June 2010 >> Archives
Caribbean Diving – No Passport Required
| In this issue... | Oil spill status | Meet Travis Staff of the Month |
Summer is here (finally...)
This is our favorite time of year. Summer brings great diving weather in the Florida Keys. Water and air temps are usually in the mid-80's F - goodbye wetsuits! - and visibility is typically in the 50 ft. plus range. Check out our
site for updates and pictures.
Oil Spill StatusThe Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill is not affecting the Florida Keys at this time. Looe Key Resort and Dive Center offers guests peace of mind with our oil spill cancellation policy for hotel and dive/snorkel trip bookings.
Please visit our
You deserve a break!
All rooms 20% OFF internet published rates
1 June - 27 July 2010
*** ASK FOR the "INTERNET SPECIAL" RATE when making your reservation ***
Kokomo the Cat says...
"HAPPY Father's Day "
Submerge. Discover. Engage.
Tune in this June for four new exciting episodes of Changing Seas and follow scientists and explorers on adventures into the Florida Keys.
Tuesdays 7:30 pm WPBT Channel 2
June 1 Fish counts in Dry Tortugas National Park
June 8 Dolphins
June 15 Seagrasses and Mangroves
June 22 Sinking the Vandenberg
Coming Soon
- Underwater Music Festival July 10th.
Come celebrate the 26th anniversary of this unique event which takes place right on Looe Key Reef. Dive and snorkel the Festival aboard the Kokomo Cat II. This year's theme is an offbeat salute to the classic children's tale "Alice in Wonderland." Call 1-877-816-3483 tollfree to reserve your spot!
- Lobster sport mini-season July 28th - 29th.
Is your scuba equipment ready to go? Need air, tank VIP, regulator overhaul? Do you have all of your "hunting" supplies? Need gloves, measuring gauge, net, bag? Stop by Looe Key Dive Center - we've got it all. Questions about Lobster mini-season? Check out Mini-Season FAQ's
Planning a visit to the Florida Keys?
Check out the Lower Keys Visitor's Guide for answers.
Travis personifies the folks of the Keys - friendly, laid back and multi-talented! Since moving to the Floriday Keys seven years ago from a small town in northwestern Pennsylvannia, Travis has lived and worked throughout the Keys from Islamorada to Key West. (Check out Kermit's Key Lime shop in Key West - he painted it...)
Here at Looe Key Resort and Dive Center, Travis does a bit of everything - staff at the hotel/dive shop front desk, rescue diver and first mate on the dive boat, and barback in the Tiki Bar.
His favorite activity? "Anything outdoors! Also, hanging out with my friends - they are my family here in the Keys." Travis has been a certified diver for ten years and loves the warm water here in the Keys.Stop by and swap dive stories with Travis.
for a dive buddy?
Join the Middle Keys Dive Buddies
NEW!
Photos, events, discussions. Are you a member yet? Join us and Dive in!
Have you seen this fish??
Beautiful but deadly, the lionfish is an invasive exotic species native to the Indo-Pacific region. It is being found in increasing numbers along the east coast of the United States as well as the Caribbean. The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a predatory fish with few natural enemies that devours smaller indigenous reef fish at an alarming rate. It also poses a threat to divers and fishermen - the fins are tipped with venomous spines that inflict a painful sting.
If you see this fish, report it
More info about lionfish here
Learn to dive online
PADI now offers ONLINE instruction for:
- Underwater Digital Photography NEW!!
- Dive Theory (for Dive Master course) NEW!!
- Open Water Diver
- Advanced Open Water
- Enriched Air Nitrox
That's right - do the classroom work at your convenience, from the comfort of your home.
Learn more
is on vacation! You can catch up on previous Gearmeister colums by visiting the Gearmeister Archives
Peak Performance Buoyancy
What is neutral buoyancy? Scuba divers like to be neutrally buoyant so they neither sink nor float. It can be a tricky thing. Divers who’ve mastered the highest performance levels in buoyancy stand apart. You’ve seen them underwater. They glide effortlessly, use less air and ascend, descend or hover, almost as if by thought. They interact gently with aquatic life and affect their surroundings minimally. The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course refines the basic skills you learned as a PADI Open Water Diver and elevates them to the next level.
What You Learn
- How to trim your scuba gear so you’re perfectly balanced in the water
- Nuances in determining weight so you’re not too light nor too heavy by even a slight degree
- How to streamline to save air and move smoothly through the water
- How to hover effortlessly in both a vertical position and a horizontal positio
Prerequisites
Have a PADI Open Water Diver certification (or have a qualifying certification from another organization.)
The Learning Materials You Need
PADI’s Peak Performance Buoyancy video on DVD provides an overview of the skills you’ll practice with your instructor. It comes with an enclosed booklet that includes a buoyancy assessment questionnaire and basic weighting guidelines – useful whenever you purchase new gear or dive in a new environment.
You can purchase this product at Looe Key Dive Center.
More info at PADI.com
Schedule your class now! Call Looe Key Dive Center 1-877-816-3483
or contact us by e-mail
Snook, Centropomus undecimalis
This large silver fish is both common and easily identifiable in the Florida Keys. It has a single horizontal black line that runs the length of its body and reaches a length of 4 feet. Snook hover in small groups near mangroves, as well as over grassy flats and shallow patch reefs such as Looe Key. They are unafraid of divers and snorkelers if approached slowly.
photo by Eric Smith
