Anyone Know the Florida Keys well?

[bkpix]

Hi,

I am planning to take a flight to the Keys and looking for unfilled Dive boats to take Day Dives in the West Keys or somewhere in the Keys. Does anyone have recommendations on where in the keys to take trips and where to stay and which charters offer the better rates and dives?

Thanks

Have been to the Keys three times; Key Largo, Tavernier and Marathon. All had their good and bad points as far as diving. Key Largo is way crowded because of John Pennicamp N.P. Lots of "cattle boats" who dump scores of divers and snorkelers. Tavernier has some very nice dives, not as crowded and some good operators as well. We stayed at a place called the Ragged Edge which is off the highway ( hard to find in the Keys) which had nice little efficiency units, the water was literally only 15 or 20 feet from our patio. Marathon had great shallow dives. In a week of diving I think we maxed out at 28 feet. The numbers of fish on some of the dives were mind boggeling! If you're sooking for long shallow relaxing dives this might be the place for you. We dove with Captain Hook's. Their boat captain/dive master Captain Jerry is a nice guy and knows where to go to aviod the crowds. If in Marathon, don't miss lunch or dinner at Keys Fisheries' they make a lobster rueben you won't believe.

Have fun! Bruce

 

[mbb97fxdwg]

Hi,

Just went to keys in june. Went with RainbowReef Dive center. people were very nice. boats were not crowded as long as you stick with AM dives(afternoon takes snorklers). They run dives in Largo an Islamorada. Both were nice but i liked Largo dives.

 

[scubadude1]

Hi,

I am planning to take a flight to the Keys and looking for unfilled Dive boats to take Day Dives in the West Keys or somewhere in the Keys. Does anyone have recommendations on where in the keys to take trips and where to stay and which charters offer the better rates and dives?

Thanks

You could go to keywest.com, there are quite a few good ones. One to avoid is Silent World Dive Center in Key Largo.

 

[TheRedHead]

Marathon had great shallow dives. In a week of diving I think we maxed out at 28 feet. The numbers of fish on some of the dives were mind boggeling! If you're sooking for long shallow relaxing dives this might be the place for you. We dove with Captain Hook's. Their boat captain/dive master Captain Jerry is a nice guy and knows where to go to aviod the crowds. If in Marathon, don't miss lunch or dinner at Keys Fisheries' they make a lobster rueben you won't believe.

Have fun! Bruce

Jerry is a riot and he always wears a speedo <he, he>. There are some deeper dives in the Marathon area. Jerry can take you to "Edge of Night" at about 60 ft. where I saw a lot of green morays. The Gap is about 80 to 90 feet and there is always the Thunderbolt. Highly recommend Jerry and Captain Hooks.

A quick check my log book (dove Marathon in the middle of June) prompted me to change "Day After Tomorrow" to "Edge of Night." Both of these are Jerry's names. We also dove "Day After Tomorrow" max depth 28 ft. and saw a lot of lobsters and many Graysby. I think this is one of Jerry's secret sites which must have escaped the mini season for several years as there were huge lobsters under every ledge. Dove "The Gap" (max depth 73 ft.) with Abyss Dive Center. It is a seldom dived site and you would have to request it as I did. They require AOW and there is no in the water DM. You have to nagivate it yourself and we dove it green water with viz of about 20 feet. There is an abudance of barrel and vase sponges and lots of rays crusing the sand flats beyond the reef. Unfortunately, it was littered with monofiliment line and is obviously fished often.

When we dove "Edge of Night" (max depth 61 feet), several large green morays popped out of their holes to check us out. I don't think they get much company there as it is seldom dived. I would have loved to have dived these sites with better viz and blue water.