June 2008 >> Archives

Caribbean Diving – No Passport Required

Reef Etiquette

It’s alive! As most people these days know, coral is not a rock - it's a very delicate living creature. If you touch a spot of coral, you've killed that spot of coral. And it could take decades to grow back. When diving around a coral reef, ALWAYS be careful not to touch, bump, brush, grab, lean on, fall on, or let your gear touch the live coral. Remember, you’re about 2 feet (48 cm) taller with those fins behind you. Allow some extra room. Divers, secure your gauge console and octopus reulator.to your BCD so they don’t bang into the reef.

You may also see areas of coral that have been broken off by hurricanes and appear dead. Look closely - many are actually starting to re-grow new coral! So please don’t touch them either.

The reef thanks you...

Gear Meister answers your gear questions...

"What You Get is What You See" (Part 2)

Last month we talked about getting a mask that fits so water stays out. This month, we’ll discuss how designers have improved our visibility through the mask.

Old school. If you remember back to the days of Sea Hunt and before, you’ve probably seen the large round or oval single-pane window perched far away from the face on a large opaque rubber skirt. This mask was a great development in diving, but it was a lot like looking through the cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels – there was very limited peripheral vision in any direction. With the advent of more modern technology and materials, masks have become much smaller, more comfortable, and longer lasting..

Better living through silicone. Skirts are now made of silicone which is more flexible and longer lasting than rubber. But there are different grades of silicone. Feel the skirts - especially near the edge - of various masks in different price ranges and you’ll feel the difference in thickness and suppleness. In general, a thinner and more supple skirt means a more comfortable and better fitting mask. Many of the new silicone materials are even strong enough to allow the buckles to be attached directly to the
skirt - this reduces volume and weight.

Color of the skirt. This is a matter of personal preference. Clear or lightly colored silicone allows some peripheral vision as light and shapes can be distinguished so it’s less like looking through a tunnel. However, many photographers prefer a completely opaque skirt to block out distracting light while they look through the camera viewfinder.

Windows on the (underwater) world. The glass in a dive mask is called the window and they come in MANY designs. How to choose? In a nutshell, a smaller volume mask with the window closer to the face is better.

Side vision Some masks have side windows which increase sideways visibility but are also bigger in size and volume. Downside? Increased volume is filled with air and can make the mask feel like it’s trying to float off your head. Increased size creates drag when you’re swimming in the water, especially in a current. Fortunately, the clear silicone skirt achieves the same effect with a smaller size.

Up and down visibility Designers use various lens shapes and different tilts in the frame in order to improve vision in the up and down axis. It’s a matter of personal preference. But in general, the closer the lens is to your face, the better your peripheral vision.

One pane or two? Front windows come in single pane or double pane. Again, a matter of personal preference. Just make sure that the nose piece and center eye piece frames aren’t in your field of view.

"Optical delusions". Check for distortion in the front windows. To do this, hold the mask 6-8 inches (12-18 cm) away from your eyes and look through it while rotating it side to side. Objects shouldn’t move around or get wavy when looking through a mask with high quality optics.

If you need glasses and find a mask you really love, you can get corrective lenses for most masks that replace the standard window. For those of us getting older and needing bifocals, you can have prescription bifocal lenses bonded onto your mask to allow you to see up close.

Just remember...-  your mask has to fit you or it will leak. Thinner, more supple silicone skirts usually fit better and are more comfortable. The color and opaqueness of the skirt as well as the design of the window is mainly a matter of personal preference. In general, the smaller the mask and the closer the window sits to your face, the more you’ll be able to see.

Still confused?  A good dive shop should let you try on a variety of masks. They can also help you find the one that fits you best and decide which features you want.

We've got your gear

Check out our complete line of masks, fins, and snorkels at Looe Key Dive Center.
Diver or snorkeler, you'll find what you need.
Buy a complete set of Mares mask, fins, and snorkel and get a FREE snorkel trip.



Kokomo Fun Facts

Meet Kokomo, the cat.

If you've visited our shop, you've probably seen Kokomo in her usual hardworking position - asleep on the counter. She joined the shop as a kitten in 1998 after Hurricane George.

On the other hand, our boat is named The Kokomo Cat. It's twenty years old and is getting ready to retire.

Out with the old

The stalwart Kokomo Cat is being retired and the NEW Kokomo Cat II is on the way! The new boat should be here by mid- June. Based on the same design as the old Kokomo Cat, the new boat will be faster, quieter, and more stable. The mid-ships ladders will make getting on and off the boat simple and safe. Seating is plentiful and roomy. The new sound system will make staying on board even more pleasant. And yes, we’ll still be making the world famous "Kokomo Dogs" between dives!

Introducing The Kokomo Kitten!!

OK, that’s not the official name. But we do now have a new six-person boat - in addition to the Kokomo Cat. Why?  Everyone agrees that Looe Key Reef is fantastic diving but sometimes you just want something … different. Well, now you can book our six- person boat and try a bunch of different things.

How about exploring one of the hundreds of nearby beautiful patch reefs with abundant marine life? Or visit the Adolphus Busch wreck (and eventually the Vandenberg) any day of the week. Maybe you’d prefer a night dive. Or spear fishing. You can even mix and match to create your own best day of diving. We need a minimum of four divers to run a trip (if you don’t have enough in your party, we’ll try to help you find some more.) Click here for details.

Another great way Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center goes the extra mile to satisfy our clients!

Buoyancy control is what separates good divers from people who dive. Good buoyancy control is the foundation for most other diving activities, from protecting the environment, to wreck diving, underwater photography, and fish ID.

Float effortlessly, drifting over reefs. Hang motionlesss during your safety stop. Be the diver you want to be, with ultimate buoyancy control - able to hover close to the bottom and examine underwater organisms without touching them.

Buoyancy skills separate the good divers from the great divers. In the Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course, you will learn how to precisely weight yourself for optimum control, poise and balance. You'll learn to ascend and descend so effortlessly, it seems like you only think about it and it happens. By mastering streamlining, you can move through the water cleanly, efficiently and gracefully. Then you'll be able to swim near fragile environments without harm to them or yourself.

Get the buoyancy control great divers have with PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy. For all the details, check it out at PADI.com

Looe Key Fish of the Month

Scrawled Filefish – Aluterus scriptus
This odd-shaped grazer can be seen drifting over the reef either solitarily or in pairs. The family gets its name from the elongated foredorsal fin that can be raised in defense. The “scrawled” moniker comes from the numerous blue to blue-green squiggles and black dots all over its body. Typically 1-2 feet ( 24-50 cm) long, they’re seen regularly around the reef by both divers and snorkelers although they don’t like to be approached too closely.

The Great Annual Fish Count takes place in July - you can help! Check it out at
The Great Annual Fish Count