Check-in for all dives is a minimum of 45 minutes before each boat departure.
Morning Trips: 7:45 AM Eastern
Afternoon Trips: 12:45 PM Eastern
Check-in is at our Key Largo Dive Center located at 100670 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037.
All divers must have their Diver Certification Card in their possession at check-in.
If you do not have your card please contact your certifying agency in advance and request a duplicate. Because some agencies don’t have accessible online certification records or older records may not be online, we can’t be responsible to search for your SCUBA certification. Some certifying agency websites include:
Please plan ahead and pack your dive cards or order replacements. Even better, most dive agencies have apps for your phone that allow you to download your certifications so you’ll always have an e-card accessible.
All divers must meet our Diver Currency Requirements below to dive.
An octopus or safe second and a Buoyancy Compensating Device (BCD) are required for all divers. A cutting device such as diver shears or a dive knife and a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) is considered standard basic safety gear for all divers and is highly recommended on all dives. Divers must have a dive watch or dive computer to monitor their dive time or must accompany the dive guide. Rental gear is available.
Open Water Diver / SCUBA Diver Certification
A minimum of Open Water Diver / SCUBA Diver certification or equivalent is required for all shallow reef dives and S.S. Benwood wreck dives except for divers who are enrolled in a SCUBA certification course and are accompanied by a KLDC staff instructor.
Advanced Open Water / Advanced SCUBA Diver Certification
A minimum of Advanced Open Water Diver / Advanced SCUBA Diver certification or higher is required for all deep wreck dives on the U.S.S. Spiegel Grove, USCG Duane, USCG Bibb. Exceptions include students who are enrolled in an Advanced Open Water course completing their Deep Adventure Dive and accompanied by a KLDC staff instructor.
Divers are expected to perform to their level of certification on the dive boat.
Learn more about the PADI ReActivate SCUBA Refresher Course.
Open Water or equivalent certified divers who were trained in freshwater quarries or ponds and have no logged saltwater / ocean dives must dive with a KLDC Divemaster on your first ocean dive with us.
If any diver has doubts as to your dive competency regardless of experience level we highly recommend that you complete a pool refresher or PADI ReActivate SCUBA Refresher Course prior to diving.
Be prepared to present your logbook or some evidence of dive currency at check-in. Our currency guidelines are minimum guidelines. As a Certified Diver you are responsible for planning your dive profile and determining your fitness to perform to the skill level of your certification. If you have any doubts as to your ability to safely plan and conduct your open water dive please advise us at the time you book your reservation so that we may discuss a plan to return you to currency.
Certified Divers
All Key Largo Dive Center divers are strongly encouraged to have DAN Dive Insurance. As an active diver, you should have this insurance to protect you and your loved ones for all of your SCUBA diving.
Students
Open Water Diver students may be offered complimentary DAN Dive Insurance that will cover them during their course with us. You will be given the opportunity to continue your coverage after you finish the course.
All deep wreck dives require Advanced Open Water / Advanced SCUBA Diver Certification and the following minimum equipment:
Double-Dip Deep Dives require Nitrox Certification and Nitrox use by all divers. Nitrox tanks are available for an additional $15 per tank.
No wreck penetration dives are allowed unless Wreck Diver and Deep Diver certified and all divers in the group are experienced as a Wreck Diver and Deep Diver and appropriate staging bottles, pony bottles, reels, lines, backup computer, etc. are used and approved by the Captain.
Reservations must be cancelled no less than 48 hours from the scheduled time of boat departure or the deposit is forfeited. For individual divers the deposit is a single $50 charge for the entire reservation period. Key Largo Dive Center staff may cancel dives and reimburse divers on the day of departure if the Captain believes that the dive conditions are unsafe or due to circumstances beyond our control. If the Captain departs the dock and returns due to unsafe conditions divers will be reimbursed.
We provide a complimentary in-water Divemaster / Dive Guides. Divemaster / Dive Guides are not a substitute for the diver currency requirement or a substitute for proficiency and do not provide instruction. Divers are expected to perform to the skill level of their certification which includes dive planning. Complimentary Divemaster / Dive Guide have no cash value.
Due to circumstances beyond our control and in order to avoid trip cancellations we reserve the right subcontract a dive boat. While we make all attempts to prevent this from happening we can’t control unforeseen mechanical issues, sudden illness, acts of nature, or other circumstances that may occur on occasion. We always strive to provide our customers with a safe and enjoyable SCUBA experience.
All Full-Boat Charter deposits and final balance payment must be paid for by one credit card or cash. Multi-person payments are not allowed. Cancellations for full boat charters must be made at least 72 hours (3 days) prior to the date of departure.
Our boat is equipped with DAN emergency oxygen kits and First Aid Kits. Our crews are Certified Oxygen Providers and/or Emergency First Responders and/or certified as Divemasters or Instructors.
All divers must meet current PADI or NAUI medical standards for divers as stated on our medical form, and must not be under the influence of any medication that has warnings against diving, driving, or any medication that may inhibit your judgment or safety including medicinal marijuana. Any disqualifying medical condition must be addressed prior to check-in at Key Largo Dive Center.
You are responsible for being in acceptable physical condition for diving. You must report during the reservation process any medical or physical limitation that does not meet PADI or NAUI medical standards. Request a medical questionnaire from our representative when you make your reservation.
If you check “yes” to any of the conditions on the medical questionnaire which require a doctor’s release you must provide this authorization prior to diving. Key Largo Dive Center will not be responsible for any injury occurring from a failure to disclose any disqualifying medical condition.
Divers must immediately report to the Dive Center management and to the dive boat Captain and Divemaster any known or sudden limiting physical or mental condition that could affect the safe outcome of your dive or place other divers in danger.
Junior Open Water Divers and divers under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian on board the dive boat. No unattended minors are allowed on our boats. For the protection of our crews they are not allowed to babysit minors on the boat while parents dive.
No firearms or weapons except dive knives are allowed on our dive boats.
No spearguns allowed on our boat as all dives are within wildlife protected zones.
We request that all divers carry a dive watch or dive computer to time their dives, plus a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) and a cutting device such as dive knife or shears.
