I just got back from River Run 2009 with my friends down a 13 mile stretch of the Suwannee river…read more The price to rent a canoe on the river was $75 for the three days so i decided to check out shops around town and see what the price would be if i just brought my own to the river. The closest rental place to where i live was a 20 min. drive across town called Blue Water Sports. I called them up to see if they had any available canoes for the memorial day weekend and they said that they had two available a 15' and 18'. I told them that i was going to head down there to check out their canoes and probably rent one. I showed up and the guy at the front desk was new and didn't really know much of anything but hey, it was his first day. So he went to get the manager/owner (not really sure which he is). He comes out and tells me that the price is $36 for the weekend so i was pretty excited. Furthermore he said he didn't really care when i picked it up but if i came on Thursday it would be better for him since Fridays are pretty busy. So i said deal and gave my credit card info to reserve the 18' canoe. Thursday rolls around and i show up around 4pm but my canoe is not where it was before in the parking lot. I thought they must be cleaning it or something getting it ready for me . . . . . . . . . . Wrong! Another kid was at the front desk and said that they canoe was already rented and they must have double booked it. But not to worry cuz the canoe was supposed to be back the next day by 5pm. Since i didn't actually need it till then i didn't really care. Just to be safe i said what happens if its not back by then tomorrow. The manager/owner said not to worry if its not there by 5pm then he will go and get his sons personal canoe and i can take that so i wont be stranded without a canoe. So now i was feeling much better about the situation. Friday comes and i show up around 5:45 to get the canoe. The new guy tells me that the manager/owner went to get his sons canoe about 15 min ago and told him to tell me he shouldn't be more than an hour. Since it was 20 min each way to my house and back i figured i would just wait it out. He finally shows up at 6:40 with what looks like a brand new canoe. I'm sure it wasn't brand new but definitely nicer than what i had rented. He apologizes for the wait and the whole situation and then helps me load it onto the truck and secure it down. I left for the Suwannee river the next day. Monday i returned the canoe, even though he said i could bring it back whenever i was convenient for me i thought i would get it out of the way. The return went super smooth. On another note i was there around the same time i rented the canoe to purchase a hose-less dive computer. The manager/owner told me about a special the manufacturer was running on dive equipment. He got the book out that gave a description of the special and told me that if i have an old dive computer even one that didn't work i could trade it in for a 20% discount. He called the manufacturer to make sure that was the special and then i told him that i didn't have one to trade in anyway so it was no big deal. He continued to tell me that if i was really interested then he would give me the discount and send in one of the old dive computers they had lying around the shop. I was really surprised he would do that for a new customer, so i made the purchase. Overall the staff here seemed to be a little unsure of everything and somewhat unorganized. However, they do go the extra mile to help you out and make sure your not stranded after a rental mix-up.

Horrible service. We called about 8 times over the course of two months trying to schedule an…read moreintroductory dive lesson. Every time we were either told "currently full, but will call back later" or "Every instructor makes their own schedule, we will call you back." 8 calls, now 3 months since they first took our info and we have not been called once single time. The last few times that I expressed my frustration the staff there was defensive and unapologetic. I strongly advise you use another company. Any company that either isn't organized enough or just doesn't care enough to call someone back after so my effort on the customer's part is not one you want to trust with you bottles, instruction or gear when you are under the ocean. I would use Coral Reef SCUBA instead. They can be found here: http://www.coralreefscuba.com/

Water was very chilling and refreshing on that hot Labor Day, it did not disappoint! We Loved it a…read morelot!

Possibly the best $4 (per person) you will ever spend. We first went to the Blue hole spring near…read morethe caves, however the water was murky and brown with poor visibility. So I googled nearby springs and this recreation area came up. I was totally surprised to pull up and find that the water was super clear and blue. They have a pretty large swimming area with a diving board and slides. There is plenty of room to lay out and get sun. Also allow you to swim outside of the main area. The lifeguards were super friendly when I asked if I could swim outside the area and even told me where the underground cave was outside of the main area. Underneath the diving board is an entrance to another underwater cave. Be aware that there is a current in the main swimming area. We really enjoyed swimming/snorkeling in the area and seeing the underwater caves. It's a great value!!! I highly recommend hanging out here if you're in the area!!

Unfortunately, I had a disappointing experience with Cave Adventurers…read more During my second day of training, I broke a finger and asked the instructor, Edd, whether I could complete the remaining portion of the course once my finger healed. Since I had already paid the full $900 upfront, he agreed. About two months later, I contacted him to schedule the remaining training days, but I started receiving multiple excuses and delays. I even offered to pay an additional $150 to accommodate the situation, but in the end, I was told I would need to pay another instructor $600 extra to complete the final two days because Edd no longer wanted to honor his original agreement. I understand unexpected situations can happen, but I was disappointed by the lack of follow-through and professionalism after paying in full and relying on the promise that was made.

Some of the best training I've ever had. Edd is an amazing instructor. He will get you set up and…read moretrained. I was a solid student when I left his class. He pushes you to be proficient and knowledgeable about the training you are getting. You are missing out if you don't get training with Edd.

My family visited Mexico Beach in May 2024 to celebrate our oldest graduating HS. We found Maritime…read moreExpeditions via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094783637187) and instantly knew we were in good hands. Alex spent a considerable amount of time answering our many, many, many questions before, during, and even after our SCUBA adventure. He was a wealth of knowledge about not only SCUBA, but also the local area. I can honestly say our trip to Mexico Beach was so amazing in large part because of Alex and his recommendations. I am not the most comfortable in water, but trusted Alex and his Divemaster Rick, their equipment, and instruction. I truly believed I was in good hands and never questioned my safety. Despite all the logic I tried to apply to the situation I struggled to get comfortable breathing under water. Despite my mental hang-ups Alex and Rick were always patient, considerate, and offered tips/tricks to help me be successful at SCUBA diving. I never once felt pushed or was made to feel badly about the situation. They calmly helped me in any way they could, Rick and I even breaking off from the main group to work with me directly. They truly cared that we had a good SCUBA experience. My suggestions for a potential student: If you have a mustache and think you might have some mental hang-ups SCUBA diving, shave it at least ~1/4-3/8" down from the bottom of your nose. This will prevent water from seeping into your mask and making you feel like you are drowning (even though you are not). After doing so, I had almost 0 issues snorkeling a couple of days later. I will try SCUBA again and will be shaving the top part of my mustache before going. If your family is going to join you on the adventure to the jetty/springs, etc but not diving; it's doable, but I would not recommend it. My wife is very self sufficient, but there was some added stress on me to make sure we got all the things to the beach and setup so they could also enjoy their day. It didn't contribute to my metal hang-ups, but certainly did add a bit of unnecessary stress/rush. You'll have enough to focus on and learn, don't add more to your plate. Lastly, absolutely use Maritime Expeditions of the Forgotten Coast on your next water adventure. We will be back to Mexico Beach and we will be a return customer of MRFC.

Truly an amazing experience! Me and my family had a great time, some of us dived and me and my…read moredaughter snorkeled. Alex provided us with all the equipment and more, unforgettable memories. Will be back for more! His highly trained and experienced, made us feel very safe. Alex is not only a great diver and host but he got a smile and personality that brightens your day.

i would avoid this shop if you are looking for good customer service. Apparently they are doing so…read morewell they ask their paying customers not to come back. Very unprofessional and rude.

Don't ask if he gives a military or first responder discount, he'll spend ten minutes angrily…read moretelling you how entitled you are just for asking! A very unfriendly guy who wasn't much help in setting up the BCD and computer I was interested in. The best thing I can say about this place is they have lots of stuff in stock, but it's far overpriced and maybe better than driving all the way to Panama City.