Lovely long reef on the U.S.S. Alligator, wrecked in the 1800s. It's not a wreck dive though there…read moreare some remnants of the ship and inorganic shapes. 26' deep. 9:40am, 64 minutes, 75 degrees, 45ft vis 11:00am, 55 min, 77 degs 5' surge at surface, slight current below but good visibility and calm. Not so overused like the reefs at Largo-- theres just 3 dive operators in this sleepy middle key. Saw: huge moray eels, turtles, lobster colonies, grouper, silver barracuda, nurse shark, conch, sea fans, brain coral, coral crab, shrimp, groupers, midnight (blue) parrotfish, squirrel fish. Highly recommend going out to this one with Seamonkeys.

One of the most beautiful reefs I ever dove at. Right below the lighthouse the the middle of open…read moresea lies a huge tropical underwater treasure of healthy fish, corals and predators. I was on my friends boat and we were doing some fishing about three hundred feet from the lighthouse. The fishing was good, yellow tail snappers were in huge schools and my friend was catching them without any wait or hesitation. I decided to jump in the water with my spear gun and take a few shots at the snappers. caught three and a small amber jack, My streak was brought to a heart stopping pause in minutes. I have been around sharks while diving and to be honest with you I am not scared of them. So i dive just a little above the school but remained mostly in the surface to get air (I was not diving with tanks). A huge bull shark came to the site. He was massive, I had never encountered such large animal on the open ocean. He was calm and collected for a while, just circling and acting very territorial. Suddenly something snapped and that beast became extremely possessive and went to a feeding frenzy. Everything happened so fast and I was able to witness first hand hoe aggressive this creatures can be. He destroyed halve the school of fish in one gulp. My friend was reeling in a yellow tail snapper, the shark swam on his back, flipped and gulped the fish without any hesitation, the line was instantly cut. The visibility was so clear that 40 feet of water seemed like 10. My friend saw the shark when he took his catch and the maneuvers that he did to get it. It was great to share the same story but from two different angles. I was scared for my life; Never have I had my heart beat so fast out of my chest, and certainly not for a fish. There is a first time for everything!!! Its incredible how their jaws can extend out of their mouths. The scariest part was when i turned around and my eyes were no longer seeing him, I could feel the scare as if i was being chased by him, So i changed my course and began swimming backwards toward the boat but keeping my eyss locked on the shark. My buddy was waiting for me,ladder down and ready to pull me onto the platform of the boat where i continued watching that monster destroy the rest of the school of fish. Lesson learned; Chum in the water stay out don't go spearfishing. This thing came out of nowhere, definitely a stealth master and one of the top predators in the ocean.

Seamonkey's was a must do dive experience! Family owned, intimate, and they are very knowledgeable…read more Great place that will accommodate any skill level. Dave and Marty are a lovely couple with lots of experience, and they know this spot through and through. RUN, don't walk and enjoy a trip with Sea Monkey's!!

We enjoyed our snorkeling experience so much and hands down recommend Sea Monkeys Divers! They are…read moresuper hospitable and this was by far our favorite experience for our quick getaway to Islamorada! We will definitely be back and next time plan to learn scuba basics with Frank! Captain Ed was amazing as well! Don't hesitate and book with them!

Key Dives fit us on their schedule only two days in advance with a simple phone call and five…read moreminutes of online paperwork. Morgan was extremely nice and took good care of our small group all day. Captain Bradley was very good as well. We will definitely be back.

Don't wait like I did--plan your SCUBA Open Water cert now!…read more They're not joking about the concierge experience, btw. You get amazing service and education at such a reasonable price point. Book with this outfit and never look back. Plus, it's so much easier to get to than the more southern keys. It's hard to overstate the education and value I received from the fine people at Key Dives on the very South end of Upper Matecumbe key. My instructor was Nick C., and I can't say enough great things about the guy. His love for the job, his seemingly bottomless well of patience, and his motivation for teaching exactly what one needs to know in order to enjoy with safety and ease one of the most profound experiences a person will ever have in this life. If I could share that feeling, there'd be a 15-yr waiting list for open water certs. Nick's teaching style efficiently and effectively guided me to know and trust myself and most importantly--my equipment--building the confidence which I found to be crucial when you're so deep in an element you weren't evolved into. He made it easy for even me (adhd?) to absorb the amount of knowledge and experience needed to stay perfectly safe and comfortable in the water so that I could get down to the business of exploring the incredible world that exists below the water's surface. Nick's instruction additionally included steps on how to prep and preserve my own equipment, since I brought my own gear (they will outfit you with everything you need tho). IMO, that was above and beyond. Wrapping up, he was great with both my 11yr-old and my wife with 20 years experience and several other advanced certifications. Nick was in his element for both ends of the knowledge spectrum, often switching between the 3 of us in the same breath, able to shift deftly between helping the little one, myself, and instructing my wife. I also would like to reiterate that everyone I spoke with in the entire Key Dives operation were helpful, accommodating, fostering of the learning environment/process, and an absolute pleasure to be around. Everyone from instructors I was not attached to, to the boat's Captain were helpful and accomodating. I would be comfortable in sending my loved ones to learn under the care and instructions of the folks at Key Dives. Ask for Nick, and don't forget to tip. -jm

I live in California and have wanted to go lion fish hunting for a few years. In planning for this…read moretrip I did a lot of online research and talked to many dive shops in Florida. Forever Young kept coming up in my online searches and conversations. When I talked to Captain Tony he came across as extremely knowledgeable and incredibly honest. The morning of my trip I met Captain Rob and Guide Luke at the Forever Young dock. They knew I wanted to go after Lion Fish. They are two consummate professionals that were 100% focused on making sure I had a great day. I confessed to them, I had never used a spear gun or a sling spear. Luke was not phased. While Rob prepared the boat, Luke grabbed a sling spear and gave me an impromptu lesson on how to use it. As we got underway, it became obvious to me these two guys knew the waters in the keys. We made three dives at three different spots. Each dive just blew my mind. Secretly I wanted to get two Lion Fish.... As we approached the bottom on the first dive we came upon six or eight of them bunched together. Five minutes into the first dive, my bucket list was fulfilled. We filled the Zookeeper during each dive. It was surreal. My wife, children, and friends knew the day I was going out with the Forever Young team. As we came back in, I started getting texts..... How did it go ? Did you shoot any ? Did you have fun ? I fired off texts with pictures of the 35+ Lion Fish Luke helped me find and shoot. Everyone was excited. It was a great day. I have never been to Florida before this trip. I don't know anyone in Florida. I knew if this adventure was going to be successful, I would need to go with the best... people who were skilled and knew the waters. These guys are the best. These two guys helped me have the trip of a lifetime.

My kids just LOVED Captain Tony and his team. They were really great with all of the kids-…read morehands-on, patient, energetic, professional, and fun. Thank you for taking all the kids out and especially for giving my two kids such a fun time!

We booked this in hopes of getting to see dolphins and manatees (based on the marketing) and had…read morevery few of our expectations met. We did not get to see any marine life, went in 4 ft of water and just overall were not pleased. The couple is SUPER kind and fun but should seriously set realistic expectations for what you are getting into.

From the owner: We have a 3hr Boat Tour where you will be able to see Dolphins and other Sea life, go Snorkeling,…read moreSNUKA Diving (just like scuba diving but you breath off a air line from the boat and don't have to wear any Heavy Equipment or Tanks on your back) Ages 8 and Up and No Certification Required. We go to shell Island, you also get to look for shells and sand dollars. We provide all equipment.

Under the sea is a great retreat from the daily grind. I was Padi certified earlier this year and…read morewe all took a big group trip to the Keys. I experienced my first ocean dive through the Florida Keys Dive Center and thanks to them, my "mermaid experience" was even better than I imagined. We had a fantastic and knowledgeable captain and guides who took us to the best reefs! We saw gorgeous coral, a few nurse sharks and other small sharks, several rays and the ever elusive moray eel. The cost was around $80 per dive, not including tips. Tip your captain and crew please! They're deserving of it, I promise. It was a fantastic experience and I highly recommend giving them a call if you're looking to dive in the Florida Keys.

Shout out to the IDC, the Florida Keys Dive Center in Tavernier, and most of all, instuctor Doug…read moreHyland for getting me my basic open water certification this week. These organizations are top knotch. I look forward to advancing in my scuba education with the help of these folks. Thanks again, people. You should be proud of the services you provide. C. Evans

Matt was knowledgeable and extremely personable! He made our Everglades tour fun and educational…read morewith his vast expertise on the ecosystems of the flora , animals and waterways. He took the extra time to take us past the resident crocodile that sunbathes on a private dock. A must do tour for everyone with Capt Matt when visiting Islamorada!

What a wonderful afternoon with Captain Matt! Knowledgeable and fun--we had a wonderful time! We…read morelearned a lot about the Everglades! Thank you!

My wife and I went out on the party/head boat for the 6.5 hour fishing trip. It was awesome! The…read morecaptain put us on fish and actually stayed for a while before moving due to sharks making an appearance. Our previous experiences with this type of fishing made us leary but they definitely earned our business and respect. The crew was amazing and truly helpful when needed. Will be returning.

Decided to stop by Bud N Mary's to see the Tarpons. Cool stop if your heading down to the Keys. You…read morecan also charter a fishing boat at the Marina. Such a cool spot, just to take a break! Kids will definitely enjoy it!