Let's go snuba diving! No, that's not a typo. Snuba: It's the new, family-friendly way to go underwater sightseeing. In Key West, Florida, Key West Snuba Diving tour is the place for snuba diving. Ocean Vue offers the number one Key West snorkel and dolphin observation tour in their glimpse-of-the-future glass bottomed boat, and they now offer exciting shallow dive snuba trips. The whole family, from age eight upwards, can experience this super fun way to see the undersea world. After just a one-half hour training session, divers are ready to go. They are equipped with a snorkel mask attached to a long, flexible breathing tube that allows them to dive to depths of 20 feet. The tube is anchored to an air supply sitting on a raft at the water's surface. Ocean Vue's Key West snuba divers get a closer and more personal view of the third largest barrier reef system in the world, the Great Florida Reef. This fragile and colorful ecosystem provides home to a tremendous variety of fish and other marine life. The waters in the Gulf of Mexico remain temperate year round, with generally mild wave action; perfect conditions for reef formation and for underwater viewing. If a person can swim and is over eight years old, Ocean Vue snuba tours give a much talked about experience.
Ocean Vue continues its unparalleled offerings with a futuristic hydrofoil glass bottom tour unlike any other available. Unique among the many other snorkel tours in Key West, Ocean Vue features an ultramodern hydrofoil designed with such sleek, dynamic lines it can slice through the waters at a breathtaking, heart thumping 50 mph. The exciting trip from the shore to the reefs is about seven miles of relaxation. Ocean Vue is unique among the other Key West tour boats because it features a huge glass bottom with a six foot by nine foot uninterrupted viewing expanse. Made from a special water drop curved glass that magnifies outside elements by two times, the vast viewing floor of the Ocean Vue gives the impression of looking through a giant glass bowl into the ocean's depths. With the splendor of the underwater life fully exposed to view, a sightseeing tour on the Ocean Vue hydrofoil is an experience of stunning impact.
When the seven miles have been traveled, and the reef has been reached, the more adventuresome sightseers are allowed to jump off the hydrofoil and see the coral reef through their snorkel facemasks. Florida's coral reef is the only living barrier reef in the continental United States, and it is home to an impressive 1,400 species of marine plants and animals. The coral reef of Florida is between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. Climatic and environmental changes have put stress on the coral. Longhorn and stag-horn coral are now on the endangered species list; however, environmental controls and human efforts are giving cause for hope. The endangered species are doing well in protected farm areas and are thriving when repositioned back into the wild. Coral polyps are animals, but with plants living in their cells, they exhibit features of both kingdoms. Because of the fragility of the coral, sightseers are requested to treat the living colonies with respect. Watching all the underwater activity of the numerous life forms darting in and out of the reef through a snorkel facemask can enthrall for ages. But if one does tire of snorkeling, a most comfortable seat on the boat is waiting.
When the coral reef has been thoroughly explored, the sleek hydrofoil heads to an area the locals call the dolphin playground. Here, dolphins are observed in all their unfettered glory. Whether playing, hunting or interacting with others in the pod, dolphins create a display that is a memorable experience. Observation can take place from the enclosed seating encircling the glass bottom; from the deck, protected by a canopy; or from in the water with the dolphins a respectful distance away. U.S. law forbids enticing a dolphin to approach, but if a dolphin does freely approach a person in the water, that person is allowed to interact. When this most up-close and personal method of watching dolphins is chosen, and if the dolphins are feeling particularly curious or playful, a Key West snorkel trip may provide a playful water companion for the afternoon and an experience to last a lifetime.
Ocean Vue, with its sleek hydrofoil offering a peek into the future of glass-bottomed viewing boats, is the number one choice for snorkel and dolphin tours in Key West. For active family-fun snuba diving, or for a day of snorkeling over the coral colonies of the Great Florida Reef or observation of the antics of dolphins playing freely in their home waters, Ocean Vue is the first choice of snorkel in Key West trips. Book now, seating is limited.
