When driving South to Key Largo, avoid taking I95 or US1 from Miami. You want to take the Florida Turnpike which ends at FLORIDA CITY. Here you will join US1 and can stop for a Starbucks and get the wife some Tylenol from Walgreens. Next you will head South down US1 along our new fancy road that the locals refer to as the "17 Mile Strech" that takes you through the Everglades and into the Keys. Yes, its boring, but at least its not a single lane road like it used to be, when you would get stuck behind some old guy in a '57 pick up towing an airsteam with no opportunity to overtake. The Silent World store is on BAYSIDE, which is the right hand side as you drive South towards Key West. As you cross the new big bridge over Jewfish Creek, the road bends to the right and you will see a Shell / Circle K on the corner. We are just past here on the right hand side next to Subway and the Chamber of Commerce.
Our Boats are on OCEANSIDE on Garden Cove Canal, which is the left hand side as you head South towards Key West. This saves at least 20 minutes boat driving each way compared to the Bayside shops Please check in at the shop first when you arrive in town
The Florida Highway Patrol are very active in the Keys. Be sure to stick to the speed limit to avoid a costly ticket! On US1 in Key Largo, you WILL get a ticket if your are seen driving over 50 mph. FWC, Border Patrol, County Sheriff, State Troopers and just about any Govt Agency you can think of are in town and will happily oblige if you are speeding. If you dont believe us, ask Chris who is used to the UK national speed limit of 60mph on winding single track country lanes in winter and cant understand why the limit on US1 isnt 70mph. He has enough tickets to wallpaper his house.
Fill up with gas in Florida City, its cheaper. If you are heading to Key West for a day trip, fill up in Key Largo. If you need recreational fuel for your boat, bike, ATV etc, you can get it at the first gas station on the right in Key Largo (near the Silent World shop) or at the Tom Thumb on Oceanside just past the school.
What are Mile Markers? Once you're in the Keys, U.S. 1 becomes the Overseas Highway, designated with little green mile-marker signs on the side of the highway. They begin just south of Florida City with number 127 and run all the way down to zero in Key West. Locals use them as address references — here's a quick guide:
• Silent World Shop & Dock - 106 • Key Largo - 118 to 90 • Islamorada - (pronounced I-ler-more-ah-da) - 90 to 63 • Marathon - 63 to 47 • Big Pine Key - 47 to 4 • Key West - 4 to 0
Florida's Turnpike Extension (FTE) has introduced an all-electronic toll system (no physical cash tollbooths) on the Turnpike between Milepost 0 in Florida City and Milepost 47 at the Miami-Dade/Broward County line. The new cash-less system went into effect on Feb. 19, 2011, and impacts four toll plaza locations.
What does this mean for U.S. and international visiting motorists who travel in and out of the Florida Keys? The all-electronic transition is intended to continue making toll roads on this stretch of the Turnpike safe and efficient to drive, as well as more convenient for travelers. Most rental car companies have programs that allow customers to use lanes that utilize SunPass, a pre-paid toll program already in place for travel on toll roads. The tolls plus a minimal service fee are charged to the credit card used to rent the vehicle.
Resident motorists without a SunPass have an alternative method to pay tolls without stopping. Through the TOLL-BY-PLATE system, a picture will be taken of the registered driver's license plate and a monthly invoice will be mailed to the vehicle's registered owner. A $2.50 administrative fee will apply, per invoice which is billed on a monthly basis. For more information about the all-electronic open road tolling on Florida's Turnpike, travelers can call the public information office at 1-800-749-PIKE (7453) or visit the website at www.FloridasTurnpike.com/all-electronictolling.
Can you think of a better place to train as a technical or rebreather diver than the Florida Keys? Dive boats run all year round, the water is warm, the wrecks are plentiful and the visibility is incredible. At Silent World, we have world class instructors, custom dive boats, leading brand rental and sales equipment and an experienced tech trained crew to ensure that your course is a success.
Click here for additional information on rebreather instruction.
Now that you are a certified diver, you may find yourself considering technical diving but may have heard that it’s hard, involves lots of complicated gear and perhaps other rumors about why it’s easy or fun. Silent World is here to help you make the transition into longer divers, deeper depths and even into caves and wrecks. Technical Diving does involve further training and an introduction to new equipment, however we can assure you that once you try it you will be hooked and will never look back. From then on, it’s into a world of new adventures that recreational diving prevents you from experiencing.
Qualified technical divers also choose Silent World in order to further their diving careers. Our world class facilities and experienced crew coupled with the fantastic local environment of the Florida Keys provide the perfect backdrop for advanced technical, rebreather and instructor classes.
Silent World Dive Center is Florida's leading technical ocean diving facility and home to the world’s largest technical diving internet forum The Deco Stop. We run more technical trips then any other South Florida Dive Center and hold recognition as the only IANTD Platinum Facility, TDI 5* and GUE Dive Center throughout the Florida Keys. If this isn't enough of a reason to pursue your technical training with Silent World, then you should also know that we are the largest technical equipment retailer in the Florida Keys and that every single member of our staff is a certified technical diver!
When you’re ready to move to the next level of diving, stop by our shop and talk to one of technical instructors or get a feel for what is in store for you. Click here for additional information on technical instruction.
When things go wrong, are you prepared to step in and do you part to make sure the best possible outcome occurs? At Silent World Dive Center we provide a wide range of medical training for divers and non-divers alike. CPR, AED, Oxygen Usage, and much more awaits you. Not only will we train you in the skills needed to provide medical care, but you will be trained by those people who have done it professionally. Former Fire Fighters, EMT's, and Doctors are amoung our training staff and they are ready to pass the knowledge they learned in the field on to you. No matter what your previous experience is in medical emergencies we can make you better.
If you enjoy teaching, you can build on what you learn in provider courses by becoming an Instructor yourself. As a DAN Instructor, you'll find many opportunities to teach CPR and first aid in the workplace and to lay people in your community. Still need more reasons to get your dive medical training here? Silent World is the only DAN Training Center in the Florida Keys with an in-house DAN Instructor Trainer.
Looking for your entire staff to be trained in CPR or AED usage? We have you covered with special package prices and will even come to your location and bring everything needed with us!
Diver, Non-Diver, Youth or Adult; environmental conservation is on everyones minds these days. Silent World Dive Center offers a wide range of educational and environmental programs from Project AWARE, REEF, CoralWatch, Blue Star, and more. These programs have been designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to be part of the solution in protecting the natural wonders we love for the next generation.
As part of our commitment to the conservation of our environment, Silent World is responsible for tens of thousands of dollars to non-profit conservation efforts each year. This is in addition to the numerous outreach efforts hosted and / or sponsored by Silent World directly.
If we teach it, we can teach you how to teach it! If you are looking to start your career in the diving industry or expand on the professional skills you already hold, we have you covered. Individuals who do thier professional training at Silent World leave our programs ready to work in the industry, not just certified to do so. We are committed to your personal development and ensure that you are both confident and competent on completion of your course. All of our professional training programs are more in depth and focussed than those offered elsewhere and will typically include real life, hands-on experience of working in a resort-based dive operation with real students.
If your looking for the fast track 'zero to hero' method of being a professional diver, we are probably not the place for you. However, If you want to learn to be the best you can be and hold the skills to move your resume to the top of the pile we can make it happen!
Its a little known fact but through out the Keys you will find members of the staff who have recieved at least a portion of thier training at Silent World. Currently Silent World Dive Center is the only location in the keys where you can be trained as a Instructor for more then four different agencys at the same time and even qualify to be a rebreather instructor! Click here to get information on becoming the professional diver shops want to hire!
Perhaps you finished high school and want to spend some time in the real world while earning college credit. Maybe you're just out of college and are looking for a new experience, or maybe you want to move your career into the scuba diving industry. Professional level training takes time and money. Although we can't help you with the time portion of things we can certainly help with the money! Silent World Dive Center is proud to offer three different internship programs in lengths of 4 months, 5 months, and 7 Months. These programs will provide you with the necessary experience and training to help you become a dive professional while saving money and even earning college credits. Unique to Silent World is the opportunity to become a technical diver in additional to your regular recreational training at no additional cost! Best of all you will also learn to dive Closed Circuit Rebreathers, which are certainly the future of the diving industry. When you leave our internship program you will have gained the skills required to not only be a dive instructor but also dive single tanks, double tanks, and various rebreathers.
Looking to get started right away? You can start your training from home at your computer and even interact with the instructional staff you will work with right from the comfort of your own home. eLearning is a great way to get started and allows you to complete a portion of the knowledge development required for your course before you even arrive. Want to get a virtual dive in with your instructor? With the advances in technology you can Silent World Instructional Staff can be found in many of the Virtual Diving Environments including eDiving and Second Life. In Second Life you can even visit a virtual version of our bricks and mortor store, and check out our dive boats!
Everyone loves getting something for free and now it applies to your education as well. In addition to reguire special events, Silent World provides free informational seminars every week both in our retail store and our virtual location on Second Life. Some even result in full speciality course certification.
