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

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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