Submitted by diving on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 11:20

The Trunkfish: This week's Featured Fish on Dive Duck Key's Reef04/27/2012

The Trunkfish has a different type of scales than most fish. Their hexagonal scales are more like plates, and fuse together to make a solid, bony outer-surface that is like body armour. Trunkfish, which move slowly as a result of their boxy shape, protect themselves from predators by ...read more

The seas are calm and the fish are biting in heaven.04/07/2012

Our hearts weigh heavy today at Dive Duck Key with the news of the untimely death of Capt. Jose Wegebe. We had hoped to host Capt. Wegebe and his show Spanish Fly on a spearfishing trip on the Seafari in the near future. Capt. Wegebe was a supreme angler yet ...read more

Come see our creatures...first hand.04/03/2012

The water here at Dive Duck Key has been irresistable.Now that the March winds have subsided, it's time to get out there and see our beautiful reef full of interesting sea creatures. Remember, you don't need to be certified to breath underwater. Try SNUBA or a resort course TODAY!!!! ...read more

SNUBAriffic03/23/2012

March winds finally subsided today to allow for SNUBA divers to participate. Dive Duck Key had a boatload of divers and SNUBA divers enjoying the spledor of our beautiful reefs. We'd love to get you and your family out there too. Remember, you only need to be 8 yrs of ...read more

Braved the Seas... to See Below!03/23/2012

Mother Nature hasn't made it easy this week with high winds and big seas. Fortunately, here at Dive Duck Key, we have had some salties that wouldn't be deterred from their goal of seeing the beautiful reefs.The conditions beneath waves have been really good. Check out the pictures! ...read more

First Speared Fish03/20/2012

We had a great time teaching Jim how to force feed the fish!!! What a great marksman for a first time spearfishing underwater here at Dive Duck Key. Don't need bait!!! ...read more

Luck of the Irish03/19/2012

We were blessed with the luck of the Irish (and a beautiful rainbow) this St. Patrick's Day weekend. The Florida Keys got a nice break in the winds and Dive Duck Key ran several fantastic dive and SNUBA trips. Check out our Facebook Page to see some pictures ...read more

What about winter?03/02/2012

With spring starting, a lot of us down here in the Florida Keys are wondering- what happened to winter? We have had one of the warmest winters on record- with February temperatures averging in the 80s! Our guests from the North are sure enjoying the sun, and we ...read more

Southern Stingrays on Duck Key's Coral Reefs02/26/2012

Did you know that Southern Stingrays are related to Sharks? Like Sharks, they often hunt at night, and spend their days inactive. Stingrays often bury themselves in the sand to hide from predators. Our most recent Resort Diver, Michael, got to take his picture with a "hidden" ...read more

SCUBA Diving & Glasses01/31/2012

If you have bad eyesight, don’t worry- it will not keep you from seeing our beautiful coral reefs here in the Florida Keys. Depending on your prescription, you have options. For most farsighted divers (you can see better farther away than up close), a regular lens mask works ...read more

Underwater Cameras01/27/2012

The deeper underwater you dive, the more colors disappear from the UV Spectrum. The first colors to go are the reds and oranges, and the colors you see the most of deep down are the blues and greens. Taking an underwater camera with you when you dive allows ...read more

Dont let fear of getting sea sick keep you off the dive boat!01/14/2012

We currently offer 3 different brands of anti seasickness medicine at the dive shop. Triptone is the preferred medicine that we recommend to our divers. It seems to work twice as well as the other medicines with half the side affects. We also carry CVS brand Motion ...read more

Strike a pose! Hawksbill Turtle on Florida Keys Reef off of Duck Key01/09/2012

Anthony and I had the pleasure of spending a few minutes with this friendly little Hawksbill Turtle while diving with Dive Duck Key in the Florida Keys. He was kind enough to pose for a few pictures. Come get your picture taken with one of our 1200 species ...read more

Enjoy diving in summertime conditions on the coral reef this winter!01/05/2012

Hope everyone had a fantastic holiday, and that you all managed to find some time to relax and celebrate with your families. We at Dive Duck Key were very pleasantly super busy over the holidays, and the fantastic weather helped us get full boats out to the coral reef ...read more

Flip Flops at Christmas12/24/2011

For those of you who couldnt make it down this year for the holidays, keep in mind that we dive all year long! Winter still has a couple of months to go... pull your flip flops and dive bag out of the back of the closet and book a ...read more

Guess where Santa is scuba diving this year?12/07/2011

Come diving on our beautiful Florida Keys Coral Reefs this winter with Santa Claus! Its not all work for him during the holidays, he has taken some time off to blow bubbles with the tropical fish... ...read more

Great Dives with Joe!12/03/2011

Joe lucked out with a private charter on the Seafari, had nice long dives, and really got to spend some time with the crew. Come diving with us before the holiday rush hits us, we are still running nice small dive charters this week. We look forward to ...read more

Dive Duck Key is doing their part!11/26/2011

Jason and Ben went on a lionfish hunt out on the coral reefs. A very successful one, I might add. In addition to killing lionfish, they got hogfish and grouper for dinner, swam with a nurse shark, and played with a turtle. GIve us a call to ...read more

Underwater Hunting11/20/2011

Looking for a new way to fish? Try spearfishing! Andy and his spearfishing guide had an incredible day out on the coral reef- got dinner for the whole family! And caught a few lobsters as a bonus... come give it a try with us, winter is ...read more

Good Weather Day11/04/2011

Todays the day to go diving! Calm winds. We have a great trip planned for 1:00! ...read more

Stay Warm in the Water!11/02/2011

Winter is fast approaching here in the Florida Keys and while it may not get cold here, it does get cooler. Stay warm for your water activities by renting wetsuits at Dive Duck Key. We have full and shorty wetsuits, 3mm in thickness. Wetsuits are not just ...read more

Octopus Camoflauge10/21/2011

Check out this awesome video of an octopus on the coral reef. Did you know they were such amazing underwater creatures. You can really see how good the octopus is at camoflauge! http://youtu.be/PmDTtkZlMwM ...read more

Afternoon SNUBA Trip10/14/2011

Great trip going out this Afternoon (1-5pm). Ever thought about beathing underwater? Try SNUBA!!! No experience needed!!! Ages 8+!!! Great for the whole family! An experience you will never forget! ...read more

Great day for Pool Sessions10/04/2011

It's a little windy today! Hearty divers can have a good time. If you don't feel like being tossed around on the ocean, come see us for a Nitrox Class! ...read more

CONCHTOBERFEST SUCCESS10/01/2011

Dive Duck Key at Hawks Cay Resort was a busy destination last night with the unvailing of their "catch a lobster" tank. Come on down and have your picture taken with a bug! Then let us take you to the reef to catch your dinner too. ...read more

Happy Anniversary!!!!09/28/2011

Lets extend a HUGE congrats to our fearless leaders, Joe and Wendy Hall, who celebrated their 9th anniversary today! Over 9 years ago they got engaged underwater on our beautiful coral reefs here in the Florida Keys, today they spent their special day together underwater on the reef again... ...read more

Welcome the world's newest Certified Diver09/26/2011

Give a big CONGRATS to Gary, our newest certified diver! Great job out there! Gary, his better half, and Dive Duck Key completed 4 fantastic dives on the coral reef together, which finished up his PADI open water training. ...read more

Feeling Crabby?09/20/2011

Book your vacation to Dive Duck Key and Hawks Cay Resort right now! Chase the cold weather blues away by escaping to the beautiful Florida Keys! While you are here, come diving on our coral reefs- and see our awesome creatures, like this clinging crab shown here... ...read more

We miss you guys Liz & Jen!!!!09/13/2011

Thanks so much for sending us your beautiful dive pictures! We already miss having you guys on the boat... you both are the kind of divers we love showing our beautiful coral reefs to... come back soon! ...read more

Lobstering at Dive Duck Key09/12/2011

Even though the rush of opening lobster season is over, dont forget it is still legal to catch lobster until March 31st. They are still OUT THERE!!! Come and get 'em! ...read more

Spearfishing at Dive Duck Key09/04/2011

Check out Bert & Jim's big grouper! Sign up for one of our underwater spearfishing classes and give spearfishing a try! Its fun! And yummy.... ...read more

SNUBA at Dive Duck Key Rocks!!!08/17/2011

Check out this scorpion fish that one of our SNUBA divers found on his dive with Dive Duck Key! SOmetimes mistaken as a 'Rockfish' or a 'Stonefish', the Scorpion fish commonly inhabits Florida Keys Coral Reefs, although due to his wonderful ability to blend in with the rocks, is ...read more

Dive Duck Key got to show off our beautiful coral reefs to Bobby Labonte and family!07/07/2011

Nascar Driver Bobby Labonte and his family and friends joined Dive Duck Key on our dive trip out to the coral reef yesterday. Bert got in and coached the Labonte family on freediving while Christina took their friends the Eanes family on their very first scuba dives. Check ...read more

Thunderbolt Dive Mon Jun 20 8am06/15/2011

We're diving the Thunderbolt Wreck on Monday at 8am. At Dive Duck Key, we do include a guide for the wreck dive to a max of 120'. We'll follow the wreck with a shallow dive on one of the beautiful reefs found off of Duck Key. Please, call at your ...read more

NEWLY CERTIFIED DIVERS05/31/2011

Congratulations to our newly certified divers! Noel, J.T., and Jimbo finished their last certification dives yesterday afternoon onboard the Seafari. They performed their skills with ease, making the 2-3 foot seas look as easy as if it were flat calm. Great job guys! Thanks ...read more

Looking for May Divers05/19/2011

Now is the time to come down and dive! This month has been fantastic, weather wise. We have had great surface conditions and even better visibility! Plus, the spring break crowd has come and gone... no more crowded dive boats! Let us take ...read more

Beautiful SNUBA Girls03/18/2011

Thanks to the Ripley family for sharing their beautiful daughters with us. Bert had a great time SNUBA diving with them at Dive Duck Key!!! Super Day! ...read more

Two Great New Divers03/16/2011

Congratulations to Ryan and Ben who just finished their Open Water Certification here at Dive Duck Key. These boys were naturals!!! Now they have the cards to prove it. You can get certified too!!! Only takes 3 days. Come on down. ...read more

Worlds Newest Underwater Hunters03/16/2011

Congratulations to Alex and Trist for completing their open water hunting class. They both shot and handled their spearguns like professionals. Can't wait to see y'all back this summer!!! ...read more

Book Now for Spring Break01/07/2011

Well, the winter Holidays are over and we're gearing up for a long Spring Break. Did you know that Easter isn't until the 24th of April? Our underwater fun is already booking up so be sure not to wait too long to secure your spot. Time flies and we're having ...read more

Jessica's Dolphin Video10/20/2010

Check out Jessica's awesome dolphin footage. It's rare for us to see dolphins while we're scuba diving. These characters hung out for a video shoot. Just copy and paste the link to view the amazing show. So nice to see them in the wild!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFGvQN9IXRY ...read more

Diving in the Rain10/13/2010

Well it's that time of the year and "Yes" we do get some tropical rain down here in the Keys. That shouldn't stop you from enjoying your time underwater... Yes, you're going to get wet anyway. As long as we don't have strong winds or lightening, there's simply ...read more

Good times10/05/2010

The rest of the world is chilling down quickly. We're still in the balmy 80's. Water temp is about 84F and delightful. We've got some great deals on accomodations at Hawks Cay. Come down for the weekend...or sneak away for a few tropical days during the week. ...read more

Beautiful Visibility09/24/2010

Had a gorgeous couple of dives this morning. Some of the divers who usually dive in Key Largo, couldn't stop talking about how many fish and species of fish that they saw today. We explained that we have far less impact on our reef system because... we're usually ...read more

Time to hunt!!!09/21/2010

Now that the craziness of the opening days of Lobster Season have passed, it's time to get back out there and bring home some dinner. The water is starting to cool off (Still 85F)and we're starting to see our lobster and fish populations filling back in. Never been hunting ...read more

2010 Storm Season09/15/2010

We're more than half way through 2010's Hurricane Season and the Keys have so far... been spared. Time to come down and enjoy the Keys while everyone else is in school. We've had beautiful weather and water conditions. Only lost a few days so far due to wind. ...read more

Good Luck Jeff09/06/2010

Happy Labor Day! Unfortunately, we're not so happy here at Dive Duck Key. Today is Jeff's last day with us. He's headed to Mexico for a new adventure. We wish him the best of luck and thank him for all the great dives he shared with us and our ...read more

Newest Certified Underwater Hunter09/02/2010

Congratulations to Dr. Chris for completing his underwater hunting class yesterday. Brought dinner home after both trips. Beautiful visibility made for some easy training. Thanks for diving with us Chris!!! ...read more

Rainy Day Great Diving!!!08/31/2010

Was a bit soggy yesterday but the diving was BEAUTIFUL. You're gonna get wet anyway, so why not dive?!? Had gorgeous 80ft visibility and 1ft seas. Come on down and lets get wet!!! ...read more

Warm Water!08/20/2010

Just got back from a trip to CA and realized again why I moved here. The water there was barely 60F, it's 87F here. Come hop in our scuba jacuzzi!!!! ...read more

Get Wet08/09/2010

Had a little rain today, but very little wind. Going to the reef this afternoon. Should be pretty nice now that the storm has past. ...read more

Learn to Lobster & Spearfish08/06/2010

Lobster Season 2010 is open until March 31st. Come catch some bugs. Don't know how??? Hire a hunting guide or take our hunting specialty course. Learn to spearfish and catch them bugs!!! Tons of fun. ...read more

More Mini Season07/30/2010

Finished off strong with loads of fun lobstering on Thursday. Can't wait for open season to start on August 6th. Brian got his first kill with his first shot spearfishing ...read more

Mini Season 201007/28/2010

What an absolutely beautiful day for the opening day for Mini Lobster Season!!! Tons of lobsters and loads of fun. Can't wait to get back out there tomorrow. Open season for Lobster starts August 6th and doesn't close until the end of March. Come on down and get some ...read more

Lobster Season07/26/2010

Come join us and bring back dinner. Lobster Season is August 6th until the end of March. If you've never done it before, take our hunting class or hire a hunting guide. We've got everything you'll need to get dinner. It's like an Easter Egg hunt...but the eggs ...read more

SUMMERTIME CALM07/13/2010

Dive Duck Key has had unbelievable diving conditions this week. It's just like the Bahamas out there. Even if you've never been breathing underwater before we can get you up close and personal with the reef. Snorkelers can join their diving family and friends too!!! ...read more

Couldn't Be Better07/12/2010

Had an absolutely BEAUTIFUL weekend with calm seas and great visibility. Congratulations to all of you that were certified on Sunday. NO OIL IN THE KEYS!!!!! Come on down and see us!!! ...read more

SNUBARIFFIC!!!!07/07/2010

Amazing conditions out there. Clear water and beautiful fish. SNUBA is such a great way to try diving without all the time/$/heavy equipment. Dive 20ft TODAY!!!! ...read more

Booking up for Summer06/23/2010

Winds kicked up a little this week, but we're still out there having a good time. Great time to get refreshed in the pool and ready to do some great diving this weekend. Don't forget we have our Free SNUBA Pool Party on Friday morning from 9-11am. Bring your ...read more

Happy Fathers Day06/20/2010

Dive Duck Key is wishing you a Happy Fathers Day to all those Fantastic Fathers out there. Whether you're diving, fishing or simply hanging out with your Dad, we hope that you're all having a wonderful day. ...read more

SNUBA SNUBA SNUBA06/16/2010

Dive Duck Key has had such a great time with all of our SNUBA divers this week. So many of them booked to go out again for some more underwater bubble making!!! Those that almost cancelled due to the BP incident were so glad that they didin't!!! Get your reservations ...read more

Little Duck at Dive Duck Key06/15/2010

Never too early to start freediving. David Hall on his second trip to the reef is already reaching depths of nearly 10ft. Conditions at Dive Duck Key have been like the Bahamas. If you're family is enjoying compressed air and you'd rather use the air from the surface you're still ...read more

First Time Wreck Diving06/08/2010

Dive Duck Key took the McCutchen family out to the Thunderbolt wreck off of Duck Key yesterday for their first deep wreck dive. Amazing conditions and tons of HUGE fish to see. What a wonderful way to spend your day. Why go out of th US when we have such ...read more

Another Oil Free Wonderful Day!!!06/05/2010

The McCutchen's brought their family and friends to Hawk's Cay in celebration of Meridith's 21st Birthday. What a great way to celebrate!!! She's an incredible spearfisherwomen and shot the majority of the catch today. Her brother, Jer, did get the biggest fish though... 100ft of visibilty and barely ...read more

Get the Facts06/03/2010

Damage Control. Thanks again to the Media unverified reports of Tar Balls being found in the Middle Keys have made the news. Apparently there was a boat that partially sank in one of the canals at Duck Key yesterday. They found some redsidue of an "oily substance" in the water ...read more

Spearfishing is Awesome05/29/2010

Tristan and his dad came out spearfishing with us today. We were having so much fun the time seemed to disappear. Tristan did an amazing job for his first time spearfishing. We're all so proud of him!!! Just another wonderful experience here at Dive Duck Key. ...read more

Is My Computer Lying???05/28/2010

Was so nice we did a crew dive yesterday. On the ascent I doubted my computer. It read 50ft when I swore I was only 15ft from the surface. That's what happens when the water is that clear!!! Good news... the computer is fine. Sure hope we get to show ...read more

Beautiful Conditions05/27/2010

Memorial Weekend Weather looks like we'll have continued BEAUTIFUL CONDITIONS here at Dive Duck Key. We've had nothing less than 50ft of visibility and very little wind. What a great time to get out there and dive. Never been diving? Try SNUBA or a resort course ages 8+. The ...read more

4th of July Fireworks Cruise05/25/2010

Join us to view Hawks Cay Resort's very own Fireworks show from the water. Have an unobstucted view of the beautiful display. Beer/Wine/Sodas included. Adults $50 Kids $35. Only 26 passengers onboard the Seafari. Call for reservations today!!! ...read more

Newest Open Water Diver05/25/2010

Congratulations to Steve Levine for finally....many years after taking his college diving course completed his open water certification. What a great new member to the diving community. Hope he and Melissa have a super time on their next dive vacation!!!! ...read more

Where is Duck Key?05/21/2010

Dive Duck Key is at Mile Marker 61 in the Upper Middle Keys. We have a unique setting with no other dive shops within a ten mile radius to compete with. We have over 30 reefs that are essentially visited by only our shop to choose from. Summer is booking ...read more

Keys Are Open and Diving05/20/2010

Dive Duck Key is OPEN and running trips to the beautiful reefs just off of Duck Key. Please, don't let the media scare you. Nothing is abnormal here and the conditions are PERFECT!!! Come on down. ...read more

Dive Duck Key Dolphin???05/20/2010

We've had some amazing conditions and although diving is our forte' we still like to go line fishing too. Bert had a great day catching 11 dolphin in 3 hrs. Not bad for a rookie! Go BERT ...read more

Lionfish!04/20/2010

Killed another one yesterday and before I could bag it for the study a red grouper atr it. Who says nothing eats them??? Dive Duck Key is just doing our part to keep the population down. ...read more

Dive Duck Key Worldwide04/08/2010

One of our best customers took her Dive Duck Key shirt skiing. What a great shot!!! Thanks for the great pictures. We miss you!! ...read more

Great Times04/06/2010

The wind picked up a little but we have beautiful visability and are having some great trips. Congrats to our newly certified divers Leah and Jeff. They both did a fantastic job! Time for you to get certified too!!!! ...read more

Great Lobster Season04/01/2010

What a way to end the season. Caught some beautiful lobsters with Dr. Joe and shot a couple yummy mangrove snappers too!!! Hire a hunting guide and bring home dinner. Lobster season reopens for Mini Season the last Wednesday and Thursday of July and regular season opens August 6th. ...read more

Try SNUBA for FREE03/17/2010

Every Friday from 9am-11am at the main pool we offer a Free Pool Party. Come try SNUBA for free. We'll even take your picture underwater and send it to your email as a fun way to remember the experience. No reservations are necessary. Just show up anytime between 9am and ...read more

See the Fish03/09/2010

If you're coming all the way to the Florida Keys for your vacation, you need to get in and under the water to see the 1200 species of fish that live here. Not a certified diver? No problem. Try SNUBA or take a 1/2 day resort course and breath underwater. ...read more

Come Get Warm03/08/2010

Wow, we're finally warming up here. It's 80F here today. Had a great group of divers and SNUBA out there enjoying the summerlike conditions. Get your Spring Break reservations today. ...read more

TODAY March 5th03/05/2010

The Indies Club pool is sheltered from any wind and heated to perfection. Join us for a Free Snuba Pool Party from 9-11am. ...read more

Hold My Spot02/26/2010

All that cold weather has people really looking forward to warming up here in the Florida Keys for Spring Break. If you're interested in booking SNUBA and Scuba trips please, call before we run out of space. Our trips have limited seating to insure your safety and individual attention. ...read more

Get Certified02/23/2010

Did you know that you can complete Open Water Scuba Certifications in 3 days. We send you the books ahead and in 6 half day sessions you can have either your PADI or NAUI Open Water Certification. Our class sizes are small since we book around your vacation ...read more

Support your USA!!!!02/15/2010

In an upsidedown economy one of the easy things we can do to help each other, is to spend our time and money inside the USA. Why go to the Bahamas when you can dive right here in the Florida Keys? We've made a concerted effort, here at Dive Duck ...read more

What to do with your kids?02/10/2010

Love bringing your kids on vacation, but don't always want to spend the whole time with them. 10yrs and up can participate in a One Day Resort Scuba Course. Drop them off at Dive Duck Key in the morning and we'll keep them entertained all day. We can also break ...read more

Try SNUBA for FREE02/09/2010

Every Friday from 9am-11am at the main pool we offer a Free Pool Party. Come try SNUBA for free. We'll even take your picture underwater and send it to your email as a fun way to remember the experience. No reservations are necessary. Just show up anytime between 9am and ...read more

Diving at age 8.02/05/2010

Dive Duck Key is one of the few places in the US that you and your kids can breath underwater. You only have to be 8 yrs old to participate. Do SNUBA on one of our half day trips for as little as $99. Here at Hawks Cay, you ...read more

Spring Break02/03/2010

It's time to book now for your Spring Break reservations. We have very limited seating for instructor guided activities like SNUBA, Scuba lessons and guides. If you haven't made your reservations yet please, call or email us today!!!! 877-FUN-DIVE diving@hawkscay.com ...read more

Dive Duck Key's Seafari with her new Facelift02/02/2010

Dive Duck Key is proud to announce that her bi annual transformation was a success. She's all shined up and ready to take you diving. Although Seafari is not the newest boat in the Florida Keys, she has the reputation of being one of the most comfortable boats ...read more

Come get wet in the Florida Keys.02/01/2010

To dive in the Florida Keys you don't need to be a certified diver. You can SNUBA dive at age 8 on a half day charter with no prior experience. Or... join us for a 1 day resort course and dive TODAY!!!! Bring your non-diving friends along as snorkelers ...read more

The Rest of the World Is freezing…We’re Diving, Dive Duck Key01/08/2010

Global warming??????? A little confused? Yes, it’s the coldest it’s been here since 1999 but, the water is still in the low to mid 70’s. That’s warmer than it is in the summer time in California. With the wetsuits we provide, bring a sweatshirt for the ...read more