We all love Captain Slate! Diving with Slate his Crew is not your average experience! Book into the Creature Feature to see what made Captain Slate famous! He's a dive legend for sure! Slate's can take you to all the good spots in the upper Keys. They have excellent knowledge and can get you to all the wrecks and the hidden gems. they've been operating for almost 50 years and have hard earned experience under their belts! Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures is truly a Florida Institution. Don't miss the opportunity to dive with the best in the Keys! read more

See all

These guys are clowns. Unprofessional. signed up to dive. Arrived at dock, I was the only one there. no crew, no diving. these bozos were to lazy to call, text or email me. don't dive with these jerks read more

Best dive shop in the Keys. They will take care of you, show you sharks to pet, help with gear, all of it. Crew was super nice and friendly and made the whole experience extremely easy for me and my family. read more

Excellent experience and super friendly staffs! They Have Snorkeling!!! Not only scuba diving. I was trying to look for any snorkeling tour before the hurricane comes because everywhere is closed when it's still sunny day. First thought this place only offers scuba diving while checking online; however, I occasionally knew they also have snorkeling when I visited the next door restaurant, and I decided to give a try on the second day. Even though there were only five people are going to scuba diving, and two of us were going to snorkeling, they still made sure there were enough stuffs to take care of everything for the safety purpose. We were able to visit two spots and swim with baby sharks! When we were on the way back, there were also orange and cold water available. They didn't ask for tips at all by any words, which is so much different than most of the tourist spots. I was just trying to ask if they had any recommended cream that I can purchase for jellyfish sting treatment, and I thought they were going to sell me the one they had in the front desk of the office. Nevertheless, the lady just directly put some on for me, which is super sweet! read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - Coolers Available for your drinks ! - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

Another amazing day out diving with Captain Slate and his crew. They make you feel very welcome and comfortable aboard the vessel. Capt Slate himself couldn't be a nicer guy, as he takes you underwater to observe his amazing shark and eel feeding. Not a lot of places to see that, live and in person. All star staff today was Captain Dillon at the wheel and DM Clay were both super attentive, friendly and helpful making sure divers got safely underway. Can't say enough good things about these. read more

We have used Captain Slate's for several dives trips! The staff is super helpful and very knowledgeable about the dive locations. This past weekend Lucy and Captain Dillan, and Clay and Captain Sharky took us out for several awesome dives, including a Shark and Eel Creature Feature dive. Highly recommend using Captain Slates for any upcoming dives! read more

See all

We were with Captain Slate for a 3 day dive trip with Dive Haven (Canton, Ga.). Capt. Slate is likely the most knowledgeable Diver/Captain in the Keys. One thing that bothers me about other dive companies is they press you, as a diver, to hurry. Although I've had great experiences with these dive companies Capt. Slate out shines them all as every dive was a stress reduced experience that we will always remember. Captain Slate and Dillon offered quick assistance in any need you had and a willingness to fix any dive related problem you experience. Capt. Slate was a little short handed during this time but you would have never known. Aspiring Dive/Captain Dillon showed his experience and expertise throughout the trips. We've decided to make Captain Slate our preferred dive company due to the awesome time we had. read more

See all

Have known Capt. Spencer Slate since the 70's. I, dove with him for years. I, AM still in touch with him.

This place is the stuff of legend. Go experience it for yourself. Divers who have this amazing experience: Please respect our sea life, you are not Captain Slate! read more

What an amazing group of people who work at captain slate's! Dilllon was personable and connected with each diver. He has a real passion for diving and it was contagious! Chris was the cheerleader on the boat and wanted everyone to get to his/her comfort level. Ashley was smart, funny and helpful! And Tim was an excellent captain. Each team member made you feel comfortable and shared their enthusiasm for diving. Couldn't have asked for a better crew and day! read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - 3 new divers! - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

Greatest place to scuba dive or snorkel. Describing it in detail will do it no justice.. you must experience it for yourself. A wonder time and you will leave with an experience you will never forget. The Staff and especially Captain Slate are so entertaining. Enjoy read more

My husband and I were the only snorkelers on the boat, so we were paired with a scuba group. This was fine for us, since we got to float above the scuba divers and watch them feed nurse sharks (awesome) and a happy grouper that may or may not have been intentionally trained that humans + buckets = food (hilarious). The reef is beautiful, and we saw lots of exciting fish, including at least 10 barracuda. That said, we didn't really receive any instructions on how to snorkel. We both had experience, but I can see how this could be an issue and therefore agree with past reviews. For example, we were never told not to dangle our fingers in front of moray eels, but maybe they don't live in the reef. We were told a fun story about a barracuda that attacked a snorkeler's mask and almost took out his eye, but we weren't instructed on how to avoid this scary possibility. A bit more safety training would be helpful. read more

Captain Slate & Hailey were fabulous crew despite the chippy conditions for my first time ever snorkeling. Will try again in hopefully calmer conditions. Price included snorkeling gear and was very well maintained. Very good company. read more

Nice old school classic dive operator. Large boat with lots of elbow room. Nice folks. read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

Came down for a mini vacation as a gift to my son for graduation. Capt Slate and his team got 36 of us (divers included) geared up and ready to roll in an organized and quick manner. We went to two locations, first was for Slates awesome Friday morning creature feature and then next was the location where the beautiful sharks hangout. We had a great experience and will be back. Thank you to Capt Slate and crew! read more

See all

I happened to be in south florida for a few days, and since I recently started scuba diving earlier in the year I figured I should take the opportunity to get in a dive or two. Called Captain Slate a week ahead of time, and he was great. Prices were very reasonable for someone who was not traveling with gear. He even called me a few days before the trip, to update me on the weather. When I arrived he and his daughter provided a very warm welcome. I got all the gear I needed. Two dives in warm good visibility waters. Saw some nursing sharks, eels, barracuda, and gruper. Some guys on the dive were spear fishing and lobster diving. Good day out on/in the water. I highly recommend and hope to be back soon read more

Walked in the door and heard "TOPLESS diving - you found it!!" what a rude piece of work that works in this shop. Just looking for underwater cameras for my 5 year old son. Not to be sexually harassed - in front of other male customers and other male employee. No thank you. Wouldn't dare be caught on a boat in a swimsuit with that guy. Who knows what would happen!! Creep!!!!! read more

I have been diving and snorkeling in many places in the Maldives, Red Sea and Hawaii.... and was kind of suspicious about the Keys. We called Captain Slate's number and from there on the experience was just fantastic and the cost was only $45/person. Matt guides me to the right pick up location for the easy 2h tour from Island Resort. The equipment was excellent, there was food and even drinks available on the boat. The guide masters where Elisabeth and Andrea, and they were fabulous and very knowledgeable. The reef they took us to was packed with nurse sharks, turtles, a wide range of corals and tropical fish. To my surprise, we saw almost all organisms I could hope for and visibility was great too. Thank you Elisabeth and Andrea for the great day and we will be back! FYI, tour is great for kids too, at least the family next to us had a lot of fun! read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

See all

Love diving the creature feature. It's awesome. Took my boy and brother to do the dive they also loved it. Captain Slate and his crew are great and ensure a great dive. read more

I went for my first dive after my certification. It was a relatively easy and great dive where we got to see eel's and sand sharks and pet them. Our dive was abruptly stopped when there was a medical emergency. The captain only charged us half price and we arrived back to the dock where there was plenty of complimentary BBQ and drinks. Just a nice surprise. Definitely recommend for diving. read more

The entire team is fabulous! This was our first time in the ocean and everything that could go wrong did. They adapted and helped us every step of the way. My personal reg started free flowing and they repaired it right then. Got stung by a jelly fish in my face and they helped with that. My dive buddy got sea sick on the first dive and they helped her with that. The dives themselves were amazing and were made that way because of the personal attention they give to each person. They want you to have a good time and will do everything they can to help with that. We will dive with them next time we are down! read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

Though I wouldn't use them again, I had an enjoyable dive in Key Largo. What I didn't expect or like was that our boat had about 15 people on it--a family of which were snorkelers, and about 4 of which were getting their open water certification. This meant there wasn't a dive master at our disposal to ask questions of or orient us under water. We paid more than we did for a very personalized dive in Hawaii for a very impersonal dive crowded on a boat with no amenities. We did two very shallow reef dives--the reefs and fish were beautiful. The Christ of the Abyss (sunken 8-ft statue) was good for pictures, but felt a little silly. What you re supposed to do with Captain Slate if you are in Key Largo on the weekend, is the Creature Feature. This dive is apparently worth it and Captain Slate himself has gained a lot of national notoriety as a crazy diver who will cuddle with eels and sharks. read more

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a long and tedious trip, that started from this sub-tropical port aboard an over-crowded and full of obnoxious people ship. Ah but let me start from the beginning... I've snorkeled MANY times in Key Largo, home of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The state park itself offers a concession area that will take people out to the reef which is about 5-7 miles off-shore and I've always used them to go out. There are also many private business' that will provide this service and one such establishment is this here Captain Slate's! So my friend was in town and we decided to try Captain Slate's. We went on Friday at midday with reservation in place and a print out of my facebook page saying, "I like Captain Slate's." (That will get you $5 off your snorkel trip.) Boat scheduled to leave at 12:30....at 1:00 we were told there were not enough people to go so we got our money back AND a free trip which we planned on redeeming on Sunday. Score, right??? Well hold on... We went back on Sunday (after calling ahead of time to make sure there were enough peolpe.) Same time. We sat at Captain Slate's for 2 and a half hours before the morning boat came back to take us out for the 12:30 trip. Mind you, that means we sat there from 12:00 (check in time) until 2:30. While we sat there, the receptionist repeatedly came to us with meaningless updates, such as, "the boat is in the channel" and "they are going to make it up to you with extra time in the water!" Yay!! Finally, we got on the boat. The other passengers were insane and rude, stepping on each other and in the massive plates of food they brought onto the boat. There was no organization RE: getting the gear, which was haphazardly askewed about the boat. Additionally, they ran out of life jackets and mine was too small (I'm not a tiny girl but damn I ain't that big!!) There was no extra time in the water; rather, they opened the hatches for 10 minutes to reveal the glass-bottom portion of the boat. I felt like telling first mate Bob (or whatever) that if I'd wanted to go out on a glass-bottom boat I would have done so. At that point I was past the point of caring and it was free. The free part is the only reason I gave the place two stars. My suggestion is to hit-up John Pennekamp State Park directly for your snorkeling needs. read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

My boyfriend and I headed out from Kendall at 7am hoping to catch an early snorkeling adventure here. Unfortunately, the ONLY reservation time they had for snorkeling ALL day was at 12pm. So we reached there naturally by 9am and had 3 hours to kill. I found I odd that they only provided one time at such a late time too... Anyway, I was still excited since we found a marvelous groupon deal here and I had never snorkeled! We adventured around random spots within a 7 mile radius to kill time and came back to Captain Slate's a little before 12 to check in. Although the boat was scheduled for 12, we didn't leave until an hour later :/ I guess it's cause we were waiting on others... Anyway, they provided full snorkeling gear, goggles, mouth piece, and flippers which fit snug. They also have a bucket of hot water on the boat + soap to wash the gear. The captain provided us a cooler with ice to put our drinks in and ice cold water for those who didn't being their own drinks, as well. How thoughtful! He explained to us how to snorkel once we arrived at the site. I was appalled! WE COULD ALREADY SEE FISHIES FROM THE BOAT! It wasn't too deep, maybe 15-25 feet deep. I floated atop and saw lots of lovely brain coral and colorful fishes. There were also plenty of schools I swam right above :') the whole thing was like a castle of coral! So much. So much big fishies, so much little, so much long tarpoons. The water was so shallow that I had to be careful to not hit a coral with my fin while I was treading water in some spots. you have to be really careful with not touching the coral as to not kill them, which the captain also explained. we stayed out on the water for about 3 hours before heading back. I wish we could've gone to another site but I guess since we left so late + it was predicted to rain in the late afternoon/evening, we had to return back to shore :( nevertheless, I would love to come back when they have earlier reservations to attend more sites and see more fishies! :) read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - I woke up like this. - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

See all

Felt like it was better than the 2 star reviews... The reefs were beautiful. Those don't need review. Good: easy to find, seemed like a good value (100 for 2 ppl), helpful office staff who directed me to divers outlet down the road to find some diving booties. What could have been better: basic procedure for us beginners. Kind of nervous never having done it before. Where to get equipment before boarding. Quality ( one of my bites on the snorkel was bitten off.. But didn't realize it till I was in the water) of equipment, basic info and instruction on how to snorkel off of a Boat, what happens if you touch a jelly fish ( odds are you will!). My point is, snorkeling was beautiful, staff indifferent. Would probably try a different charter next time. read more

This was our second trip with Captain Slate. We had a fantastic time! Our youngest son was a bit timid and stayed on the boat at our first stop. However, Captain Slate was able to convince him to join the rest of us at our second stop. The water was beautiful and full of sea life! We saw some rays as well as a turtle. We now plan to get scuba certified and return to Captain Slate to continue our diving experience!! read more

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures - Scuba Diving Near Me - Tavernier, Florida

$45 for the boat to take you to snorkel at two different coral reefs which are part of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and that includes your gear. I have to agree with the other more recent reviewer, it doesn't deserve the two stars of the much older reviews. Nor does it deserve a lot higher. If you're already experienced, then there's no issue. If you're not experienced, and/or are at all nervous, then you'll need to be a bit more assertive to take care of yourself and get the additional information you need. All of the staff, from the gentleman in the registration shack by the main road to the men in the actual dive shop and the ones on the boat itself, were all nice enough but not good teachers or even terrific customer service types. I was very happy with my experience due to the decent price, along with a wetsuit and a mask with prescription lens thrown in, combined with the actual reefs themselves. As others have stated, this company puts both divers and snorkelers on the same dives. That, in and of itself, isn't a big issue. However, when the only instructions are shouted to the middle of the boat and whomever happens to hear and the guy shouting them acts as if he's done what he's "supposed to say" but doesn't really believe it's all that important himself, it's rather troubling. No one bothered to ask any of us what our experience was (mostly nil or very little a very long time ago). Thus, there were a number of people who didn't have good experiences because no one bothered to teach them how to breathe more easily, etc. As I am someone who doesn't hesitate to ask lots of questions, I got my basic refresher which was mostly enough for me. Again, no one educated us on the fact that you shouldn't touch the jellyfish or how to redirect them, etc. until after the first dive when a few of us started talking and discovered that some people had gotten stung (and people like me were simply lucky that we hadn't). read more

See all

The crew was extremely friendly, interactive, and engaged. Each diver was checked prior to going into the water, and if adjustments were necessary, the crew assisted or made the adjustments themselves. As there was a current, a crew member was in the water to assist if necessary - overall, I was extremely pleased and recommend them. read more

I have over 400 dives and have worked with more than 10 dive shops in the upper keys. This was hands down the BEST Keys' (and one of the best overall) diving experience I've had. Did 6 dives in 2 days with them, including the critter dives. They are very professional and safe, but they are fun and not uptight. Firm without being condescending and realize that we're all there to have fun. None of the usual Keys' arrogance and treatment of all divers as if they were incompetent. And interesting people, especially their leader Captain Slate who has many many great stories (and a few scars to go along). I really can't say enough good things. I will definitely not dive with anyone else in the upper keys. read more

Excellent dive shop, and wonderfully customer service oriented dive crew! The afternoon of our dive they had an air compressor malfunction, but they quickly went and got a couple dozen tanks from a nearby shop. The boat was large and sturdy, and Captain Slate promised to find us some sharks! He had a couple tubs full of chum ready, and brought several of his staff along for safety and assistance. At the first dive we dropped the chum and kept our distance, but no sharks showed up. However, at the second dive we did have about 6 of them come in for a feeding frenzy! It was amazing and breath taking. What I really liked about this team was that they all went out of their way to ensure that the customers were having a good time and comfortable. They cut up pineapple, provided water bottles, helped with the gear, provided both safety and fun diving advice, and smiled/laughed throughout the entire trip. Captain slates daughter was with us on this dive, an up and coming dive boat captain herself! Cute as a button too. ;) I am definitely going back! read more

From the crew, the boat and the dives, it simply gets NO BETTER. These guys have it goingvon, and make it simple for everyone. Highly recommended!!! read more

One of the best dives I have been on! Captain Sky and Al (Ali? Sorry if I got your name wrong girl!) were awesome and made the trip so enjoyable for us! Diving with Al was the best, she made us feel comfortable with all the nurse sharks we were able to swim with (so freaking cool!!) and offered to film us swimming with sea turtles with our GoPro. I would definitely recommend diving, or snorkeling with those women! The other crew at Captain slates were great as well, My boyfriend and I decided last minute we wanted to go scuba diving in the Keys and Bob was so accommodating in looking up our certifications, getting us set up with gear that we forgot to bring, and getting us on a charter last minute. We can't wait to come back and dive with them again! read more

Excellent. I've had a tough time with dive charters lately, but this was an excellent experience. The captain and crew were very friendly and helpful, the booking experience was very easy (through their website, in my experience), and the dive was gorgeous. Definitely would go through them again next time I'm in the Keys. read more

They were very unorganized. Asked me probably 10 times what I needed before I got everything. Plus had to keep telling them I needed more. I ended up with kiddy pool fins, the current was so strong people literally had to pull me around. If you take anything from this review, bring your own fins. After complaining about them one of the crew members told me "sucks to suck, I should have brought my own". His name was Leeland and he was a grade a douche. read more

Great experience! I had a Groupon deal, but this would have been worth the full price. There were only a few of us snorkeling/scuba diving, and plenty of friendly crewmembers to help. Don't expect some brassy, corporate production. It's the Florida Keys, and the people are very laid back. But these guys were generous with time and instruction if you need it, and genuinely care about making sure you enjoy your time in their gorgeous "backyard"! My only regret is that I didn't think to bring a waterproof camera. They should sell them on the boat! read more

See all

Fun crew, great service and beautiful dive sites. We had a perfect day for diving - Skye, Sara and Abby (probably spelled all three wrong - sorry, girls!) did their best to make it a great day of diving. read more

Snorkelers and divers were together. Close to a four hour tour with two dive/ snorkel sites. Wetsuits were provided and was 76° water you need it. Everyone got cold after about 45 minutes in the water. Captain Skye did a great job and Patrick was very helpful. read more

Excellent service, mates, Captain and gear! Spent 2 days diving and felt safe, secure and pleased with every dive location. Patrick was incredibly helpful and always there to help with a smile. We would choose Slate's again in a heartbeat. read more

My dive was an amazing experience, not only because I got to pet a shark, saw beautiful tropical fish, and explored a living coral reef... it was amazing because the people that work here are amazing. Patrick, captain sky, and First mate Jeremy were incredible. Helpful, knowledgeable, experienced. For my first time I called the day before and was able to get reservations easily, not usually the case with most places-not because they weren't busy, but because they were accommodating. They wanted us to enjoy our vacation. Hands down one of the best times in my life. I will never forget my dive, and I will never forget captain slates! read more

Let me start by saying that the 3-star rating is ONLY for the Dive Center. My instructor, Kevin Keaton, was amazing and well worth 5 stars (more about him at the end of this review)!! My husband and I were visiting a friend in Key Largo and we decided we'd really like to go scuba diving. We went out on a Sunday morning, after a pool session with Kevin to learn about our equipment and what we'd be experiencing on the actual dive. There was a storm coming in so the seas were a bit choppy to begin with but the crew of the boat(s) made sure everyone was comfortable and gave suggestions on how to keep from getting sea sick, something I found very useful. However, when we got to the dive location everything seemed very rushed. Which - after the fact - was nice because it gave us more time under water, but during the experience seemed a little harried. Once we got under the water things were pretty cool. Our first dive was the "Creature Feature", and I have to say that if it had just been our boat (approximately 16 divers) it might have been REALLY amazing to see. As it was - we were joined by a second boat (another ~16-20 divers) and so it was VERY crowded and somewhat confusing. It seemed like there was no real organization to how things were supposed to be set up under water so there was a constant volly for a viewing spot and it ended up feeling more like I was at a crowded concert venue than on the floor of the ocean. Once we got back on the boat and moved to our second dive location things were a little better (because the other boat went to a different location) but again - this was due to our instructor Kevin more than the dive center. Upon returning to the Dive Center, we went to pay for our trip (something that shocked me because I would have thought it would have been required up front), the organization was non-existent. It would have been VERY easy for us to just walk out without even paying - things were in such a disarray. All in all - unless it was specifically for Kevin - I doubt we would go back to this save dive center for our next adventure. Now on to my review for Kevin Keaton - our dive instructor. Because this was my first foray into anything like this I was EXTREMELY nervous. I am an avid swimmer and so the idea for me to be breathing under water just seemed totally ridiculous!! Upon meeting Kevin at the dive center, we went over to a pool specifically designed for scuba instruction, probably 8' wide by 14' long there was a 4' ledge and then a 12' basin for further instruction. Kevin first gave us a lesson on the different laws and physics of diving and made sure that if we had any questions he answered them thoroughly so that we completely understood what would be taking place during our dive. He then walked us through each piece of equipment, again making sure we were totally comfortable with our rigs and knowledgeable of how they worked. He helped us get our gear into the water then showed us a great way to put it on with minimal effort. He walked us through the basic survivor-type items such as what to do if your mask fills with water, or if you somehow manage to loose your regulator. Then he basically turned us loose in the deep end of the pool. He helped make sure we were "OK" with clearing our ears (who would have thought there would be pressure build up just after 8 feet!!) and ran us through what to do if we had equipment issues again - now that we couldn't just stand up if we had issues. He was great at really making sure we were comfortable and even though it must have been extremely boring for him (having done this many times before) we didn't feel rushed at all!! He was perfectly content to let my husband and I swim around the bottom of the pool until we were ready to be done. As I said in the beginning - I would GLADLY give Kevin 5-stars!! (I will be looking to see if I can find him separately on both Yelp and Trip Advisor. read more