Key West operators? Several days in April

[lairdb]

Planning several days in April, staying in Key West; hoping for SB recommendations and wisdom. Abut 5 days in the area, probably 3-4 dive days.

Our resume:
me: AOW, ~350 dives, pretty broad experience throughout most wetsuit conditions, recent including deep and in-the-blue.
her: OW, ~300 dives, otherwise ditto.
us: Comfortable un-guided, but happy to hire a guide for better guided experiences (e.g. Vandenberg for the first time seems like a good idea). No interest in spearfishing; we're nudibranchs and octopi and fishspotting kind of people. Happiest with operators that combine small and high-comfort/high-service.

Here are my crude notes so far. Hoping for suggestions, corrections, recommendations. Thanks.

Captain's Corner
-24?-pack with head and showers
-positive SB comments
-guide additional, required for OW on Vandenberg
-wrecks in the AM, reefs in the PM

Finz
-6-pack; 34' Freeman or 32' Water Bear
-positive SB comments
-emphasis on service?
-dive air and time, not the stopwatch
-much pricier than the big boats
-DM "in the water"
-bias toward spearos?

Lost Reef
-12?-pack
-guide additional, required for OW on Vandenberg

South Point Divers
-40?-pack with head and showers; 46' Newton "Phoenix"
-guide additional ($30pp), required for OW on Vandenberg
-Van in the AM, reefs in the PM

Dive Key West (part of Captain Hook's)
-same boat as South Point?; possibly the same op behind the scenes?
-AOW required for Vandenberg
-DM "in the water"

Key West Scuba Diving
-same boat as South Point?; possibly the same op behind the scenes?
-guide additional, required for OW on Vandenberg
-Van in the AM, reefs in the PM?

(Seriously, are South Point Divers, Dive Key West, and Key West Scuba Diving all the same company? They all seem to use the Phoenix for the Vandenberg trip.)

 

[Wookie]

Planning several days in April, staying in Key West; hoping for SB recommendations and wisdom. Abut 5 days in the area, probably 3-4 dive days.

Our resume:
me: AOW, ~350 dives, pretty broad experience throughout most wetsuit conditions, recent including deep and in-the-blue.
her: OW, ~300 dives, otherwise ditto.
us: Comfortable un-guided, but happy to hire a guide for better guided experiences (e.g. Vandenberg for the first time seems like a good idea). No interest in spearfishing; we're nudibranchs and octopi and fishspotting kind of people. Happiest with operators that combine small and high-comfort/high-service.

Here are my crude notes so far. Hoping for suggestions, corrections, recommendations. Thanks.


(Seriously, are South Point Divers, Dive Key West, and Key West Scuba Diving all the same company? They all seem to use the Phoenix for the Vandenberg trip.)

South point has Phoenix.

Dive key west has 2 boats, neither one is Phoenix.

Key West Scuba Diving has zero boats. They have a crappy van and excellent web skills from what I’ve seen.

 

[al248005]

I'm using Finz at the beginning of next month for a Dry Tortugas trip. I can post a report when we get back

 

[Skeptic14]

I'm using Finz at the beginning of next month for a Dry Tortugas trip. I can post a report when we get back

I'm interested for your report; if the dry tortugas are as much better diving as some have claimed I may have to give it a shot despite the logistics.

Have you previously done any other Keys diving, or will you on that trip?

 

[al248005]

I'm interested for your report; if the dry tortugas are as much better diving as some have claimed I may have to give it a shot despite the logistics.

Have you previously done any other Keys diving, or will you on that trip?

Yes I have done quite a bit of diving in Largo and twice from KW. I'm just as curious as you because I've heard great things about the Dry Tortugas

 

[lairdb]

Yes I have done quite a bit of diving in Largo and twice from KW. I'm just as curious as you because I've heard great things about the Dry Tortugas

Who did you use for your previous KW diving? Were you satisfied?

 

[lairdb]

South point has Phoenix.

Dive key west has 2 boats, neither one is Phoenix.

Key West Scuba Diving has zero boats. They have a crappy van and excellent web skills from what I’ve seen.

FYI:

Any recommendations between the available ops?

 

[al248005]

Who did you use for your previous KW diving? Were you satisfied?

Captains Corners and yes!

 

[Wookie]

FYI:
View attachment 699606

Any recommendations between the available ops?

I always recommend Finz. For cattle boat diving, Captains Corner. I was a dive operator in key west for almost 20 years. I’m here to tell you that Phoenix belongs to South Point, Easy Diver to Dive Key West, Dream is Lost Reef Adventures, and Sea Eagle belongs to Captain’s Corner.

Key West Scuba Diving does not have their own boat.

 

[lhopkin9]

I booked something through Key West Scuba Diving, and the reservation was actually with Southpoint Divers. They must be like an agency or something? I called southpoint divers directly and they had my reservation and could make changes to it.