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures offers dives to new locations including Davis Reef, Pleasure Reef and Crocker Wall off Islamorada; Key Largo's Snapper Ledge and Molasses Reef as well as Middle Keys sites. Popular excursions to the Spiegel Grove, Duane and Eagle shipwrecks also are available, as are packages for disabled divers.

The dive shop has two 40-foot boats that can accommodate up to 25 divers or 36 snorkelers. Both are equipped with walkthrough transoms, 6-foot-wide boarding ladders, showers and built-in tank racks. The fleet also includes a 30-foot, 26-knot boat that carries smaller groups.

Since 1978, Slate has offered dive, snorkel, underwater wedding and glass-bottom boat packages in Florida Keys waters. At its new location, the dive shop also is a certified dive outfitter for Islamorada's Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost.

In addition, the shop continues to provide certification courses at all levels from beginning to professional, as well as dive instructor courses and an extensive variety of specialty offerings.

Slate is known for staging dive events such as the annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt, and for his signature "Creature Feature" dives that are to continue from his new location. The “Creature Feature” package enables diving aficionados a safe opportunity to “meet” marine life including Goliath groupers, moray eels and other underwater species while a professional videographer shoots the whole dive.

For information, visit www.captainslate.com 

Bluwave Adventure Dive Center Opens in Key Largo

Bluwave Adventure Dive Center is the newest purveyor of underwater offerings in Key Largo. Owned by underwater photographer and diver Tom Dailey, not to be confused with the UK's Olympic diver Tom Daley, the centre provides charters and scuba certification classes. Dive services and training for disabled individuals also are available with Handicapped Scuba Association–trained staff who are ready to meet the needs of disabled divers.

The dive centre provides course offerings from entry-level sessions to open water classes, as well as rescue dive courses and deep and night dives. For advanced divers, Nitrox-based dives are available for select programmes.

Bluwave Adventure Dive Center operates a 30-foot boat that carries no more than six guests per dive. The vessel features a hydraulic platform with three feet of travel to deploy or recover divers and heavy equipment. Vessel amenities include on-board fresh-water showers, dive benches designed for easy equipment handling and a cooler for complimentary soft drinks and snacks.

Those who shoot underwater photography and videos can rent a Hasselblad high-resolution digital camera and underwater housing. Underwater photography classes also are available.

For details and booking information, visit www.bluwaveadventure.com

For more information on the Florida Keys, visit: www.fla-keys.co.uk

-Ends-

Jo  Thomas

Tel: 01825 763636

Email: jo.thomas@kbc-pr.com