| The Melchiori's and
Kreeger's, Melbourne Beach, FL -
April 2008 |
|
Dear Ann and Darrell
We can’t thank you
enough for providing us
with such a great time
diving over the last few
days. Capt. Jim,
Hugh, and the rest of
your staff, including
first mate Roxy, were
wonderful to be around
and did everything they
could to make sure we
had a safe enjoyable
time. We
especially appreciated
their patience with kids
(and the adults) and
were thankful to have a
couple of extra sets of
eyes watching over them
on their first diving
adventure. My only
complaint is now Chris
and Wes think that’s
what all our trips are
going to be like!!!
Nothing like spoiling
them early and often……..
You guys are great and
can’t wait to get to
Key Largo
again to dive with you
again soon. Thanks
so much for making it a
great few days, you are
the best!!!
The Melchiori’s and
Kreeger’s
Melbourne Beach,
FL
|
|
| Steve & Beau
Holcombe, Decatur, IL, July 2007 |
|
Dear Island Ventures:
On behalf of my son Beau
and myself, we would
like to thank you both
so much for such a great
dive week with you
folks. Your "No Stress"
diving theme is
perfectly fitting.
We enjoyed every dive
and will certainly
recommend to all our
other dive friends to
dive Key Largo with
Island Venture Diving.
Oops.....please also
give a hug to Roxie as
she too was a fun asset
to the dive trips.
All the best and dive
safe!
Best regards,
Steve and Beau Holcombe
|
|
| Frank and Amanda Bowman,
Des Moines, IA, April 2007 |
| Ann,
My wife and I
would like to say
thank you for
allowing us to
finish our SCUBA
training in the
great Key Largo
area. We had a
wonderful time. The
initial diving in
the lagoon was a
mixed blessing for
me. It prepared me
for the last two
dives in the ocean.
Our instructor was
professional and put
us at ease with
SCUBA. The next time
we are in the
Florida Keys, we
will stop by and say
hello. Again, thank
you. |
|
| Matt, Dave, Dee and Jenny
from the UK, February
2007 |
| Ann and Darrell,
Just thought I
would send you a
quick note to say
thanks for the
diving back in
March, and thanks
for putting up with
us from over the
Atlantic. All of us
really appreciated
the relaxed and
welcoming atmosphere
on your boats and
the fantastic dive
sites you took us
to. Certainly the
sites and
experiences on the
Duane and Spiegel
Grove will live with
us for a long time,
and the stories we
have been telling
since we got back
have made or diving
buddies very jealous
and rush to look at
getting over
themselves.
Should they do
that we will point
them straight in
your direction!
Once again thanks
for some great
diving. |
|
| Brian Bucklin,
Naperville, IL, February
2007 |
| Ann,
Just wanted to
thank you and Hugh
for the excellent
instruction Tom and
I received in our
Drift and Wreck
Diver Training. I
learned more than I
expected, mostly
from the tips you
and Hugh provided
that were not
covered in the
books. This was our
second year diving
with Island Ventures
and we will be
coming back again as
soon as we can.
Thanks for the
good start towards
our Master Scuba
Diver Ratings.
Feel free to use
my comments on your
website. I will be
back as soon as I
can. I want my wife
to take the Advanced
Class with you or
Hugh.
Have to go back
to shoveling snow
now.
Thanks,
Brian Bucklin
Naperville, IL
|
|
| Adam VanGrack, Washington, DC, January
2007 |
| Ann,
Katie and I
wanted to take the
time to thank you,
Darrell & Hugh for a
wonderful multi-day
diving experience.
It was a thrill for
us to become Open
Water Advanced
divers with Island
Ventures, and Hugh
was a fantastic
instructor. Not only
did we feel always
comfortable diving
at the different
challenging sites
with Hugh and
Darrell, but we also
had an amazing time.
Hugh was the perfect
guide to introduce
us to the Spiegel
Grove, and we look
forward to diving
there again. And as
for finding an
abundance of sea
life, who knows if
we'll ever again
experience a shark
pass-by followed by
a 6-foot
free-swimming moray
eel being chased by
a huge grouper.
The patience you
showed with us was
second to none, and
your willingness to
help divers from
other outfits at
dive sites gave us
even more confidence
in your commitment
to safety and the
diving community.
Happy New Year
and thanks for some
of the best diving
we've ever
experienced! Please
let me know if I can
be of any assistance
to you here in the
District of
Columbia.
Thanks,
Adam L. VanGrack
|
|
| John Stanton, January
2007 |
| Ann,
Thank you very
much for making our
week in Key Largo
enjoyable last week.
I really appreciate
the personal service
provided by Darrell,
Steve and yourself.
You run a great
operation, don't
change a thing. I
will be recommending
you to anyone that I
know that is heading
down to your area.
Thanks again and
Happy New Year.
|
|
| Dale, October 2006 |
| Ann/Darrel:
If you were to
look in my log book
for 10/08/06 you
would see a dive
entitled the “Shadow
Dive”. That was one
of the coolest dives
I have ever done. I
can’t tell you how
much I appreciate
you taking a near
empty boat out and
turning what could
have been a
disappointing drive
home into a dive
memory that I will
always remember.
There I was on the
SG with two of my
most favorite dive
people in the world.
It was also a real
treat to get to dive
with Darrel on the
first dive and see
the worlds first
Goliath Grouper
Rodeo and Missile
Launch.
I wouldn’t worry
about growing your
business. Anyone who
is lucky enough to
dive with Island
Ventures once will
most certainly be a
long time customer.
I just can’t thank
you enough for
Sunday.
All my best to
everyone (especially
the “Master Bubble
Watcher”, AKA Roxy)
Dale |
|
| Rick Sheasby, August 2006 |
| I want to thank
you all, Ann,
Darrell and Steve
for a wonderful time
last week. I am so
glad we found you
again. We could not
have planned a more
perfect dive
vacation. You guys
have exceeded all of
my expectations and
reminded me of why I
had such an
enjoyable dive trip
two years ago. I now
know that I won't
have to wonder if
our next vacation
will be with a
friendly and
knowledgeable staff
and crew. I look
forward to many
years of diving in
the keys and
especially with
Island Ventures. We
are already planning
our next trip. And
we will refer any
one we speak with to
Island Ventures for
some "No Stress"
diving with the best
staff in the Keys.
Thanks again for a
terrific week.
See you all next
year. Say hello to
Roxy.
Rick Sheasby
Columbus Ohio |
|
| Scott Klein, December 1,
2005 |
Dear Darrell and
Ann:
I want to thank you for the wonderful experience I had with your
company, Island
Ventures, getting my
PADI Open Water
SCUBA certification.
Being a complete
novice (my last
diving experience
was nearly three
decades ago in
college), I was a
little nervous about
the thought of open
water diving. From
the moment I met the
two of you, however,
I felt at ease and
knew I would be in
good hands. In
particular, Ann, you
have the right mix
of professionalism
and humor. As you
took me through each
test in the
certification
process, you made
clear that you would
not cut corners and
took every step
seriously. At the
same time, your
manner helped me to
relax and enjoy the
experience. It was
quite a transition
from an indoor pool
and classroom
lessons to the
beautiful locations
Darryl took us to,
but I felt confident
that both of you
were there, that you
were dedicated to
what you do, and
that you would make
sure my entire
experience went
smoothly—and it did.
I can’t wait to come
diving with you
again and would
definitely recommend
Island Ventures to
my friends and
anyone looking for a
great dive
experience in the
Florida Keys!
Sincerely,
Scott B. Klein
PADI Open Water
Scuba Diver
Columbia, MD
|
|
| From Larry |
| What a wonderful
experience and a
great dive
operation. I brought
a few friends with
me to Key Largo, and
found out Ann and
Darrell were now
dive operation
owners. Having been
diving with them
when they were with
another operation, I
knew their
professionalism and
trusted them as
someone to make
bubbles with. Going
out with them and
Island Ventures was
another memorable
experience. From
their fun and lively
personality to their
desire to insure you
had a memorable
experience, they are
the best. Thanks Ann
and Darrell, as the
group I brought down
are still talking
about the great time
they had and we
can't wait to make
bubbles with you
again. |
|
|
From Ray Nixon |
| I just wanted to
thank you both for a
wonderful Florida
Keys diving
experience.....I
look forward to many
more dives with your
operation. So many
divers underestimate
the impact the boat
and crew will have
on their dive
experience. I have
learned to seek out
quality and stick
with it. I have been
coming to Key Largo
since 1998 and
Island Ventures is
the best operation I
have encountered
there. Rest assured,
you will have 100%
of my Keys diving
business and all the
referrals I have the
opportunity to
give...... I'll
definitely keep in
contact with you
folks. Good luck
with the rest of
hurricane season
"05. I'll see you
soon.
Sincerely,
Ray Nixon
|
|
|
From Captain Rich Betterley,
Pelican Dive Charters, Sep 2005 |
| Thank you very
much Darrell and
Ann. We had great
week and we really
enjoyed our time.
Darrell, I really
appreciate the
patience you showed
with the "group",
they can be a
handful at times. We
have talked already
about the next
trip.....Not sure
what your business
level is in the fall
and winter but if
you ever have a
desire to dive the
reefs of Boynton
Beach and can take a
day off we would
love to see you on
the Pelican I.
Captain Rich
Betterley, Pelican
Dive Charters |
|
|
From Jim Hardt, July 2005 |
| Thank you for
letting us share in
the excitement of
your first days as
new dive operators,
it was very special
for us. Also thank
you for taking the
time out to do
Tracy's
certification dives,
I know that meant a
great deal to her
and something she
will remember for a
life time.
Attached are the
pictures I promised
you and these are
yours to publish or
do whatever you wish
with them. Thanks
again for a great
couple of days of
diving."
|
|
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