Best Dive Operators in Key Largo

[Rich Keller]

Tavernier is next to Key Largo and I would suggest Conch Republic is worth the few extra miles! But, the others mentioned above I know also and are good too!

+1 for Conch Republic

 

[Capt Gary]

Stay away from Conch Republic. Perhaps the most dangerous operation I have dove with in 30+ years of diving. Lots of other operators

Care to explain your statement about my dive center? This is the second time you've tried to slam us and that didn't work to well for you in 2012 either.

We've owned Conch Republic Divers for 12 years and over that time we've never had one fatality.......now I give that all to the glory of God for watching over us.....so your statement is without merit, unless you can explain to everyone here why you think we are the most dangerous operation you've ever dove with.

Good Diving,
Capt Gary

 

[CajunDiva]

.......now I give that all to the glory of God for watching over us.....

Capt. Gary, I have always enjoyed reading your responses and have a great deal of respect for you and your operation. Now I respect you even more - thank you for giving the glory to our Creator in a public way

 

[OceanEyes]

I’ve utilized several operations in Key Largo, but usually dive off of private boats owned by friends. While I am hesitant to use the word “best” as the title of this thread implies, I’ve recently made a few trips with Scuba-Do Dive Center. They’ve got a pair of boats that each carry a maximum of ten passengers. I was in all way pleased with every aspect of their operation and will gladly dive with them again. By recommending them, I am in no way deriding the services offered by many other local operators.


Scuba-Do Dive Center
99353 Overseas Hwy.
Key Largo, FL 33037
800-516-0110 and 305-451-3446
www.scuba-do.com


As an aside:


Dear Capt Gary,
I was impressed by your succinct and extremely civil reply to an unsupported slamming in this thread. I don’t often get down to Tavernier, but will make a point of giving Conch Republic a bit of my business. You sir, have earned it.


Good Diving to you too,
OceanEyes

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I have to come out in defense of CRD. You can't find a more dedicated and safety minded operation IMHO. It is hard to stand out when there are more dive shops in the area than McDonalds but they have done so due to their ethics and high standards over the years.

 

[Wookie]

We've owned Conch Republic Divers for 12 years and over that time we've never had one fatality.......now I give that all to the glory of God for watching over us.....so your statement is without merit, unless you can explain to everyone here why you think we are the most dangerous operation you've ever dove with.

Good Diving,
Capt Gary

I also dive with Capt. Gary when I'm in Tavernier, and I have the choice of 30 dive shops in the Keys at no charge.

But I gotta say, Capt. that the absence or presence of a fatality has much more to do with the Glory of the Creator and the luck of the draw than the presence or absence of safety of the operator. When the creator calls us home, it doesn't really matter if we are on a CRD boat or any other. I hope you touched wood as you made the statement....

 

[bobsea43]

Well I have been diving with Conch Republic for two years before Capt Gary and the Admirable took it over. They took a great operations and made it even better. One dive about 5 years ago I was privileged to see what a great operation they run! We had finished a dive on the SP and doing an SI when a diver surfaced half way between us and another dive boat and he was yelling for help. Our DM was in the water in a heartbeat heading to the diver. The other boat was trying to figure out if it was their diver or not! The diver had abandoned his gear on the SP and made an emergency accent. By the time the DM got him back to our boat the Captain had the boat ready to move and we immediately headed for the nearest dock and emergency personnel were standing by when we got there. The DM stabilized the diver in route.
The Capt and DM operated as a smooth functioning team that had the safety of the diver foremost in their mind. And, he wasn't even "their diver"!
While that was the only time I was on their boat in a true emergency it is always a safe, professional operation and in the Upper Keys my first choice among a number of good operations!
I am supposed to be down there right now, but we had a delay and will not be there until next month!! I can't wait!

 

[bowlofpetunias]

This is SB at it's best! This shows how important it is to run a good operation and how the dive community will come together to support the good operator and call BS on unfair attacks. Way to go Scubaboarders and way to go Captain Gary and Admiral Brenda operations like yours is what Scuba Diving should be all about:worship:

 

[midwesblues]

Thanks for all the great replies to my question. Just wanted to let you know we ended up diving with Quenesince for 2 days. All the dives were a lot of fun. The first day had rough water with 5 - 6 ft seas and a fair bit of current. The second day turned out to be perfectly calm with no current at all. Water was a comfortable 76 degrees. Would definitely dive with them again. Thanks again everyone.

 

[CajunDiva]

Thanks so much for posting a follow-up to let us know how your experience was It's always nice to live (or dive) vicariously through others!