Scuba Marco

Located on Marco Island, just one mile from the SS Jolly Bridge, Scuba Marco has been a fixture of the local diving community since 1998. This family-operated centre operates as a PADI 5-Star Dive Resort, offering a professional yet personal atmosphere for those looking to explore the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

The centre serves as a primary hub for divers arriving on the island, providing everything from essential equipment servicing to advanced technical training. Whether you are starting your journey with an Open Water course or looking to refine your skills through specialty training, the focus remains on high safety standards and local expertise.

The team at Scuba Marco brings a wealth of experience to the water, with over 50 years of professional instruction combined. The staff includes Captain Jeff Dawson, Specialty Specialist Jessi Dawson, Master Technician John Fox, and instructors John Blake and Craig Lyons.

As a ScubaPro Platinum dealer, the centre is well-equipped to handle technical needs, including certified equipment repair and maintenance for regulators, BCDs, and dive computers. This technical proficiency ensures that your kit is serviced to professional standards by those who understand the mechanics of the gear.

Scuba Marco provides a complete PADI curriculum, catering to every level of experience. Beginners can start with Discover Scuba Diving or the Open Water Diver course, while those looking to progress can pursue Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and Divemaster certifications.

A wide array of PADI specialties is available to refine specific skills, including Peak Performance Buoyancy, Deep Diver, Drift Diver, Underwater Navigator, and Search & Recovery Diver. For those interested in the environmental or technical side of the sport, they offer courses such as Dive Against Debris, Underwater Naturalist, and Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox).

The shop is fully equipped for both rental and maintenance needs. They offer a complete range of rental kit, allowing you to arrive on the island without your own heavy gear. For those who travel with their own equipment, the centre provides professional servicing for all major brands of regulators, BCDs, and dive computers.

Nitrox is available for divers looking to extend their bottom time, and the centre maintains high safety standards with on-site emergency oxygen for scuba diving injuries.

The reefs and sandy bottoms around Marco Island are home to a diverse range of species. You can encounter Goliath grouper, snapper, snook, porkfish, jacks, spadefish, mackerel, sheepshead, and look-downs. Larger visitors such as Great barracuda, Nurse shark, and Southern stingray are also part of the local ecosystem.

In the spring and summer, Loggerhead sea turtle sightings are more frequent, while Southern stingray and Great barracuda are commonly seen when the water is warmer. The reef structures are often colonised by various sponges and soft corals, providing a backdrop for species like queen angelfish, French angelfish, and lionfish.

For those with an eye for detail, the macro life is significant. You can find nudibranchs, crabs, mantis shrimp, and various species of damsels, bi-colored damsels, spotfin butterfly, and queen angelfish among the crevices of the reef.

The best times to dive in this region are during the spring, early summer, and late autumn. Visibility typically ranges between 15 and 50 feet depending on the specific site and seasonal conditions.