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The canal on Old Highway, MM 90.5, has long been home to both the Big Dipper and Little Dipper — Florida Keys Dive Center’s boats — as well as Shadow, Tavernier Dive Center’s boat.
Their close proximity has allowed the operators of the two dive shops to work together and build a lasting business and personal relationship, according to general manager and course director for Florida Keys Dive Center, Jason Schwenke.
Now divers will be able to find the two shops’ individual services under one roof, with the announcement this week that the businesses have merged. The Florida Keys Dive Center has acquired Tavernier’s equipment and technical expertise.
Tavernier Dive Center’s owners are leaving the Keys, but Florida Keys Dive Center is considering the deal a merger, keeping Tavernier’s name because of the reputation its owners have garnered over the years.
The financial details of the deal were not disclosed at press time.
Owners Mike HoSingLoy and his wife Wendy have filled an important niche in the Upper Keys dive community for eight years. Their shop has been one of a few in the Keys that accommodates technical diving.
The HoSingLoys are moving their family back to their hometown in New Hampshire. Mike said that he’s enjoyed running Tavernier Diver center, but, “It’s time to go home.”
The Tavernier Dive Center will remain. Florida Keys Dive Center and Tavernier Dive Center officially announced their merger at the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association’s trade show on Nov. 8 in Orlando.
Florida Keys Dive Center, which has been owned and operated by the Timmerman family since 1983, is one of two five star-rated PADI Career Development Centers in the Keys and has three course directors that run the monthly instructor courses.
Schwenke said that Florida Keys Dive Center received Tavernier Dive Center’s technical equipment, including new compressors that will allow them to blend trimix, a gas containing varied percentages of helium, nitrogen and oxygen that is used in deep diving. Technical diving refers to diving beyond limits that apply to recreational diving.
“We’re just expanding our already top-notch service,” Schwenke said, “We’ve been in business a long time and have a strong staff of instructors. Now we’re looking to extend our reach into technical diving and to provide first-rate service in that area as well.”
Schwenke said that in addition to providing full recreational diving services, Florida Keys Dive Center will now offer partial pressure blending, which involves putting 100 percent oxygen into specially inspected scuba tanks, in addition to the pre-blended enriched air that they keep ready.
He also said that they will be “rebreather-friendly,” will rent double tanks and run decompression diving trips to wrecks like the Northern Lights, which sits in 190 feet of water, and the Queen of Nassau, which sits in 230 feet of water. The new services are possible because of the equipment they acquired from Tavernier Dive Center.
“Our goal is to get the technical equipment completely ready by the end of 2006,” Schwenke said, “Mike has promised to remain involved during the transition. He has an extensive knowledge of technical diving and we’d like him to pass it on to us. He’s going to help us make it a smooth transition.”
More information is available at www.tavernierdivecenter .com and www.floridakeysdivectr.com.
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