Author Archives: David Hartman

About David Hartman

David W. Hartman organizes and leads our extraordinary adventure trips. David is a successful entrepreneur and an avid adventure traveler who retired from a successful business to pursue the dream of being a SCUBA Instructor and an adventure tour leader.

The Allure of Lobster Mini-Season

Every year the Florida commercial lobster season ends on March 15th and reopens in early August 1st for traps and harvesting.  This little break gives the lobster population a chance to spawn, tend to their eggs, and create the next … Continue reading

Posted in Key Largo Diving, Life in the Florida Keys | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Special Wreck Trek Starts Off Lobster Week

Indian Valley SCUBA arrived early in South Florida to take in the sites and some serious wrecks prior to Lobster Mini-Season arrives on Wednesday and Thurday.  David Valaika headed to the Dry Tortugas for an adventure excursion on a private … Continue reading

Posted in Duane, Key Largo Diving, Spiegel Grove | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2nd Annual Vandenberg Underwater Grand Prix

The team from Indian Valley SCUBA headed down to Key West this past weekend May 20-22nd to represent and participate in the Wreck Racing League’s first race of the Formula H2o Racing season: The 2nd Annual Vandenberg Underwater Grand Prix in … Continue reading

Posted in Dive Travel, Life in the Florida Keys, Vandenburg | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Benefits of the PADI National Geo Open Water Course

The standard PADI Open Water class is 4 open water dives over two days after successful completion of classroom and pool work.  Recently, PADI partnered with National Geographic to offer an Open Water Course that focused more time and attention … Continue reading

Posted in Key Largo Diving, Life in the Florida Keys | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Indian Valley SCUBA Key Largo Trip: April 2011 Edition

April showers bring May flowers….well not quite the saying we use in Key Largo.  It’s more like April sunshine brings more divers.  No wait for the weary as a group of eager divers from Indian Valley SCUBA in Harlyesville, PA invaded Key … Continue reading

Posted in Dive Travel, Duane, Key Largo Diving, Life in the Florida Keys, Spiegel Grove | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Touring and Diving Post-Revolutionary Egypt

April 20th marks the one year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The event is one to forget for tourism in Florida and the Florida Keys because overblown and exaggerated news reports kept travelers away for … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure Travel, Educational Travel, Egypt-Red Sea | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Indian Valley SCUBA Key Largo Trip: February 2011 Edition

February has been a steller month for weather in Key Largo. The month ended with the best weather of the winter: sunny skies, light winds, low 80′s at night and low 70′s at night.  The light winds and calm weather … Continue reading

Posted in Dive Travel, Duane, Key Largo Diving, Life in the Florida Keys, Spiegel Grove | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Hidden Gem of a Ski Area

Just outside Bend, Oregon is a volcanic cone of a mountain called Mt Bachelor.  You will  read little about Mt. Bachelor in ski magazines because there are few amenities at the ski area and virtually NO lodging within 30 minutes of the … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Invasion Continues: Indian Valley SCUBA Back in Key Largo to Escape from the Cold of Harleysville, PA

I have been working with Indian Valley SCUBA for the past five years as a local host, instructor and dive guide in Key Largo and all previous 25+ trips of the group the dive shop’s owner and fearless leader David … Continue reading

Posted in Duane, Key Largo Diving, Life in the Florida Keys, Spiegel Grove | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

High School Friends Reunite in Key Largo over Thanksgiving

High School class reunions come every 5 years but why wait when you can reunite in Key Largo with high school friends now SCUBA divers for a holiday weekend of diving the wrecks in the area.  Anthony Bracco, Rick and … Continue reading

Posted in Duane, Key Largo Diving, Spiegel Grove | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments