The best place to start planning your diving vacation is the Key West Dive Center. They will explain the kinds of diving you can try and the training or certification you might need. Key West is the perfect place to go diving, whether you're just snorkeling, doing deep-sea adventures, or something in between. You don't have to bring anything unless you already have your own equipment. You can rent everything you need in Key West. The Key West Diving Society provides instruction on whatever level you need, to insure a safe and enjoyable diving vacation.
Types
The most popular type of diving in Key West is reef diving. People come from all over the world to marvel at the longest living reef in the western hemisphere. Unfortunately, too many people reef-diving means it has damage, often from careless movement of diving fins or other human impact.
A more eco-friendly type of diving in Key West is wreck diving. There are more than 500 shipwrecks to explore, and wreck diving doesn't damage to the endangered coral reef. Some old ships, intentionally sunk, provide an artificial reef and habitat for fish and other underwater species.
Geography
No other place in the continental U.S. has Key West's type of location for a diving vacation. The coral reef gardens off Looe Key host the most popular snorkeling site in the world. Divers also come to Key West to experience unique geographic locations such as the Dry Tortugas.
The waters off Key West are a national marine sanctuary containing an inner and an outer coral reef. Visitors require different levels of diving skills to see each one. Guided night dives let you see nocturnal sea creatures not seen during the day.
Snorkeling vs. Scuba Diving
Snorkeling and scuba diving both involve the use of swim fins on the feet. Snorkeling takes you just below the surface, wearing goggles for viewing and breathing through a snorkel. The snorkeling tube fills with water when you go deeper, but you simply hold your breath and expel it when returning to the surface.
The word scuba means self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. Scuba diving involves an air tank and a diving suit in addition to fins. Scuba divers can go much deeper than snorkelers do and stay much longer. Snorkeling is generally in 3 to 12 feet of water, while scuba diving can go 100 feet or deeper, and you should only do it with an instructor or a guide.
Snuba Diving
A new method of diving called "snuba" is a combination of snorkeling and scuba diving. It involves a surface air supply carried by a raft or boat above the diver, and a 20-foot air tube. This allows the snuba diver to go deeper and stay down longer than snorkeling allows.
Snuba diving is a safe alternative to snorkeling, avoiding the danger of being hit by motorized watercraft. It is a less expensive alternative to scuba diving, avoiding certification requirements, bulky tanks, and required training.
Medical Considerations
Before you undertake a Key West diving vacation, fill out a questionnaire about your medical history to determine whether you should have a doctor's examination before any kind of underwater activity. The online questionnaire from the Key West Dive Center will save time in preparation for your vacation. Even if you have a pre-existing condition you need to address for your own safety, it does not necessarily disqualify you from snorkeling or diving.
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