What Florida Keys Dive Center does

Florida Keys Dive Center (also doing business as Islamorada Dive Center) is a privately held, owner-operated full-service scuba and snorkeling adventure company headquartered at 84001 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036. Founded and led by Captain Eric Billips, the company operates approximately 12-14 staff across roles including PADI instructors, US Coast Guard-licensed captains, shop management, and conservation coordination, with a named primary vessel "Aquatic Liberty." It serves tourists, vacationers, and Florida Keys residents through direct-to-consumer bookings, targeting use cases spanning guided reef and wreck dives, shark encounters, spearfishing, lobster diving, PADI scuba certification, and private custom charters.

Name

Florida Keys Dive Center

Legal name

Florida Keys Dive Center

Website

https://floridakeysdivecenter.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Florida Keys Dive Center is a privately held, owner-operated dive center in Islamorada, FL offering guided scuba charters, snorkeling trips, PADI certifications, spearfishing, lobster diving, shark encounters, and private charters to tourists, vacationers, and aspiring divers in the Florida Keys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Adventure Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

akta.pro primary industry

Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications) (THAAAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses) (THAJAJAD), Scuba Diving & Freediving Centers (Training, Guided Dives) (THAAAKAD), Dive & Snorkel Guides / Dive Masters (Boat-Based & Shore-Based) (THAAALAC), Snorkeling Tours & Reef Experiences (THAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Scuba diving charters
• Snorkeling tours
• PADI certification courses
• Spearfishing charters
• Shark encounter dives

Headquarters

HQ city

Islamorada

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Scuba and Snorkel Charters: Per-activity revenue from guided scuba diving and snorkeling trips. Morning and afternoon charters offered at varying price points with equipment rental upsells.
2. PADI Certification Courses: Revenue from PADI Open Water Certification ($525-$620), Open Water Diver Referral ($400), and Discover Scuba Diving courses ($275). Includes conservation specialty courses.
3. Spearfishing and Lobster Charters: Specialized hunting charters for spearfishing ($200) and lobster diving ($200) during season (Aug 6 - March 31). Includes guide and cleaning services.
4. Shark Encounter Adventures: Shark diving and snorkeling experiences at $95 (divers) and $60 (snorkelers). Conservation-focused shark awareness programs.
5. Private Charters: Half-day (4 hours, $1,200) and full-day (8 hours, $2,000) private boat charters with dedicated captain and guide for customized experiences.
6. 3-Dive Adventure Charter: Full-day 3-dive trips at $175 per person. Schedule includes wreck dives and reef combinations requiring Advanced certification for certain sites.
7. Multi-Trip Packages: Bundled dive packages offering discounted rates: 3 trips ($270), 4 trips ($340), 5 trips ($400), with optional gear rental add-ons.
8. Equipment Rentals: Additional revenue from equipment rentals including full gear ($40), wetsuits ($20), and spearfishing guns ($25).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Florida Keys Dive Center is a full-service scuba and snorkeling adventure operator based in Islamorada, Florida, providing guided dive and snorkel charters, PADI scuba certification courses, spearfishing and lobster hunting charters, shark encounter experiences, and private boat charters. All activities depart from their Islamorada headquarters serving the only living barrier reef in the continental United States and historic wreck sites including the Duane, Spiegel Grove, Eagle, and Benwood.

Product overview

Florida Keys Dive Center is a full-service scuba and snorkeling adventure company in Islamorada, FL. The offering is organized around three core pillars: (1) guided dive and snorkel charters including Morning Scuba Trips, Afternoon Charters, and the signature 3 Dive Adventure Charter offering three dives per trip; (2) shark encounters and spearfishing/lobster hunting charters; and (3) PADI scuba training from beginner Discover Scuba courses through Open Water Certification, Open Water Referrals, and the PADI Underwater Hunter specialty. Private custom charters and Multi Trip Packages provide flexibility for various customer segments. The company also offers dedicated shark awareness dives and lobster season charters. All bookings are managed through FareHarbor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Morning Scuba Trip Guided morning scuba charters to reef and wreck sites for basic and advanced certified divers. Reef dives on wall-like reefs (40-100 ft) for basic certified divers on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat; wreck dives on the Eagle (80-115 ft) requiring Advanced certification on Thurs and Sun. Priced at $95 per certified diver for a 4-hour trip.
• Afternoon Scuba and Snorkel Charter Afternoon shallow reef dive and snorkel trip visiting two locations, suitable for snorkelers (ages 5+) and certified divers. Guided certified diver pricing from $95; snorkeler pricing from $60. Full gear rental available for $40, wetsuit for $20.
• 3-Dive Adventure Charter The company's signature '3 Dives Per Trip' charter featuring wrecks, reefs, and drift diving. Six-hour trip at $175 per person for ages 12+. Includes water, snacks, guide, tanks, and weights. Advanced and Nitrox certification required for wreck itineraries.
• Shark Encounter (Scuba or Snorkel with Sharks) Shark awareness experience swimming with nurse sharks at 'Nurse Shark City'. Shark Encounter Certified Diver (min age 10) from $95; Shark Encounter Snorkeler (min age 6) from $60. Four-hour duration with conservation-focused programming.
• Private Scuba Charters Private half-day (4 hours, $1,200) or full-day (8 hours, $2,000) boat charters with dedicated captain and guide. Includes tanks, weights, and refreshments. Customizable underwater journey for certified divers (ages 10+) and snorkelers (ages 5+).
• Multi-Trip Dive Packages Discounted bundled dive packages: 3 Trip Package ($270, 6 dives), 4 Dive Trip Package ($340, 8 dives), 5 Dive Trip Package ($400, 10 dives). Includes tanks, weights, and dive guide, with optional gear rental add-ons ($90-$150).
• Spearfishing Charter Spearfishing charters for experienced spearfishers or those with PADI Underwater Hunter certification. Includes spear guide, fishing license, and fish cleaning. Rental guns available for $25. From $200 for a 4-hour trip, ages 12+.
• Lobster Diver Charter Lobster hunting charters during Florida lobster season (August 6 - March 31) with professional guide. Includes lobster guide, license, and cleaning. $200 per trip, requires diver certification and lobstering experience.
• PADI Open Water Certification Two-day PADI Open Water Diver certification course. Set dates (Tues-Weds or Fri-Sat) for $525; custom dates for $620. Ages 10+. Includes PADI AWARE and PADI SHARK CONSERVATION specialty courses. eLearning option available.
• PADI Open Water Diver Referral Referral completion course for students who finished classroom and pool sessions at another shop. Finishes certification with 4 checkout dives across two half-days. $400, includes PADI AWARE and PADI SHARK CONSERVATION specialties.
• Discover Scuba Diving (One Day Resort Course) Introductory scuba experience for non-certified divers ages 10+. Morning pool session with instructor, afternoon with two reef dives. $275 includes all gear, pool session, and two reef dives with taxes.
• PADI Underwater Hunter Course PADI specialty course teaching safe and sustainable spearfishing. One-on-one instruction with two training dives. $250 includes certification card, with an additional $50 PADI processing fee. Includes fish cleaning for dinner.
• Wreck Trek Tri-Fecta Weekly Saturday wreck diving adventure visiting three wrecks: Duane, Spiegel Grove, and Benwood. Combines the 3 Dive Adventure Charter with multiple historic shipwreck sites.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationFareHarbor provides the booking and reservation system embedded in Florida Keys Dive Center's website. Handles calendar availability, customer bookings, and payment processing for all activities including charters, courses, and packages.
• PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)coreTechnology or IntegrationPADI provides scuba certification programs including Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Discover Scuba, and specialty courses like Underwater Hunter. Florida Keys Dive Center is a PADI dive center offering official PADI certifications.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Quiescence Diving Services: Florida Keys dive operation offering scuba charters, training, and guided reef/wreck diving. Direct competitor serving the same Upper Keys/Islamorada visitor segment with overlapping dive site access.
• Conch Republic Divers: Key Largo, FL dive operator offering daily dive charters, PADI training, and specialty dives. Comparable peer serving the same Florida Keys diving tourism market with a similar charter-plus-certification model.
• Captain Hook's Marina & Dive Center: Marathon, FL dive operation in the middle Keys offering dive charters, certifications, and reef/wreck diving. Comparable dive center operator in the same Florida Keys market with similar charter and certification offerings.
• Rainbow Reef Dive Center: PADI 5-star dive center in Key Largo, FL offering scuba charters, certifications, and dive training in the Florida Keys. Closest direct comparable to Florida Keys Dive Center in geography, product mix, and customer base (Keys tourists and visiting divers).
• Southpoint Divers: Big Pine Key dive operator in the lower Florida Keys offering reef and wreck charters with PADI training. Comparable peer serving Florida Keys tourists with similar charter-and-certification structure.
• Horizon Divers: Key Largo dive center offering daily dive charters and PADI certification courses. Directly comparable Florida Keys dive operator targeting similar tourist and certification customers.
• Sailfish Scuba: Florida dive operator offering scuba charters and PADI training across multiple Keys/SE Florida locations. Comparable dive center competitor with overlapping certification and charter products in the same Florida market.
• Amoray Dive Resort: Key Largo dive resort offering dive packages, charters, and PADI training tied to on-site accommodations. Comparable Keys dive operator with overlapping certification and charter products, distinguished by bundled lodging.

Regional players

• Island Bay Water Sports: Florida Keys watersports operator offering jet ski, parasail, and boat rental experiences rather than scuba-focused diving. Comparable regional tourism operator in the Keys targeting the same visitor base but with broader watersports rather than scuba specialization.

Emerging players

• Diving With a Purpose: Nonprofit maritime archaeology diving organization that partnered with Florida Keys Dive Center for a multi-day training certification. Comparable niche peer in the Keys diving/training ecosystem, intersecting on PADI specialty education and conservation-focused experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/islamoradadivecenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida Keys Dive Center