Great crew, safe and humorous both, always the sign of good guides. They accommodated my snorkeling-familiar partner as well as my brand-new-to-snorkeling six year old son and myself (I'm somewhere in between but now I have the bug and I desperately want to come back to dive). We went to two places and saw tons of beautiful aquatic life, multiple types of colorful parrot fish, etc, as well as a huge larger-than-man sized grouper (I'll get my Bf to post pics on his review as he rented the underwater camera housing for his iPhone 6s). We also saw a sizable shark my boyfriend followed for awhile and then was followed by*... They have water and soda for sale $1 on the boat, a cooler to store your own snacks and drinks if have them (no glass or alcohol), as well as a cooler with tap water you can refill your own bottles. Highly recommend this business and the Looe Key snorkeling/scuba trip! read more

Strike Zone Charters - Looe Key snorkeling - Boating Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

Had a decent experience with Strike Zone charters. They were accommodating with scheduling. At one point, there were sharks swimming underneath us, which we signaled to the captain about- but he just said ITS OK and looked the other way. I understand that sharks aren't a real cause for concern and a lot of people like the sharks, but we got scared and swam back to ship. I would have liked if the captains took our fears at least educated us on the different types of sharks that swim in the waters. read more

Looe Key is amazing! Probably the best snorkeling in the Middle Keys. Strike Zone takes you out to Looe Key, only thirty minutes away, and stops in two different locations, which are absolutely percolating with life. School after school of Sargeant Majors--enough to start a small war. We also saw a free swimming green Moray eel, and some of the biggest parrot fish I have ever seen--closing in on 3 feet. Our second stop brought a naussau grouper under the boat, which was joined by a smallish Goliath grouper, and two XL Goliath groupers, weighing about 500 pounds and about 6-7 feet long. Pretty cool stuff! Crew was great, and even paused to circle around on the way back to point out a turtle. About 20 people went out in the boat--I like the fact that it is a smaller group. read more

Will definitely dive with Strike Zone again. I just snorkeled around with my friend who doesn't dive this time, but I can tell this is a great crew. Before we got in the water, they were very informative and descriptive with a history of Looe Key. The crew also made sure everyone on board knew what they were doing and where to go on the reef. Here's where I was particularly impressed with the crew. A jackass private boater drove right across the reef!! The other Captains and crews in the area said nothing and did nothing other than shake their heads. Our crew leader (wish I could remember his name) yelled over at the jackass boat to inform them that they were not supposed to be boating across the reef. Of course, the jackass driver of the boat acted like a know it all, but our crew leader, kept attempting to try to school said jackass about the rules of boating across a reef and thru the middle of numerous divers and snorkelers. I was just really happy that he spoke up and at least tried to educate some dumb-ass, who even had dive flags on his boat. So way to go Strike Zone! Thanks for having a responsible and awesome crew. The price was very reasonable for snorkeling with your own equipment. $40 for a two location trip. I also like the fact that the boat doesn't head out at the ass crack of dawn. 9:30 is a reasonable time for vacationers. read more

Fantastic afternoon with the friendly folks at Strike Zone! Afternoon trip was from 1:30 - 5pm and we ended up staying on Looe Key the whole time due to fabulous conditions. The boat was not overcrowded at all. We brought our own snorkel gear and thought that the price of the trip ($40) was very fair. The captain and his first mate shared plenty of Keys lore with us as well. read more

My family had an excellent experience with Strike Zone Charters. The crew was so friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We had inexperienced grandkids with us and they made them feel safe and did a great job instructing them. An older individual became frightened in the water and they helped him calm down and carefully monitored him. I was very impressed. read more

Strike Zone Charters - Boating Near Me - Big Pine Key, Florida

We've been coming to Big Pine Keys for many years & have used several dive shops for tank fills, dive gear, apparel etc. Over the years we'd stop in Strike Zone to see what they had to offer but never bought anything due to the rude women who worked there. But, to our delight, this year we were greeted with smiles & friendly service by the new owners! We now have a new & favorite dive shop at Strike Zone with Dan, Lisa, Cory & Sara I highly recommend you stop in & give them a chance, we're so grateful to have a wonderful dive shop at our backdoor! read more

Been too Looe Key on several trips. Love snorkeling there. The crew was very fake, too serious, and not caring. Would not let my son feed fish, absolutely no drinking, and did not care if you were stung by jelly fish. Will never be back. Use looe key dive center they were great read more

I recently went on a girl's trip to Key West with some of my best friends. We are very active girls: we kayak, paddle board, spearfish, and snorkel all the time. Due to going so far south we didn't not have a big boat to take us out so we looked into charters to visit the beautiful Looe Reef we've been dying to go to. The people who run this business are going to ruin it and it will be nobody's fault but their own. The ladies behind the counter were actually nice to us and I had no issues with them compared to the other reviews I read. Let me begin by saying that our Captain- Captain BOB - is so rude. He was rushing everyone onto the boat and had no passion about boating or the water. He didn't try to give give any information or details about the reefs we visited. Just stood at the wheel and drove. Once we were in the water he kept screaming at us for going "too far" and swimming in areas that he felt were "too shallow". I'm a little over 5 feet tall. He asked us to swim in an area where you can add 3 ft to your height and still not touch anything and we did, but we still got scolded. I also have shorter fins specifically made for reef swimming since I do go snorkeling a lot and I am a strong swimmer. The areas we were in were all at least 10 feet over be reef... Double me, but not okay with Mr. Bob even though it's what he instructed us to do. We had to end our trip early due to a storm rolling in. At this time the waves were getting REALLY rough. They have a rope for you to hold onto while you wait for your turn on the ladder. However, you're not allowed to take your gear off on the ladder, they want you to take it off on the rope. So I was trying and the waves were so strong my head kept getting knocked into the boat and it HURT! So I decided to grab the ladder since it's stuck on the boat and not just flowing out in open ocean like the stupid rope and he was screaming at me and screamed at me asking if I spoke English. He had spoken to me when we checked in, so he knew I spoke English and just because I am Cuban-American was getting frustrated that I didn't want to knock myself out into a coma at sea! BEYOND RUDE. My friends were pissed and offended. They also got screamed at for other stupid things. DO NOT RECOMMEND THEM. You're much better going out with Bahia Honda's charter than these people. Ugly from start to finish. The only cool thing was the reef and the groupers we saw which you'll be sure to see with any other charter that takes you out there and hopefully you'll have a better time and actually have friendly people who are eager to give you a fun experience. read more

We called ten minutes before they were supposed to leave... And they stopped the boat for us so that we could go out that day. The two guys on the boat were awesome and so a great job watching out for you, we would've swam into a Portuguese man o war if it hadn't been for their watchful eye! Thanks strike zone! read more

This was a great snorkel trip. Sarah and Jeff were awesome people to have on board! Great humor and interesting to talk to. Was disappointed we didn't go to a second location like was advertised. I understand it was a busy day, but I would have liked to explore different scenery instead of an hour and a half at one place. We did see a barracuda and a huge grouper so that was awesome! Some people in our party saw a nurse shark but I missed it :/ They were very organized! Also forwarding: bring your own snacks! (We forgot) read more

We went on the Island Excursion and it was pretty good and fun and got to see and hear about all kind of back stories and history on the area. We did little bit of snorkeling and fishing and island relaxation while Lenny and Hazel made us food. The Mahi Mahi was awesome. The only issue I have it is a little pricey. read more

Rude staff We went out on a fairly rough day, choppy waves, enough to the point where the salt water kept immersing into our snorkeling equipment. My family and another two passengers all ended up getting sea sick. The staff was very rude and had no sense of compassion to any of us, in fact, let out some sarcastic comments. My Dad came in after 15 minutes of snorkeling and barfed, my mom came in to sit with him while my sister and I continued to snorkel. After 30 minutes, my sister and I came in due to the mass consumption of salt water from the waves hitting us. Another 10 minutes pass and now my sister is barfing off the side of the boat and I feel like I'm next. We are soon heading to the second stop for snorkeling/ divers, and know we have another hour until heading back to the dock. The captain starts moving the boat as my sister is 5 feet away from him, hanging over the side of the boat barfing her brains out. The staff sarcastically asked if we were getting a nice tan as we stayed on the boat instead of going back out to snorkel. When I responded that no one was feeling well, the staff asked if we drank too much the night before. The other captain later asked me and my Dad, who were laying on the boxes full of life preserver vests, if we were getting a nice tan. I just replied that yes it's our $50 tan. If you want friendly people that will really give you a fun, experience, do not go with these people. They are rude, simple as that. read more

It is my understanding this outfit is under new ownership as of summer 2017 so take this into account when reading past reviews. Our party consisted of four dive professionals and a ten year old doing his check out dives. We found the shop to be very inviting, well kept, a nice classroom space, and good retail selection with reasonable prices. Staff was friendly and efficient checking us in, and exceptionally warm and kind toward the "diver to be" The boat is docked right in back of the shop, so bonus points for convenience. The boat deck was spacious and provided ample room to set up and mill around, and the boat is very stable on the water (so no topsy turvy action). Chad instructed my son and was a phenomenal instructor. Even though my husband and I are instructors ourselves, we do not believe in teaching our own. That being said, Chad was exceptional, kind, patient, and the ultimate professional. We could not have put our son in better hands, and the result was a VERY happy and confident newly certified diver. We would recommend Chad to ANYONE looking to check out in the Keys. The rest of the boat staff was equally fabulous and gets our highest praise. Our group has collectively been diving all over the world with countless outfits, and we are happy to say we will return to Strike Zone in the future! read more

Great trip out to Looe Key for snorkeling. Fair price for wife and me. Rental equipment in good condition, helpful staff also thought of details like a face-mask defogging station on boat. Well worth the time & money. Thanks Strike Zone! read more

Very friendly and helpful service. Great selection of dive gear and clothing. The adorable chihuahuas behind the counter make it an A in my book too. Thanks for all of your help!! read more

I went on the recommendation of Yelp and was very disappointed. The inside store setup is very nice with many brand names of scuba items to choose from and prices are fair. My disappointment started when I boarded the boat. Divers were placed in the back of the boat and snorkel in the the front. The first issue was the boat was dirty, completely unorganized, and in disarray. I was pointed to a spot where I then had to pick up my own tank from the floor in a crate and proceed to prepare my gear. No one on the boat with helpful I asked for 2 pound weights and I was told there are no 2 pound weights to just grab 4 pounds that does not work for me I used to 2 pounds in the front and 2 four pounds pounds in the back . They did not have enough weights on the boat for the drivers. And they squeezed us in like sausages. There was no space in between the tank for elbow room. On the way back the boat broke down and it took us one hour and 45 minutes to get back read more

After being sorely disappointed at another local outfit, we came in starving for a good dive experience. We got it! We actually left ahead of schedule, had a fast, easy ride out to Looe Key and had the best fittin' wetsuits. Our captain (Fred) gave us an EXCELLENT dive briefing and took incredibly good care of us. A few of our party were a bit inexperienced, but Fred was very patient and instructive. The dive sites were good...not the best I've dove, but it's the Keys, so I'd been warned not to expect pristine reefs. We saw tons of stuff though...including a pod of dolphins, sting ray and a 6' reef shark...woohoo! Be prepared to pay a buck for a drink...but they provide a cooler & dry lockers for anything you want to bring. We had a snorkeler with us as well, and Hazel took terrific care of him. We will definitely use them the next time we dive the Keys! read more

Looe Key is one of the don't miss sites in the Florida Keys and Strike Zone is the only place I trust to get me out there and back safe and comfortable. Great staff, great boat and great gear. read more

We go to the Florida Keys, 2-3 times a year and when we go with family or friends from out of town we always go on a snorkel trip because that's one of the best activities to do in the keys, MOTHER NATURE ON STEROIDS. We normally do one of the trips out of Bahia Honda but as we were down a little further on Big Pine, we got a referral for Strike Zone. Very chilled out group of people, went over the safety in a very unique way that kept everyone engaged, offered all the equipment to those who didn;t have it, water, a cooler to put your own snacks and drinks very well done. Took us to two spots on Looe Key, lots of fish, no turtles this time but we did see one on the way out there. A couple of people got sea sick, and they were quick to give them instruction on how to best recover, towel to the back of the neck, engaged them in conversation to get their mind off it, that kind of good customer service. It was about $38.00 a person for 4hrs, money well spent and a good way to spend half a day. read more

If you have young children or are not a confident snorkeler or diver, then go on this boat. Strike Zone ensures the best safety and precautions as any boat I've been on in the Keys. However, if you would like to see the best sections of Looe Key and would like to be able to swim further than 50ft from the boat, do not go with them or you can look forward to constantly being yelled at. Also, don't expect a smile from any of the office workers. For essentially the same price there are more accommodating, less restrictive boats that take you to the best sections of Looe Key such as with Looe Key Dive Center (also a hot shower after!). Strike Zone on the other hand took us to a section with virtually no life other than another huge boat of snorkelers. When I asked if we could go to a more lively section for the second dive (I gave a specific site I know to be great), the crew moved to a buoy ten feet away...to basically the same dead spot we were just at. read more

My wife and I completed Open Water and Scuba refreshers with Strike Zone last week. The crew and dive instructor (Chad) were excellent. The boat and rental equipment were top notch and overall our first experience with Strike Zone was great! OUR SECOND EXPERIENCE WAS NOT SO GREAT!!! Apparently Strike Zone has a minimum diver requirement so if you want to dive but are by yourself or with a small group you MAY be out of luck and will waste your day planning on a dive only to be cancelled last min. (Other dive operations went out to the same location at the same time that we had made reservations with Strike Zone - the two "last min" cancellation that we experienced were not weather related, they were financially calculated) We spent a lot of money with Strike Zone, tipped the staff extremely well, and were psyched to continue diving with this operation... Not so much at this point which is really disappointing. It does not seem that this company values repeat business or the concept of customer loyalty... and I do not think we will be back. - M. Barry read more

The places they took us was about 4 miles away from the land. It was beautiful!, we saw a shark at the end and saw dolphins on the way back. The crews were very nice and fun. There was a share cooler if you don't have your own cooler which was a nice touch. You can buy a bottle of water for a dollar or free from their container. I'm surprise this tour is not as popular as it should be! read more

Strike Zone was super close to our rental and open for us on the 4th of July. We went on the afternoon snorkeling charter at 1:30. It was a smooth ride until we got out closer to Looe Key Reef and then it was 1-2 with a few 3 foot waves. For me, someone who likes it flat for snorkeling, I was uneasy, even with Bonine, I felt queasy. I did get in the water but it was a struggle for me. I asked if they could get someone to come get me and they did try but it was a holiday so no other captains to come out. Everyone else enjoyed the experience, a few others did feel ill and one lady did get sick. We stayed at the first part for over an hour then went to another area that was more calm for another hour. My group experienced beautiful fish and a few reef sharks but no Goliath groupers that day. If you are like me and can't handle the motion in the ocean, you may want to check wave heights ahead of time because once you are out there, you are stuck! I have to say, Capt. Jeff (I hope that is the correct name) was so good to me, telling me where to sit and look for the best chance of not feeling ill. I would have given them a 5 if it weren't for my own personal experience. All the rest of my group had a great time. read more

Would not do this charter again! First, there was no bait on the boat we had to stop and get his baskets out of the water and then he made my husband drive the boat so he could look for more we did this for 45 minutes to an hour out of our time we paid for fishing. Then we got to the fishing spot and it wasn't that deep we had to keep re-hooking our lines because they were getting snagged and breaking he wouldn't move to a new location. We did catch 5 fish nothing worth mounting just eatables. No bathroom on board so no drinking liquids. Very disappointed with this charter shop around read the reviews!! read more

Our family arranged for Open Water PADI certification with Strike Zone while on vacation. They mailed the books and DVD to us before we traveled to The Keys. We then did the academic portion, confined water and open water dives with them. Open water dives (4) were on Looe Key, which was beautiful. The highlight of the experience was our instructor, JB. Our kids, 15 & 13, were certified, as were my wife and I. JB's demeanor was perfect for all ages, yet she was extremely professional! The crew of the boat, Keel and Jeff, did an excellent job as well. If we get back to The Keys, we will go through the shop again. read more

All the bad reviews on this place are true and they all reflect a similar situation so don't allow your day to be ruined by these buttheads. Where to start? I'm a licensed PADI Instructor and have been diving for 22 years and this was the worst experience I've ever had on a dive boat. I can get along with just about anybody, but if you meet Captain Larry you'll never forget him. He is the biggest jerk I've ever met in the dive industry. I'm toning down the language from what I really think. He is unbelievably arrogant and acts like he hates his job and definitely does not like people. I got on the boat in a great mood looking forward to an enjoyable day, as did all the other customers, but it seems as if it's his goal to make sure that doesn't happen. I know at the end my day was ruined and I'd wasted my time and money. As soon as you get on the boat, he starts talking to you as if you're an idiot who knows nothing about diving, and treats all the dive customers that way. He berated a nice couple who arrived 5 minutes late in front of a boat full of people just to embarrass them and would not let up on them, screaming at them like I've never seen on a dive boat, or for that matter, any kind of business. Who talks to paying customers that way and expects anyone to be happy with their service? He said the couple held the boat up for 40 minutes which was B.S. as we left the dock at 9:35, just 5 minutes after the scheduled time. He never did treat them with any respect after that. His dive briefing included telling the divers, "If any of the snorkelers come back on the boat and tell me they saw any diver touch the coral, none of you will be allowed to dive the second dive." First time I've ever been threatened during a dive briefing. Then at the end of the first dive, which was supposed to be an hour, my dive buddy and I were the last 2 back to the boat and before we even got to the ladder he was yelling at us for holding up the boat and inconveniencing the rest of the customers. This was at the 52 minute mark on my dive watch. The other customers told us he was griping about us and calling us names before we were within earshot. This was supposed to be an hour long dive but by the time he lets you get in the water, it's more like 45 minutes. It's a service business and someone needs to let Larry know that because he's costing his co-workers tips. Of course he gives you the speech about how they work for tips and tells you where the tip jar is right before you leave the boat. REALLY??? After a 3 and 1/2 hour nightmare, he has the audacity to ask you to tip? This is a person who is obviously not the least bit self aware. It's the only time I've ever left a dive boat without leaving at least ten bucks tip. I live locally so they've lost my future business and I have told everyone I know about the experience. Also, the $48 price posted on their website for the 2 tank dive does not include the $20 extra for the tanks. Same price as all the other local dive operators who will definitely give you better customer service and have the actual prices posted on their websites, but without the bait and switch or the nasty attitude. I'm really surprised these goofballs have any customers. read more