February 2008 >> Archives
A new diving and snorkeling season is fast approaching – are you READY?? Two keys to being prepared are
equipment and training.
Got gear?
Owning your own gear will make you a better diver/snorkeler because ….
- it fits YOU, so you can concentrate on having fun instead of fighting your equipment.
- you know exactly how it’s been maintained, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking.
- you know how it works and where everything is, so you’re more comfortable and efficient. Your gear becomes a part of you and you become a better diver!
Let us help you select and custom fit gear that supports you and your particular brand of underwater fun. Looking for a good deal? How about…
HUGE Month Long Sale!
For the entire month of February, get 25% off just about everything in the store.
This includes ALL of our new Mares dive and snorkel gear. What a great opportunity to get outfitted in the latest cool stuff and be ready to make the most of the upcoming dive/snorkel season.
Rent to Own
Not sure if a certain piece of dive gear’s right for you? “Try it before you buy it.”
Just about everything that we sell in our Mares retail line, we offer as rental dive gear. Rent the equipment and try it out for a day of diving. If you decide to buy it, we’ll custom fit your new gear for you AND credit half of that day’s rental fees toward your new purchase. You can even take your new gear into our pool to become thoroughly familiar with it, if you like. Now, how sweet is that? (Sorry, you can’t use this deal retroactively.)
Already know what you want? We’ve got goodies for you, too. Buy a complete set of gear from us and get a coupon for a free day of diving or snorkeling with us. Here’s how it works: buy a new Mares regulator and BCD and get a free scuba trip. Or buy a Mares mask, fins, and snorkel combo and get a free snorkel trip.
Love your life support.
Equipment manufacturers recommend that your regulator and BCD be inspected and serviced at least annually. After all, it’s your life support system! When you buy a new Mares BCD or regulator from Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center, we’ll provide annual service on that piece of equipment (to the original purchaser) for five years, for the cost of parts ONLY. We’ll include the labor for free. Another sweet deal!
Student Discounts
Take any course from us and, for the next 30 days, you can get a 10% discount on ANY dive gear in the store. We think it’s important for you to own your own gear, so we’re willing to help you get it. (Sorry, this discount can’t be combined with other discounts.)
We think that continuing dive education increases your fun and safety. To prove it, we’re offering this incentive: complete a course or specialty with us and get a 10% discount on the next course/specialty you take with us within the following 30 days. Knowledge is good! Saving money is even better. (Nope – can’t combine this with other discounts on course fees either…)
Specialty of the Month: Boat Diver
Whether you’ve never made a boat dive or you’ve logged dozens, you can learn lots in the PADI Boat Diver Specialty course. Why? Because different boats in different parts of the world do things differently. After completing the PADI Boat Diver Specialty course, you’ll know how to stow.gear, enter and exit the water, use surface lines and more, depending upon your dive location and the type of boat you’re diving from. 
Some additional info:
- Must be a PADI Open Water Diver or Junior Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another organization)
- Covers techniques for diving from boats ranging from small inflatables to giant live-aboards
- Discusses how dive boats differ from place to place
- Gives you focused experience and training for diving from boats in your local area
- Covers basic boat safety equipment and use
- Certification counts toward the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating.
Check it out at padi.com
Have you seen me? 
This month’s Looe Key Fish of the Month is…
the Midnight Parrotfish, Scarus coelestinus. Like the rest of its family members, the Midnight Parrotfish feeds on the algae which grows on coral. As you swim along, you can see (and hear!) them appearing to take bites out of coral. In reality, they eat the algae and spill or excrete coral dust to make sand. The midnight parrotfish is a dark navy blue with bright blue markings on the head and the centers of many of their scales. Typical size on Looe Key Reef is about 18-24 inches, but they can grow to about 3 feet long! They’re not shy, so both divers and snorkelers can get a good look at them feeding on the reef if you approach slowly.