Reserve a charter
Book a Key Largo charter, the slow way.
You are in the right place. Tell us the date, the size of your party, and the kind of water you would like to spend it in. A real person at our Garden Cove dock — not a bot, not a call centre — reads every request and writes back, usually within a few hours, to confirm the boat, the captain, and the exact reef we will take you to.
51 Garden Cove Marina, Key Largo, FL 33037 — on the same slip since 1978.
Reservation request
Tell us about your day on the water.
Filed at the dock on Garden Cove Marina — handled personally, since 1978.
Honest expectations
The fine print, kept short.
Most of our guests arrive from out of state and book once, sight unseen. Here is everything you would otherwise email us to ask, written down so you can decide without a phone call.
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Deposit & balance
A 30% deposit secures the date; the balance is due on the dock the morning of the charter. We email a secure payment link — no cards stored on our end.
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Cancellation
Full refund of deposit if you cancel more than 14 days out. Inside 14 days, we refund in full only once we rebook the boat. We never keep a deposit because of weather — see below.
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Weather reschedule
If the captain calls the trip for sea state or visibility, you choose a new date or a full refund. We do not run boats to satisfy a schedule, and the call is always made the evening before.
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What to bring
Towel, reef-safe sunscreen, and a sense of curiosity. We provide all gear on dive charters — regulator, BCD, fins, mask, and weights — fitted to you on the dock before departure.
Before you book
The honest answers.
- Do I need to be certified?
- For our two-tank reef dive charters, yes — at minimum a PADI Open Water (or equivalent). For snorkel charters, no certification is needed. If you have never dived, our Discover Scuba program takes you from zero to a supervised reef dive in one morning on the same boat, with the same captain.
- What if I get seasick?
- Our reefs are 4 to 8 miles offshore in protected state waters, and we run a smaller boat with a flatter hull than most operators. Most first-time guests are comfortable. If you are worried, take a non-drowsy motion aid the night before and again an hour before departure; ginger chews help too. Tell us in the notes field and we will position you mid-boat.
- How young can my kids be?
- Snorkelers join us from age 5, with a parent on the same float. The Discover Scuba program starts at age 10. We have taken three generations of the same family onto the same reef — please mention younger children in the notes so we can plan the gentlest site.
- What is included, and what costs extra?
- All dive gear, tanks, weights, boat fuel, the captain, and the divemaster are included. The only extras are gratuity (customary, never required) and optional Nitrox fills for certified divers who want them. Lunch is not provided on two-tank trips — bring what you like; we have fresh water and a cooler on board.
- Where do I park at Garden Cove Marina?
- Free guest parking is directly across from our slip, with a luggage cart at the head of the dock. We send a one-page map and meeting instructions with your confirmation email so you are not searching on arrival morning.
- How small is the boat, really?
- Six divers maximum on the reef boats. Half the typical Key Largo boat. If your party is four or more, a private charter is often the same price per person and guarantees the boat to yourselves.
If a form feels like too much, just call the dock. I am usually the one who picks up. We have answered the phone at this same number for forty-six years, and I would rather hear your voice than read another email — at least once.
Silent World Dive Center, Inc.
51 Garden Cove Marina, Key Largo, FL 33037