Best sites in the Keys

[DeepSeaExplorer]

City of Washington seems like a good idea to map, especially as we plan to do Elbow Reef. Sounds a little like the SS Copenhagen in Broward. Will also look at Carysfort, which would be one of the furthest reefs north. Thanks.

I have many dives on both. The City of Washington is way better than the SS Copenhagen. I used to dive the Copenhagen from shore.

There was a reef called Horseshoe reef out of Key Biscayne National Park that use to be one of the best reefs I've ever seen, 20 years ago anyway.

 

[al248005]

Has the diving in the Keys just gone to heck? It's been a while since we've been there and we've been thinking about going back - honestly, for the food! Fish House and Hobo's - yum! We liked Molasses and the Benwood quite a bit.

I just returned last night from a week of diving out of Key Largo. Great weather...got chilly a few times under water but coral seemed healthy and plenty of fish, turtles, morays, nurse sharks, etc. The Benwood is always a favorite of mine too. This guy was chilling on the deck of the Benwood.

 

[Ian Popple]

I just returned last night from a week of diving out of Key Largo. Great weather...got chilly a few times under water but coral seemed healthy and plenty of fish, turtles, morays, nurse sharks, etc. The Benwood is always a favorite of mine too. This guy was chilling on the deck of the Benwood.
View attachment 566633

Great shot!

 

[matts1w]

I have been fortunate to dive all over the world and will be the first to say if the water is right, drifting the deep side of Molasses Reef in the summer is easily one of the best spots on the planet. There can be LOADS of pelagics and it is not nearly as pressured as the rest of the reef- too deep for the second dive after one of the wrecks and none of the shops want to deal a bunch of drift divers. Hire a six-pack and check it out. You won't be sorry.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I got this slide from the presentation of a researcher in the Keys. My experience diving for several decades is the same, but it’s dramatic to see the degradation by decade.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Then vs now...

 

[Schwob]

Then vs now...

View attachment 568793

That does look very sad indeed.

 

[HavanaDaydreamin]

And Carysfort doesn't get as many visitors as the closer reefs, right?

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Yes, there's not a lot of dive ops near there. Most ops go to the reef closest to their dock to save fuel.

 

[matts1w]

This is happening all over the world- even on reefs with little pressure.