So I read everyone’s advice about where to go and where to dive in keys and decided to just stay put in Key Largo. We got a good rate for the hotel and the dives by booking through Rainbow Reef. The hotel is the Holiday Inn and it’s just ok, but I didn’t come here to hang out in a hotel room.
We arrived late friday night and the car rental agency’s shuttle never showed up. It’s quite a haul to where they are, and every phone call ended with a full mailbox. So we shifted gears, booked a different car and off we went. We arrived at our hotel around 1AM Saturday, with a check in time of 8AM at the dive shop.
Saturday 4/27: we dove Spiegel Grove and Benwood Wreck. Spiegel Grove is 510 ft long and sits at 130 ft at it’s max depth. We found a Marine Corps flag on the flag post and naturally had to take our pictures with it. The Benwood sits in about 45 ft and is pretty scattered. Both have a lot of fish to see. We saw grouper, yellowtail, hogfish, grunts, trumpet, frogfish, lobster, crabs, nurse sharks, barracuda, jack, parrotfish, puffer fish, eels, and rays.
Sunday (AM) 4/28: USCGC Duane and Molasses Reef. The Duane is at about 100’ and is 327’ long. Lots of barracuda. The reefs are beautiful with lots of fish and coral.
Sunday (PM) 4/28: Christ Statue and Banana Patch. Reef dive leading to the statue. I was expecting bigger as we swam up, but once up close it was impressively large. The Banana Patch reef if another beautiful reef. There are so many fish to see and it seems that so many want to say hi.
Monday 4/29: Spiegel Grove and Benwood again. Approached from different entry points. I can do these a few more times and still not be bored with it. Turtle Hospital in Marathon in afternoon. Nice operation working to save and rehab turtles who are sick, injured, or both.
Tuesday 4/30: Duane & Molasses Reef (AM), Molasses Reef & Hole in the Wall (PM).
Wednesday 5/1. Supposed to dive Adolphus Busch in Looe Key but blown out by wind. Can’t reschedule due to timing of flights and other scheduled dives. Drove to Key West since Rainbow did not go out either today. Went to Mel Fisher Museum, the local aquarium (which I find hilarious since we’ve seen just about everything they have while diving), Mile Marker 0, walked Duval St, ate too much KL pie, then drove back to Key Largo.
Tomorrow we have our last two dives with Rainbow Reef. Two reef dives I believe. I would absolutely dive with them again. While their boats are big and they move a lot of people, the have guides for 4-6 people, and ours were mostly groups of four. All the guides we’ve had have been great, as have been the Captains and First Mates. Friendly, helpful, and really fun to be around.
As for meals, we have eaten everything not nailed down. We’ve done breakfast at Doc’s Diner across the street, and Harriette’s Restaurant a few miles south. Both good food and fast at 6AM.
For lunch/dinner we’ve done Sharkeys, The Fish House, Hobo’s Cafe, Mrs Macs (both of them, I like the smaller one better), La Nina (Cuban food near the Turtle Hospital), and still on the list of places to go is The Shrimp Shack and Skippers Dockside. We’ve had one form or another of Key Lime pie every day. Right now in our room we have Key Lime freeze, Key Lime cookies, Key lime pie, and a Key Lime muffin. I think I am going to die if I eat one more Key Lime anything!
It’s been a lot of fun. One more dive day, chill Friday, fly home early Saturday. Oh, did I mention there’s a Diver’s Direct next door to the hotel? ‘Nuff said! I would do it all again and we might early next year.
We arrived late friday night and the car rental agency’s shuttle never showed up. It’s quite a haul to where they are, and every phone call ended with a full mailbox. So we shifted gears, booked a different car and off we went. We arrived at our hotel around 1AM Saturday, with a check in time of 8AM at the dive shop.
Saturday 4/27: we dove Spiegel Grove and Benwood Wreck. Spiegel Grove is 510 ft long and sits at 130 ft at it’s max depth. We found a Marine Corps flag on the flag post and naturally had to take our pictures with it. The Benwood sits in about 45 ft and is pretty scattered. Both have a lot of fish to see. We saw grouper, yellowtail, hogfish, grunts, trumpet, frogfish, lobster, crabs, nurse sharks, barracuda, jack, parrotfish, puffer fish, eels, and rays.
Sunday (AM) 4/28: USCGC Duane and Molasses Reef. The Duane is at about 100’ and is 327’ long. Lots of barracuda. The reefs are beautiful with lots of fish and coral.
Sunday (PM) 4/28: Christ Statue and Banana Patch. Reef dive leading to the statue. I was expecting bigger as we swam up, but once up close it was impressively large. The Banana Patch reef if another beautiful reef. There are so many fish to see and it seems that so many want to say hi.
Monday 4/29: Spiegel Grove and Benwood again. Approached from different entry points. I can do these a few more times and still not be bored with it. Turtle Hospital in Marathon in afternoon. Nice operation working to save and rehab turtles who are sick, injured, or both.
Tuesday 4/30: Duane & Molasses Reef (AM), Molasses Reef & Hole in the Wall (PM).
Wednesday 5/1. Supposed to dive Adolphus Busch in Looe Key but blown out by wind. Can’t reschedule due to timing of flights and other scheduled dives. Drove to Key West since Rainbow did not go out either today. Went to Mel Fisher Museum, the local aquarium (which I find hilarious since we’ve seen just about everything they have while diving), Mile Marker 0, walked Duval St, ate too much KL pie, then drove back to Key Largo.
Tomorrow we have our last two dives with Rainbow Reef. Two reef dives I believe. I would absolutely dive with them again. While their boats are big and they move a lot of people, the have guides for 4-6 people, and ours were mostly groups of four. All the guides we’ve had have been great, as have been the Captains and First Mates. Friendly, helpful, and really fun to be around.
As for meals, we have eaten everything not nailed down. We’ve done breakfast at Doc’s Diner across the street, and Harriette’s Restaurant a few miles south. Both good food and fast at 6AM.
For lunch/dinner we’ve done Sharkeys, The Fish House, Hobo’s Cafe, Mrs Macs (both of them, I like the smaller one better), La Nina (Cuban food near the Turtle Hospital), and still on the list of places to go is The Shrimp Shack and Skippers Dockside. We’ve had one form or another of Key Lime pie every day. Right now in our room we have Key Lime freeze, Key Lime cookies, Key lime pie, and a Key Lime muffin. I think I am going to die if I eat one more Key Lime anything!
It’s been a lot of fun. One more dive day, chill Friday, fly home early Saturday. Oh, did I mention there’s a Diver’s Direct next door to the hotel? ‘Nuff said! I would do it all again and we might early next year.
