Photo taken by Wyatt Kostygan.

Right off Cortez Road, Dive Florida scuba shop lures locals and vacationers alike—seeking to fulfill their fascination of what lies beneath. Aside from providing high-end scuba gear and equipment from brands not found anywhere else in Florida, owner Troy Sorensen partners with many local and exotic dive destinations to offer dive instruction. From primary Open Water certification, all the way through NAUI's (National Association of Underwater Instructors) Leadership courses, Sorenson certifies new students from all over the world for recreational scuba and even offers exclusive diving tours for those more seasoned.

And with Dive Florida ranking as a NAUI Pro Platinum Training Facility, Sorenson, a licensed mixed Gas Blender/O2 Service Technician and Technical Diver,  is also able to offer specialty courses in mixed gas diving, night diving, buoyancy control, technical diving, free diving and advanced rescue. Looking to broaden your bluescape abilities even further, take in-depth lessons in underwater video/photography, or even spearfishing if you’re looking to stake your own dinner. And if you have your sights on one day becoming a recovery diver, Sorenson, as the head of Florida Ring Finders Association, integrated a metal detecting club at Dive Florida. He and his students have been responsible for finding customers’ lost jewelry and unearthing family heirlooms, both on land and underwater. If nothing else, the color-coded array of primo snorkels, masks and flippers hanging in the shop marks your ticket to the beguiling world of what lies beneath these Gulf Coast waters.

Photo taken by Wyatt Kostygan.

Dive Florida LLC, 8803 Cortez Rd. W Bradenton, divefloridallc@gmail.com, 941 727 3483