What are the prerequisites for this course?

You must be at least 15 and hold an Open Water Diver (or equivalent) certification from a recognized agency.

Can the course be shortened?

If you’ve completed SSI Advanced Open Water with a recorded deep dive, the course may be shortened and a partial fee reduction considered.

Should I take Nitrox first?

Nitrox is recommended to extend bottom time on deep dives and is often taken prior to or alongside this specialty for better gas management.

How many open-water dives are included?

The standard schedule includes four open-water deep dives across two days (two dives per day).

Is rental gear available?

Rental tanks, weights, and some dive equipment are usually available; bring personal items like mask and fins for best fit.

How do I arrange group bookings?

For groups larger than four, contact instruction@looekeyreefresort.com or call (305) 872-2215 to discuss scheduling and rates.

Deep Diving in Ramrod Key: SSI Specialty to 40m on Looe Key Reef | Scuba | Workshop

Adventure Brief

Train to reach 18–40 meters with instructor-led dives on the reef off Ramrod Key. This two-day SSI Deep Diving Specialty teaches gas planning, deep dive profiles, and practical computer use so you can explore deeper reef walls and wrecks with confidence.

2 days

challenging

From $567.50

Ramrod Key, Florida sits on the western edge of the Middle Keys, a short boat ride from the Looe Key marine sanctuary. Deep Diving is a two‑day SSI specialty course that trains certified Open Water divers to plan and execute dives between 18 and 40 meters under instructor supervision. You’ll move from classroom review and pool skills on day one into a sequence of four open-water deep dives designed to build comfort, gas planning competence, and use of dive computers and consumable calculations. The real draw here is the reef itself: Looe Key is a hard and rubble coral formation of staghorn and brain corals, with ledges and spur-and-groove features that channel currents and hold life. Expect large sponges, grouper and snapper congregations, turtles, and eagle rays that patrol the drop-offs at depth. Visibility often extends beyond 20 meters on good days, letting you practice buoyancy and compression equalization while watching a deeper reefscape of orange cup corals and purple sea fans. For students interested in wreck or advanced wreck specialties, deep training opens access to deeper artificial reefs in the Keys. Instruction focuses on conservative dive planning: depth limits, ascent rates, required stops, air consumption calculations, and practical use of dive computers and redundant timing. Instructors recommend Nitrox training to extend bottom time and stress gas management; the course pairs neatly with wreck specialties. Classes are kept deliberately small to maximize surface briefings, in-water coaching, and post-dive debriefs analyzing profiles and gas use. If you’ve already completed SSI Advanced Open Water with a recorded deep dive, the program can be shortened, and a partial fee reduction may apply. Logistics are straightforward: participants must be at least 15 and hold an appropriate Open Water certification. Bring personal gear that fits well—mask, fins, BC, and a dive computer are essential; rental equipment is usually available for tanks and weights. Expect boat-launched dives from a reef-access vessel, with a typical two-dives-per-afternoon rhythm and classroom time earlier in the day. This course amplifies what makes the Keys exceptional: warm water, complex reef structures, and an abundance of life concentrated along deep edges. Completing the SSI Deep Diving Specialty not only widens your immediate site options but also serves as a prerequisite for more technical specialties. To book or ask about group rates for more than four students, contact [email protected] or call (305) 872-2215. Beyond certification, deep diving cultivates better situational awareness underwater and a disciplined approach to gas and decompression planning that benefits all dives. Instructors log detailed profiles and provide feedback, so both cautious and adventurous divers leave with measurable skill gains. Bring logbooks, medical clearance if needed, and a curious but conservative mindset to make the most of this deep-water course.