In Your Words - What Visitors Have Had to Say About Horizon Divers

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[I got] certified PADI Sidemount and PADI Tec 40 with Horizon Divers in June 2011. The classes were conducted in a very professional mannner. The instructor was knowledgeable and firm but not abusively so. He was also willing to spend as much time as necessary to teach and assist in the learning of required skills. Boat crews were efficient and put safety first. The shop staff was very friendly. My expirience with Horizon divers was positive and I would not hesitate to dive or take classes with them again.

Marcus J., Urbandale, IA, June-July/11

I want to thank everyone at Horizon for making our Memorial Day weekend one of the best ever. My friend and I brought our sixteen year old sons down to take the Advanced Open Water course and all four of us had an amazing time. From the people in the shop and on the dock, to the captains and other staff on the boats, everyone treated us great and made sure we were having fun. Mike Ryan was an outstanding instructor and I know he showed us things we NEVER would have seen on our own. His patience and attention to my son who was using an UW camera for the first time was just great. We came home with some amazing photos. Hopefully, we will be back soon. Keep up the good work.

Ken T., Long Island, NY, 6/28-29/11

I want to thank you and your staff for another in a series of PERFECT dive trips with Horizon Divers. Our group of eight divers were split between two boat, mornings and afternoon dives over a four day period and Joni scheduled all of them flawlessly. Horizon’s customer service has always been second to none, but this trip was made even more outstanding thanks to the professional efforts of Troy, Stephanie and Ryan.

We are all looking forward to coming back again in July to dive with the “Best in the Keys”.

Michael M., VA, 5/11

I got bumped from diving with scuba do divers on the day before thanksgiving in 2010 because I was the only person on the boat. They sent me diving with you guys. Not only was it a great diving experience but Mike was taking pictures of the divers. Each year I go somewhere diving somebody takes pictures, I always get their contact information and never receive the photos. It’s not someone else’s responsibility to send photos of me diving, and If I wanted them, I should have taken them myself. But this year after all the trips with different organizations and no pictures I finally got a envelope with those photos [from Horizon Divers].

I wanted to personally thank both Mike and Horizon Divers and let you know. I come to Key Largo once a year to dive for a week. I will always dive with horizon for now on. You have gained a lifelong customer for going the extra mile, and I will be sure to tell people about you in the future.

Thanks so much for the great memories and the cd of photos to keep them fresh.

Please let Mike know I appreciate it.

Chris B., Frederick, Ashland City, TN, 11/10

I did the last dive trip of my vacation with you guys and you rock! It was the PERFECT end to a great week. Your crew and Capt. Bob create a vibe on the boat that makes it stand out as excellent. They are so attentive and go out of their way to make the topside experience fun. I was also fortunate to have Mike as my guide for a double dip on the Duane. I can't wait to come back and dive with you again. As I said, it was the PERFECT end to a great week.

Jeff L., Frederick, Alexandria, VA, 1/21/11

To Stephanie, Ryan, & the Horizon Crew, I cannot even begin to thank you enough for the amazing dive. Honestly I have never been so close to quitting and giving up on something because of the sheer terror that was going through my mind, and probably written all over my face :). Despite this, Stephanie held my hand, literally, for my first breaths under the sea and made it bar none the best experience i have ever had. Everyone was so patient and helpful. I felt very prepared when I dove and surprisingly still remembered all of the hand signals and how to clear my mask. Overall it was an amazing experience and I am hooked! I can't wait to dive again. I will for sure be getting certified in the near future, my crew and I will be back :). Anyone would be lucky to have a Horizon diving experience, everyone there is phenomenal. Thank you so much again!! Can't wait for my next dive!!! :)

Taylor H., Frederick, MD, 1/7/11

To Dan & the wonderful staff at Horizon Divers:
After having been away from Key Largo for four long years, we brought a great group of North East wreck divers from Kings County Divers in Brooklyn, NY back to the Florida Keys for a much needed vacation. This was our fourth trip to Key Largo since 2004.

We can not thank you all enough for making our trip such a memorable one. The staff at Horizon Divers’, with whom we have become friends with over the years, was professional and attentive to the needs of our group from even before we had arrived. The personal attention given to us by Dan (the owner/operator) during the trip preparation in the months preceding the trip was greatly appreciated. He made running a trip of this size all that much easier for us as the trip leaders.

We’d like to also give a shout out to Captain Bob Bates! By far the best dive boat captain in all of the Florida Keys. As always, Bob, it was great having you at the helm almost every day of our trip. Additionally, thanks to Stephanie & Sara (our divemasters), Capt. Tom & Scott (our Captain & crew for one day) and Giovi, Mike & Joni (the dive shop staff). Of course it was also great to see Saba & Pirate (the dive shop mascots) as well.

As dive instructors and trip leaders, we have taken groups to many different places both in and out of the U.S. We have to say that Horizon Divers has definitely been the easiest dive operation to deal with in planning a large scale trip. The entire staff from the owner, to the boat captains, dive masters, and shop staff are all extremely friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. We look forward to returning to the Florida Keys and dive with Horizon Divers once again in the near future.

Thank you all again for a wonderful dive vacation!

Steve M. & Steve F., Kings County Divers, Brooklyn, NY

I just wanted to send a message to let you know how a former student is doing. This is Nelson, I'm the one in orange in the photo below. I was awarded a competitive research internship with Divers Alert Network this summer. I am stationed in Scapa Flow, Scotland. Scapa Flow is the site where the entire german WWI fleet was scuttled at the end of the war. The diving here is excellent, and I have even had the opportunity to go out of the flow and dive on some virgin wrecks. I have aided in the identification of several, and been the first ever to dive some as well.

These wrecks are very deep, ranging from 70 to yesterday's 91 meters deep. I wanted to thank you for the excellent job you did training me, as those tech certifications are the basis for my diving today.

I hope this letter finds you well. Keep up the good work! Cheers.

Nelson W.

Hey Dan- Just wanted to thank you & everyone there for helping make "a lemon into lemonade". You went especially above & beyond to help me feel, safe, comfortable & have fun while diving with your shop. I have already shouted out your praises to my diving friends up here in the northeast & beyond. Can't wait to be able to come back & dive with you all soon. You have a great group of people working for/with you and that makes it all the more pleasurable when everyone is very knowledgable & happy in their jobs. Thanx again & will see you soon.

Judy C., Newark, DE, 6/10

Dan, Just wanted to let you know that my trips out to the dive sight this past weekend were fantastic. I really enjoy how the captain and mate handled the boat and guests. I definitely will dive with your crew again. You have a very professional outfit that places safety first.

Jeffery C., Orlando, FL, 8/09

Dan, Thank you for a great four days of diving. It was awesome, exhilarating, and very enjoyable. For all of us this was a rare treat as you more than delivered on everything. We are still trying to figure out how you controlled the ocean and the current but understand that you are truly a multi talented guy with a great staff.

I can guarantee you we will be back and stay longer the next time. Your attention to the needs of trimix divers and our idiosyncrasies is appreciated as we all have our own way of getting it done. Your ability to meet our requests and go diving with us is very much appreciated.

Please give our best to Andre, Mike, Jenny, and the rest of your great staff—don’t forget Pirate and the big black lab (Saba).

Terry G., 7/09

We had a great time this weekend. Thank you to all your staff behind the scenes for getting our hotel reservations. It was a flawless arrangement. Thanks also to Capt. Bob, Andre and Mike for their help and knowledge that helped contribute to the fantastic weekend. Pass the attached photo on to them from us with a big THANKS!!!!

Bill, Lisa and Jake P., Naples, FL, 6/27-28/09

Dear Horizon Divers,
I wanted to tell you how awesome the experience was during my Tec Diving Training you provided me. I evaluated local facilities that offer Tec Training, but I am so glad I decided to go with you. My local shop wanted to charge me the same price you did, but for shore diving to the local lake to do the training looking at rocks and the same catfish over and over again. Your boat operation and doing the dives on the awesome wrecks like the Duane and Spiegel Grove made the training so much more enjoyable. It was also amazing to get to take the two different classes (TDI and DSAT) and learn the different methods and learn from the 2 great and experienced Tec divers and instructors, Dan and Andy. It is rare that a shop can offer both agencies classes and have such great instructors teaching them (and again great sites to do the training). You can be sure you will see me soon for some more great wreck diving on the Duane, Spiegel, Northern Light, and Queen of Nassau.

Chad D., Fresno, CA, 5/09

Hey Dan,
Hope this message is finding you well. I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for the generous hospitality you provided to us during our visit last week. When I said that you raised the bar very high for the rest of the trip, it turned out to be prophetic, because the consensus was that Key Largo was our favorite leg of the mission - and a lot of that was due to your personal care. We're all very grateful.

And please let me know if you're able to share any of your experiences with the Vandenberg in the near future. I'm sure my readers will be very interested in your unique position in the project.

Eric Michael, Senior Editor, Sport Diver Magazine, 4/09

Hi Dan and the gang.
I just wanted to thank you for the great time me and my family had diving with you. As always you delivered outstanding service and value to our trip. I will be back to dive with you guys again and I recommend everyone that I speak with to check out your dive operation when in the Keys.

Ryan W., New Jersey, 2/8-13/09

Hello there i wanted to say thankyou for my great dive experience that i had with you all the last couple days. everyone was very helpful and jason did a good job in helping my wife. although she did not get her certification she has told me she is going to try some more. i will follow jason's thought in just getting her more comfortable in the water
I also wanted to say that capt. Bob was a real joy to dive with you can really see the leadership and experience when you are with him. it is people like him that can make a bad situation good. i enjoyed his attitude and onlook of life.
Once again thank you and we will be back to enjoy our vacation!!!!!

Gene G., 1/09

Dear Joni and team,

I want to thank you all for a very enjoyable diving and learning experience last week. Your entire staff were all very friendly and helpful, and I had a great time.

I particularly want to thank Andy for his superb instruction and effort – I learned a lot very quickly, and truly enjoyed myself along the way.

Best of luck to you all in the future.

Jon L., Montreal, 7/08

Hi Dan,
Just wanted to thank you on behalf of Scuba Tiger and all of the divers that came down with me. From all the reports that I've gotten from my divers, all had a great time, even if the currents weren't cooperating. As usual, the boat crew and shop staff were top notch and I could not have asked for better service. I'm hoping to come down again in March/April, so I'll definitely be giving you guys a call!!

Thanks again!

Dave P., 7/08

It's back to work at the local Airplane Factory here in sunny Missouri with some great memories of Capt. Bob, Mike and the rest of the crew. Our original plan was cancelled when a Ft. Myers operator called the day before we were to depart to say they would not be taking their boat out. So we rented a car and drove to the famous Horizon Divers in Key Largo where we were greeted by Saba the dive Dog and the happy Joanie at the front desk. She arranged our wonderful weekend of diving as well as a place to stay (thanks again for the nice room at the Key Largo Suites) Even though the water surface was a little choppy, Capt Bob made it a great trip for all of us. As Bob says, this is about diving, not about the boat ride.

The Spiegel Grove was a great dive as well as all the Reef Dives. And we will always remember, we don't have a choice when diving in Florida, its Horizon Divers or stay on the shore if you want to have fun under the water. We will be back soon. Thanks again for some of the best diving my son and I have ever had. We will recommend your crew to all of our friends. From your new friends in Missouri.

Tim & Scuba Steve (The Wise Guys), St. Charles, Missouri, 6/6-9/08

I am shooting this to say what a great time I had. You and your staff were great, knowledgeable and friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and could not not have had better instruction for Advanced Nitrox, Decompression Procedures and Gas Blending. I will definitely be a returning customer. Looking forward to Trimix and the Advance
Wreck Course.

Chris M., Palm Coast,FL, 5/08

Just wanted to say thanks for two excellent days of diving. I'd never dived the Keys before, but I couldn't have asked for a betterdive boat (and crew) to introduce me to Key Largo's underwater wonders. Even when there was a mildly-irritating moment on day 2 when my BC decided to temporarily chuck a hissy-fit, Capt Bob and Capt Mike stepped up in a
totally unruffled way and set me up with a spare BC. Then Capt Bob went beyond the call of duty and worked his magic on my recalcitrant BC so I could use my own BC again for the next dive.

What else? I loved the music on the boat (couldn't get the song "EuroTrash Girl" out of my head), the rubber chicken on the end of the ship's bell, playing ball with Saba in the store, and of course, the Saba Drool defog that was sold in your store. Class all the way...an operation after my own heart!

I recongize that for all your jobs' joys, you guys have a tough time dealing with peevish tourists, ill-equipped divers, seasick bubblewatchers, and the like. So the fact that you can somewhow manage to rise above it and do your jobs so well (and with a smile on your face) is pretty special. Just wanted to let you that it does NOT go unnoticed, and is really appreciated and admired. The money I put in the tip jar can't 100% convey that, but I hope this message does.

Hope to see you guys again, and dive the Spiegel Grove and the Duane. Oh,

and would someone ask Capt. Bob to post the lyrics of his song "That's Amoray" where I can find them? Thanks so much!

Nelly M., Brooklyn,NY, 5/19-20/08

We would like to express our sincere thanks to you for making our dive experience the best. The professionalism was consistent from the first phone call to set up reservations with Jenny to the shipping of our dive gear back home.

We were schedule to dive one day but went back for a second day because we were so impressed with the staff.

The focus on customer service was a pleasant change from the last dive experience we had in Key Largo. Captain Bob, Troy, Kat, Mike, and Stephanie created a relaxed atmoshpere that made the time on the boat as enjoyable as the time in the water. (Captain Bob was particularly entertaining)

We were most impressed with the attitude of the staff. There was a genuine

desire for the clients to have a great dive experience. Most importantly however, the staff took the time to put a name to the face. We were not just another pair of divers. To the staff we were Dawn and Frank. That made us a part of the Horizon Divers family for the day.

Oh, and the diving was awsome too...

Once you are in the water there is no difference in dive charters. All will get you to a dive site. Its the service you get pre and post dive that makes the difference. So in summary, for anyone reading these comments trying to decide on a dive charter, look no further. Call today
to make your reservations. You will not be disappointed.

Dawn & Frank Y., Douglas, MA, 5/5-6/08

Thanks to CAPT Bob for getting us to the wrecks. I hope we did not get on his "bad" side. The seas were not the greatest for diving, but we all did well (I think) and the Sunday dive was very good. Thanks to Capt Bob, Stephanie, both Mikes, Andre for a Job well done.
Thanks to you and Dan for making it all work. Rooms were good and I have not heard of any complaints.

I would be interested in knowing about of anything that was said about the group. I know you see ALOT of divers and would like to know if there is anything we need to do to improve our divers for future trips.

Jim of York Divers, York, PA, 5/08

Hi Guys,
Just wanted to say thanks for everything. We blew into town with no reservations and a buddy that needed to get certified. By chance of luck we got steered to your shop through Andy (by way of recommendations from Divers Direct). Wow, what a difference the right people can make on an adhoc trip like that. Andy was one of the best instructors I had seen in a while and make sure you pass along a another thank you to him.

The weather was incredible, the vis was amazing and you folks knew exactly where to drop us for the best bang for buck! I can't begin to say enough about Bob and Andre... we felt like we robbed someone by having that kind of extra entertainment!

You folks will come highly recommended from us and I hope to see you again real soon!

Chris M., Burbank, CA, 2/22-23/08

Dear Dan,
I just wanted to express my gratitude to you and your staff for making a potentially disasterous family vacation memorable in the best possible ways!
My parents and I had accomodations and originally had many dives booked with a Key Largo dive resort. Upon our check-in, we were told that our previously booked night dive had been cancelled due to high seas - OK, no problem. The next morning (Sunday), we took all of our gear down to the dive boat at 8am, only to find out that their boat was out of service - broken down. The resort advertised themselves as owning two boats, but the second boat was never offered as a substitution and no other suggestions were made for diving alternatives. So, day one of our vacation was spent sitting around and doing nothing.
Day two would have been no better had we not been sent over to Horizon Divers. Unfortunately, winds were still hitting 20 knots from the southeast and the seas were still pretty brutal. By our own choice, we chose to sit out on diving - sometimes it's best to know your limitations.
Day three, however, everything changed. We spent the entire day, and the two subsequent days with you and your crew. We were not disappointed in the slightest! You and your staff and crew were complete professionals - friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and some were quite entertaining (Captain Bob in particular!).
Anyway, my thanks to you and your dive shop for making our vacation an immensely enjoyable one. We will never again stay with that particular "resort" again, nor will we recommend it. I've already posted Reader's Ratings on scubadiving.com for both that particular business and Horizon divers as well.
Thank you for making customer service and safety job #1. My parents and I are already talking about diving with you again next year!

Angie T., Texas, 11/27-29/07

Hi Dan,
Just a quick note to say a BIG thanks to You and your staff for making our trip so great. Every one was very impressed with your set up, very professionnel but very friendly made our trip fantastic. The diving was superb, the dive on the Northern Light the best of the week.
I would like to arrange another trip to dive the deeper wrecks ...Northern Light, Queen of Nassua... maybe take a look at some of the unexplored marks you told me about, would this be possible?
Thanks again to everyone.

Simon R., 11/07

Hi Dan and team,
Back home again in rainy England (joy) and just wanted to drop you a line to say thanks for a ggggggggreat holiday. Helen and I enjoyed ourselves very much, we had a fantastic holiday made all the better by the team at Horizon divers.

I’ve put a few images from our trip onto my web site, this is mainly for my viewing pleasure whilst sat back behind my desk at work. http://www.diveimage.co.uk/www.DiveImage.Com/Florida_07/Florida_07.htm

Thanks again & hope to dive with you again in the future….

As Bob would say, “we had a great time, but it’s all over now.”

Best Regards,
Simon & Helen Brown

Simon B., 11/07

I just wanted to let you know that this last weekend is the first time we've been on board with Horizon. We were sent to you thru [another shop]. We made four dives with you, Sat. a.m. and Sun. a.m.

I have to say that your operation was nothing short of fantastic. As an instructor for OW students, I have to say Capt. Bob is one of the most attentive, most focused and safe captains I've ever met. Boat operations were friendly, safe and efficient. I'd gladly be back with my students to your operation.

And on another note, I have never witnessed a captain on a dive boat pay so much attention to what is going on. I've been diving for 20 years, teaching since 1998, and I can honestly say that man is focused on what is happening every single second we were on his boat. That's something I've never seen before. Most capts. just kind of lay back up in the wheelhouse or talk on the radio. Not Bob... he was up on the bow... watching every single thing that was happening and totally prepared for any sort of problem that might occur.

In closing, I want to thank you for your kind and helpful staff. But most of all making our trip memorable. It's always interesting to work thru a new boat operation when you are an instructor. But it's most rewarding to observe (finally) a captain who cares and who totally has control on every single thing happening either in the water or on the boat... to me that's a huge relief when I have students with me.

So thank you, please thank your staff. I promise we will be back to Horizon. Ya'll are great. Please thank Bob for me and also Andre... he was a trouper with us on Sat. What a skilled guy he is... we loved him too! He made us all feel good, explained everything in detail and just was one of us.

Sharon G., 9/30/07

Dan: I wanted to let you know of my great appreciation for two of your crew members, Bob and Troy, who literally pulled me out of the sea after I ran out of air diving Molasses Reef this past Sunday (9/30/07).

My son and I were diving with [another dive shop] as part of a three-day promotion they were running through Skin Diver Magazine. Everything had gone terrific with great reef and wreck diving. However, in my excitement during our last dive, I severely underestimated my air and how far we were from our boat. Bottom line, I was at 100 psi at 35’ depth and at least 500 yards from our boat with swells that had risen to 5-6’. So, I filled my BC with my remaining air, popped to the surface and expected to swim to our boat. With those swells, however, I was struggling and didn’t think I could make it. Honestly, I started to feel a little panicky especially with my son next to me and no move on [the other dive shop] to come after me.

That’s when I saw Troy from your boat throw a safety line to us and free swim to me to make sure I could pull myself to your boat. Once we got to the boat, Bob calmly asked my condition, took my equipment, gave my son and I juice ([the other dive shop] didn’t have any drinks) and coordinated getting us back to our boat.

Bottom line, Bob and Troy are the consummate professionals and I really appreciate how they handled the situation.

My son and I will definitely dive Key Largo again (Spiegel Grove is the best), but this time it will be with Horizon Divers.

I hope that you recognize Bob and Troy for their positive reflection on your operation. All the best.

Don K., Cincinnati, Ohio, 9/30/07

Hi Folks, (From recent letter to Scuba Diving Magazine)

After reading your recent issues on Florida Keys diving, my wife and I decided to book a trip. We had also recently received rave reviews from friends who had earlier in the year traveled to Jupiter, FL, and seen much, including Goliath Groupers. ...

... My wife and I are Open Water PADI divers, and with only about 12 dives in our small logbooks, we are cautious to adhere to our limitations. After reviewing Keys dive operators in your Feb/2007 issue, we contacted Horizon Divers in Key Largo. Diane set up reservations for diving, and also reserved our room at the Ramada, next door. After waking to free continental breakfast every day, we simply walked dockside next door to pick up our gear from their secure overnight storage, and board their boat for the short trips to the nearby reefs. We had one of the best vacations of our lives. Though some weather had moved into the area, the staff at Horizon was careful to ensure our safety, and be flexible to choose alternate dive site locations based on conditions. On one morning, after a heavy thunderstorm had come down, we did make a challenging dive in fairly stiff current w/ approx. 25 ft. visibility, but we simply hung around close to the boat, being careful not to get carried downstream. We made most of our dives on Molasses Reef, and one site known as Logan's Run was breathtaking - spur and groove reefs that were teaming with life. We saw a Porcupine fish, Scrawled Cowfish, and my wife had the "scope of the trip" - a Goldspotted Eel. We also saw a Nurse Shark, barracuda, lobster, Moray Eels and Eagle Rays (these last from the boat). We also dove the Christ of the Abyss site, where the Cressi family had sunk a statue of Jesus, as a memorial to a family member who had passed away. I will confess however that we needed to get picked up on two occasions after drifting too far, but after reviewing our navigation and plans with Divemaster Kat, we starting performing figure eights nearer the boat, and had no further issues. Upon completion of our dives, dunk tanks were available for gear rinse. Combined with the overnight storage, this made the gear logistics a "no second thought" concern. We also met some of the nicest people in the Keys, including couples on holiday from Scotland and Germany. We dined on the last night of our stay at The Fish House in Key Largo, and had a delicious meal. When the waiter suggested the fresh Hogfish fillets, were skeptical, but when folks at three other tables all chimed in unanimously and said "get the Hogfish!", we could obviously not refuse. We were not disappointed - the Matecumbe style (with tomato, basil, onion and capers) and the Hemingway style (basil and garlic cream sauce) were outstanding. ...

... Our compliments to the staff at Horizon Divers, and kudos to Capt. Bob, and Divemasters Kat and Andre - We will be back! Additionally, our compliments to the staff at Scuba Diving - your reviews were spot on, and our vacation was a time to remember.

Carmine G., Tucson, Arizona