8 am daily · 4.5 hours · Certified, 15+
Morning 2-Tank: Vandenberg
The wreck, two tanks, every morning.
| With gear | $174 |
|---|---|
| Tanks and weights only | $134 |
| Rider | $65 |
Editorial spotlight · 606 Front Street, Key West; boat at the Hyatt marina
2026 Conch Shell Awards nomineeBest Dive Operator
Southpoint Divers
The dive shop on Front Street that has put people on the Vandenberg every morning and the reef every afternoon since 1991. Beginners do Discover Scuba the same day; certified divers walk across the street to a 46-foot Newton. PADI 5-Star, NOAA Blue Star, and coral-restoration dives with the Coral Restoration Foundation.
- Two-tank dive
- $174
- Discover Scuba
- $259
- Tripadvisor
- 4.6
- Since
- 1991
Editorial spotlight. Southpoint Divers is a nominee in the 2026 Conch Shell Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The company
Thirty-five years on Front Street
Southpoint Divers opened in 1991. Don McKenzie moved to Key West in 1994, got certified, worked at the shop through the mid-nineties and bought it before the decade was out; he is a PADI instructor and a USCG master, and runs it with Patti. The shop is at 606 Front Street with a full ScubaPro retail floor, and the boat, M/V Phoenix, a 46-foot Newton, ties up at the Hyatt marina across the street.
The schedule has not changed in years: the Vandenberg at 8, the reef at 1, sunset and night dives Wednesdays and Saturdays. Southpoint is PADI 5-Star, a NOAA Blue Star operator, a ScubaPro Platinum dealer, and the Coral Restoration Foundation's public dive partner in Key West, which means coral nursery and out-planting dives on the calendar.
“Conservation-focused.”
- DM
Owner, instructor, captain
Don McKenzie
- P
Owner
Patti
- TM
Captain and instructor
Tropical Mike
- DR
Captain, engineer, instructor
Drew Rutherford
- MP
Conservation lead
McKinzie Parks
- PD
Instructor and ScubaPro tech
Palmer Dunn
Names as listed on the Southpoint Divers homepage.
The one to book
The Vandenberg, every morning
The USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg is a 523-foot ship sunk seven miles off Key West in 2009, the second-largest artificial reef in the world. Southpoint dives it every morning at 8 as a two-tank trip. Certified divers 15 and up, dove within the past year, and a guide is required without an Advanced Open Water card.
With a gear package it is $174; with your own gear, tanks and weights only, $134. Riders who want to see the boat come along for $65. The afternoon reef trip is the same price and takes snorkelers at $70.
| Certified diver with gear | $174 |
|---|---|
| Certified diver, tanks and weights only | $134 |
| Rider | $65 |
Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026. Check in at 606 Front Street at 8 am.
Check AvailabilityThe boat
M/V Phoenix
A custom Newton dive boat with the things that matter after a dive: showers, two ladders, a camera table.
M/V Phoenix
- Make
- 46 ft Newton custom dive boat
- Divers
- 27 on a trip, rated for 40
- Aboard
- Camera table, showers, two ladders, restroom
- Berth
- Hyatt Resort & Marina, across from the shop at 606 Front St
Book it
Dives and courses
Per person. Certified dives need a card; the Vandenberg needs a dive within the past year and a guide without Advanced Open Water. Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026.
1 pm daily · Certified · Snorkelers welcome
Afternoon 2-Tank Reef Dive
The barrier reef with a conservation focus.
| With gear | $174 |
|---|---|
| Tanks and weights only | $134 |
| Snorkeler or rider | $70 |
Wed and Sat · 2.5 hours · Ages 10+
Sunset and Night Dive
The reef at dusk and after dark, lights provided. October dates only at this check.
| Diver | $170 |
|---|---|
| Rider | $70 |
All day · No certification · Ages 10+
Discover Scuba Diving
Pool in the morning, two reef dives in the afternoon, no card needed. Must swim.
| Per person | $259 |
|---|
Daily · Ages 10+
Refresher
Pool refresher for lapsed divers, alone or packaged with the afternoon reef dive.
| Pool only | $119 |
|---|---|
| Pool plus reef dive | $259 |
Ages 10+ · E-learning separate
PADI Open Water Course
Get certified in Key West. Pool session and open-water dives; e-learning done ahead.
| Course | $549 |
|---|
Open Water or higher
Nitrox Certification
Enriched-air certification with e-learning and a 30% mix included.
| Course | $565 |
|---|
Coral nursery and out-planting dives with the Coral Restoration Foundation are on the calendar by month; debris-cleanup dives are free for certified divers 10 and up. Private charters of the Phoenix: (305) 292-9778.
Before you go
Know before you go
Where to check in
The shop at 606 Front Street: 8 am for the wreck, 1 pm for the reef, 12:30 for coral-restoration dives. The boat is at the Hyatt marina across the street.
Vandenberg rules
Certified, 15 and up, a logged dive within the past year, and a guide unless you hold Advanced Open Water.
Included
Full gear rental packages, a restroom aboard, dive lights on night dives.
Beginners
Discover Scuba takes non-certified swimmers from 10 through a pool session and two reef dives in one day.
Parking
Downtown garages and lots; none at the shop.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.6TripadvisorRating as of September 30, 2026
- 4.6GoogleAs shown on Wanderlog, September 30, 2026
- 1991FoundedPADI 5-Star, NOAA Blue Star
Reviewers write about safety-first briefings, patient instruction for first-timers on Discover Scuba, and the Vandenberg as the dive they came for.
Questions
Good to know
Can beginners dive?
Yes. Discover Scuba is a one-day program for swimmers 10 and up: pool in the morning, two reef dives in the afternoon, $259, no certification needed.
What is the Vandenberg?
A 523-foot ship sunk in 2009 as an artificial reef, seven miles off Key West. Southpoint dives it every morning; certified divers 15 and up with a dive in the past year.
Where is the shop?
606 Front Street in Old Town. The boat is at the Hyatt marina across the street.
What does it cost?
Two-tank dives $174 with gear or $134 with your own, Discover Scuba $259, Open Water certification $549. Checked September 30, 2026.
Is Southpoint eco-certified?
PADI 5-Star, NOAA Blue Star, and the Coral Restoration Foundation's public dive partner in Key West.
Dive the Vandenberg tomorrow morning
Daily wreck and reef dives from Front Street since 1991.
Check Availability