As many as 800,000 divers journey to the Florida Keys every year to find the marvel and fantastic thing about the Florida Keys Nationwide Marine Sanctuary, whose waters encompass the complete island chain. On this week’s weblog, a number of the space’s prime dive execs supply suggestions for secure, profitable and memorable dive experiences — together with recommendations about giving again to the dear marine setting.
Passionate underwater fanatic Dan Dawson owns Horizon Divers, an environmentally accountable enterprise in Key Largo, along with his spouse Mollie.
In response to dive execs all through the Keys, one of the best ways to make sure having a profitable and satisfying dive journey is to be sure to’re bodily match and in good well being.
That’s as a result of any well being points may very well be amplified underwater. Common train and well being checkups are necessary in serving to divers keep away from any potential well being points underwater.
Dan Dawson, co-owner of Horizon Divers in Key Largo, suggested that whatever the temptation to take pleasure in tasty tropical drinks upon arrival within the Keys, “All divers ought to restrict consumption of alcoholic drinks the day and evening earlier than their dive day.”
“Alcohol is dehydrating, and divers want to remain hydrated throughout travels to the Keys and through their keep till after the dive,” he defined.
From a security standpoint, he stated, “Ensure that your dive gear is serviced earlier than your journey to make sure you can take pleasure in each dive in your trip.”

Eric Billips with Islamorada Dive Heart recommends selecting a conservation-focused dive to outplant nursery-raised coral or take away marine particles. (Photograph courtesy of I.CARE)
He added that, for rookies who’ve by no means been diving within the Keys — even those that have beforehand earned the open-water certification — it’s a good suggestion to rent a neighborhood information.
“An skilled Keys dive information will assist familiarize you with the realm and the fashion of diving required right here,” Dan stated.
For instance, a information can supply suggestions that embrace by no means standing on or touching fragile coral or unintentionally bumping into coral together with your fins.
Eric Billips, proprietor and grasp teacher at Islamorada Dive Heart — a part of the Scuba City USA partnership at Three Waters Resort and Marina in Islamorada — inspired visiting divers to get entangled in conservation dive alternatives to learn the marine setting.
Coral reefs are made up of colonies of dwelling creatures and the enduring reefs within the Keys, and coral reefs worldwide, have suffered degradation because of illness and the consequences of rising ocean temperatures.
“In your subsequent Florida Keys dive trip, participate in one of many many rewarding Keys conservation dive alternatives,” Eric really useful.

Stephen Frink hopes that by depicting the great thing about the reef, he can assist others acquire a deeper appreciation of it.
“You’ll be able to plant corals raised in land-based and ocean coral nurseries to assist repopulate reefs, do a marine particles cleanup dive, expertise a shark consciousness dive, or partake in a derelict lobster lure cleanup dive — taking your dive trip to a different stage to change into an ocean conservation warrior,” stated Eric.
Longtime Florida Keys resident Stephen Frink, writer of Alert Diver journal and achieved underwater photographer, suggested guests to not fear about diving on reef tracts that they’ve explored earlier than.
“The factor about underwater is that it’s fluid — the topography of the reef adjustments from yr to yr, even month to month for these observant sufficient to discern the small adjustments in encrustation or coral recruitment,” he defined. “However the massive adjustments are within the marine life, and that adjustments second by second.
“Even though I’ve already photographed a queen angelfish on Molasses Reef, for instance,” Stephen stated, “the following time it might not be the identical fish, similar background, similar posture or the identical tolerance of strategy — which makes every marine encounter completely different.”
And that, he concluded, is what retains even a well-recognized Keys dive location perpetually contemporary and thrilling.
Need extra details about the wonderful expertise of diving alongside the Florida Keys? Simply click on right here.