Scuba Diving Key West

Key West Cayman Salvager Wreck Dive Trip — A Wreck Alive With Marine Life

Not every great wreck dive is famous. Some of the best ones are known only to the divers who've been lucky enough to find them. The Cayman Salvager is one of those dives. A 187-foot steel-hulled buoy tender sunk in 1985, she rests at 90 to 95 feet off Key West — close enough to be accessible, deep enough to be genuinely exciting, and rich enough with nearly four decades of marine growth to reward every diver who descends on her. This is wreck diving at its most alive.

The Cayman Salvager — What Awaits You Below

Your first dive takes you to the Cayman Salvager's deck, where the real action happens. This wreck has become one of the most productive marine habitats in Key West waters — coral encrusts every surface, fish of every description move through the structure, and the Cayman is known as one of the best places in the Florida Keys to encounter goliath grouper, the massive, curious giants of the reef that have made this wreck their territory. Moray eels are a regular presence too, peering from the recesses of the hull with their characteristic watchful calm. Every dive is different, and the Cayman always has something worth finding.

Your second dive takes you to one of our less-traveled shallow reef sites — a change of pace and depth profile that rounds out the morning beautifully and gives you a completely different perspective on Key West's underwater world.

A Divemaster in the Water — Complimentary

Both dives include a certified divemaster who enters the water with you at no additional charge. On the Cayman Salvager, your divemaster knows the wreck's layout and the marine life that calls it home — they'll position you for the best encounters and make sure you leave having seen what this dive is known for. On the reef dive, they're there to point out what you'd otherwise swim right past. For groups or individuals who want exclusive, dedicated attention on both dives, a Private Divemaster upgrade is available during booking.

Your Gateway to the Vandenberg

The Cayman Salvager dive serves as the qualifying deep dive for Advanced Open Water divers who want to dive the USNS Vandenberg — one of the largest artificial reefs in the world, also available through Captain Hook's Dive Key West. If you're working toward that bucket-list dive, the Cayman Salvager is the perfect first step. And if the Vandenberg isn't on your radar, the Cayman Salvager stands completely on its own as one of the finest wreck dives Key West has to offer.

We Handle the Gear. You Handle the Diving.

Check in at Captain Hook's Dive Key West and our team will fit you for any rental gear you need and transport everything to the boat for you. If you bring your own equipment, we'll store it at the shop and make sure it's on board and waiting when you arrive. Free parking is available at the shop. A dive computer and dive light are both available as add-ons during booking — recommended for wreck diving at this depth. Dive gloves are also available for purchase — a smart choice when exploring a steel wreck with four decades of growth on her hull.

After the Dive — The Perry Hotel

As a Captain Hook's guest, you're welcome to enjoy the pool at The Perry Hotel following your trip — a well-earned reward after two great dives.

What's Included

• Two dives — one on the Cayman Salvager wreck, one on a shallow reef
• Air fills, tanks, weights, and weight belt
• Complimentary certified divemaster in the water for both dives
• Gear transport to and from the boat
• Freshwater showers at the dock
• Filtered water and ice on board
• Free parking at the shop
• Pool access at The Perry Hotel post-dive

Schedule & Check-In

• Departures: 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM daily
• Duration: Approximately 4 hours
• Check-in: Please arrive 60 minutes before your departure — this allows time for paperwork, gear fitting, and getting settled before we head out
• Location: Captain Hook's Dive Key West, 1708 N. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West, FL
• Please note: This is an on-request booking. We will confirm your reservation as quickly as possible after you book

Requirements

• Advanced Open Water certification or higher (bring your certification card)
• If it's been more than 1 year since your last dive, your first dive will be alongside our divemaster — no extra charge, just a smart precaution
• If it's been more than 2 years, a brief Scuba Refresher is required and available at our dive center

What to Bring

• Confirmation email
• Bathing suit and towel
• Sunglasses
• Reef-safe sunscreen — please, for the reef
• Your own scuba equipment if you prefer to dive with it
• A dive computer is strongly recommended — rental available during booking
• Dive gloves recommended — available for purchase during booking

Come See Us When You Arrive

Stop into Captain Hook's Dive Key West before your trip. Our team can brief you on current conditions on the Cayman Salvager, get you fitted for any gear you need, and make sure everything is ready before you head to the boat. We love meeting our divers before we get in the water together.

A Note on Conditions

Ocean activities depend on Mother Nature. If a trip is cancelled due to weather, visibility, or sea conditions, you'll have the choice to reschedule, receive a full refund, or apply your payment as store credit. Trips require a minimum of 5 divers — if that minimum isn't met, the same options apply. We'll always notify you as early as possible.

Two dives. One great day. Book in advance to secure your spot.

Key West Vandenberg Wreck Dive Trip — One of the World's Great Wreck Dives

There are dive trips, and then there are bucket-list dives. The USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg is the latter. At 523 feet in length and resting in 145 feet of water off Key West, the Vandenberg is one of the largest intentionally sunk artificial reefs in the world — and one of the most accessible. She has been on the bottom for over a decade now, and in that time she has transformed from a Cold War relic into a thriving underwater ecosystem that draws serious divers from around the world. If you're an Advanced Open Water diver looking for a dive that will stay with you for the rest of your life, this is it.

The Ship and Her History

The Vandenberg served the United States military with distinction across multiple eras. Built as a World War II troop transport, she was later repurposed as a missile-tracking vessel during the Cold War — her iconic radar dishes used to track the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo capsules as they returned from space. She was intentionally sunk off Key West in 2009 as an artificial reef, and the ocean has been reclaiming her ever since. Today she is home to an extraordinary variety of marine life, including resident sea turtles, moray eels, and coral formations that grow more spectacular with every passing year.

What You'll Explore

Our guided dive takes you across the Vandenberg's deck at 95 to 100 feet, where the sheer scale of the vessel becomes real in a way that no photograph can prepare you for. Your divemaster will lead you through the superstructure — the bridge, communications rooms, radar dishes, and crow's nest — pointing out the marine life that has made every corner of this ship home. The Vandenberg rewards careful, attentive diving, and our team knows this wreck intimately.

A Divemaster in the Water — Complimentary

Every Vandenberg trip includes a certified divemaster who enters the water with you at no additional charge. On a wreck of this scale and depth, having an experienced guide who knows the ship's layout is not just a convenience — it's what allows you to make the most of every minute of bottom time. For groups or individuals who want exclusive, dedicated attention throughout the dive, a Private Divemaster upgrade is available during booking.

We Handle the Gear. You Handle the Diving.

Check in at Captain Hook's Dive Key West and our team will fit you for any rental gear you need and transport everything to the boat for you. If you bring your own equipment, we'll store it at the shop and make sure it's on board and waiting when you arrive. Free parking is available at the shop. A dive computer rental is available as an add-on during booking — highly recommended for a dive at this depth.

After the Dive — The Perry Hotel

As a Captain Hook's guest, you're welcome to enjoy the pool at The Perry Hotel following your trip — a well-earned reward after a dive of this caliber.

What Divers Are Saying

"Had a great dive on the Vandenberg! The captain and crew were excellent and professional. I can't recommend these guys enough — I will definitely dive with them again!" — Reggie R., Google Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Rumor has it, the turtle calls this ship home." — Shawn I., Google Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What's Included

• Two dives on the Vandenberg
• Air fills, tanks, weights, and weight belt
• Complimentary certified divemaster in the water
• Gear transport to and from the boat
• Freshwater showers at the dock
• Filtered water and ice on board
• Free parking at the shop
• Pool access at The Perry Hotel post-dive

Schedule & Check-In

• Departure: 9:00 AM daily
• Duration: Approximately 4 hours
• Check-in: Please arrive 60 minutes before departure — this allows time for paperwork, gear fitting, and getting settled before we head out
• Location: Captain Hook's Dive Key West, 1708 N. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West, FL
• Please note: The Vandenberg is an on-request booking. We will confirm your reservation as quickly as possible after you book

Requirements

• Advanced Open Water certification or higher (bring your certification card)
• Must have completed a deep dive of 60 feet or more within the past 12 months
• If you are Advanced Open Water certified but do not have a qualifying deep dive within the past 12 months, we recommend booking our Cayman Salvager Wreck Dive first — upon completion you will be eligible to dive the Vandenberg

What to Bring

• Confirmation email
• Bathing suit and towel
• Sunglasses
• Reef-safe sunscreen — please, for the reef
• Your own scuba equipment if you prefer to dive with it
• A dive computer is strongly recommended — rental available during booking

Come See Us When You Arrive

Stop into Captain Hook's Dive Key West before your trip. Our team can brief you on current conditions on the Vandenberg, get you fitted for any gear you need, and make sure everything is ready before you head to the boat. We love meeting our divers before we get in the water together.

A Note on Conditions

Ocean activities depend on Mother Nature, and the Vandenberg's depth means visibility and current conditions are particularly important to monitor. If a trip is cancelled due to weather, visibility, or sea conditions, you'll have the choice to reschedule, receive a full refund, or apply your payment as store credit. Trips require a minimum of 5 divers — if that minimum isn't met, the same options apply. We'll always notify you as early as possible.

The Vandenberg fills up. Serious divers plan ahead — book in advance to secure your spot.

Discover SCUBA Experience

You will get comfortable with the equipment and breathing underwater, relaxation and underwater buoyancy skills. You will be amazed at how easy and relaxing it is... breathing under the water and feeling weightless.  Although this is not a scuba certification course, you'll learn all the steps it takes to become a certified diver.

Schedule

The day starts at our dive shop for paperwork and gear. Then we leave the shop for the pool for onsite classroom, and a pool session. After their pool session when you are comfortable underwater, we take a break to grab some lunch and meet again for the afternoon’s two reef dives with your instructor. You will experience diving on a shallow reef with your instructor by your side, guiding you through the water and exploring the ocean together. Then, back to the dock around 4:30 to 5:00PM.

Prerequisites

• 10 years of age
• Average swimming ability

• Medical Statement

• "Reef-Safe" Sunscreen

• Towel

• Waterproof Camera

• Comfortable Shoes for Boat

• Bottled Water and Snacks

Time to Get Started!

Have fun and ask our dive professionals about your savings on equipment, additional training you can add and maybe a certification add-on and additional dives while you are on vacation!

Open Water Certification — Key West
Some people learn to dive at a pool in a strip mall. You could do that. Or you could earn your certification on the living coral reefs of Key West — the same waters that have drawn divers from across the hemisphere for decades — guided by instructors who've taught students from every corner of the world to breathe underwater for the first time.
This is the Open Water Diver course. It's the most recognized scuba credential on the planet, and at Captain Hook's Dive Key West, it's earned in one of the most extraordinary dive environments on earth.
Your Certification, Your Way
Captain Hook's Dive Key West holds itself to some of the highest training standards in recreational scuba. Our instructors are credentialed through agencies that emphasize thorough skill development and diver safety above all else — the same standards trusted by military and professional dive programs worldwide.
When you book, one of our dive professionals will connect with you personally to understand your goals and match you with the right instructor for your situation. Most of our students are visitors — here for a few days, determined to leave with a C-card they earned in real ocean water. We've built this course specifically to make that possible without cutting corners.
How It Works — E-Learning + Key West Ocean Dives
Your course begins before you arrive. Through your agency's eLearning platform, you'll complete the knowledge development portion — approximately 10–15 hours of online study — at your own pace, on your schedule, from wherever you are right now. By the time you set foot in Key West, the classroom work is behind you and the ocean is waiting.
E-Learning Schedule (3 Days):
• Day 1 — Paperwork and pool session for confined water skills training
• Day 2 — Ocean dive trip: Checkout Dives 1 & 2
• Day 3 — Ocean dive trip: Checkout Dives 3 & 4 — certification complete
The pace of your certification is guided by your skill development. Our instructors move with you, not against you — ensuring you finish confident, not just finished.
Everything You Need Is Included
Captain Hook's provides all scuba equipment and air for every pool session and all four open-water checkout dives. Your agency registration and permanent certification card are included. On the days your course takes you out on the water, you'll also enjoy complimentary access to the Perry Hotel pool — a welcome place to unwind between dive days in the heart of Key West.
The only things to bring are yourself and a sense of adventure.
Who Should Take This Course

Open Water certification is open to anyone 10 years or older with average swimming ability and good general health. No prior dive experience is required. A medical history form must be completed before your first water session — you are responsible for confirming you are medically qualified to participate. Families are welcome; younger students (ages 10–14) earn the Junior Open Water Diver certification. Please note: students ages 10 and 11 are required to have a private instructor, available as an add-on when booking. Your Captain Hook’s dive professional will walk you through this when they contact you after your reservation.
What to Bring

• Reef-safe sunscreen
• Towel
• Waterproof camera
• Comfortable shoes for the boat
• Bottled water and snacks
What Our Students Say
“Captain Hook's was fantastic to work with. We got four of my family SSI scuba certified while on vacation in Key West. Our dive instructor Lisa S. was absolutely amazing and went over and above to make sure that everything went flawlessly.”
— Jeffrey M.
“The crew was extremely accommodating. The locations we dived at were vibrant and full of sea life.”
— ZoZo
“Very professional, courteous, responsive, safety conscious, and flexible. The whole team bends over backwards to ensure a safe, fun, and amazing dive experience.”
— Jack N.
Ready to Get Started?
Select your first training day in the booking calendar and complete your reservation. A Captain Hook's dive professional will reach out to walk you through your eLearning setup and answer any questions before you arrive.
Prefer to talk first? Call us at 305-296-3823 — we're happy to help you plan the best certification experience for your schedule and your goals.
A Note on Conditions
Your open-water checkout dives take place on the reefs and wrecks of the Florida Keys. Our captains and instructors select dive sites based on real-time ocean conditions, coordinating with other Keys operators to put you in the best possible water. Conditions occasionally require schedule flexibility — when they do, we adapt to keep your training safe and your experience exceptional.