Best warm water visibility in U.S.= Keys?

[1wretch]

I was wondering if Florida Keys is the best place to go in the U.S., without needing a passport, if I wanted fairly warm water (#2 in importance) and especially good visibility (first and foremost in importance.) If it's popular, crowded, a little dived out etc... I don't mind, not looking for a "unique" experience necessarily but haven't been down in a while and miss it, just want to have a good experience and especially be able to see as far as possible. Price would be iimportant too. For reasons I won't go into here, I don't have a passport so must stay within U.S. border, or I would be back to Cozumel in a flash.

Have dived mostly Cozumel, which I absolutely love, Columbus Isle (ditto), and here in my home state Catalina Island (froze my a** off in a wetsuit, although it was pretty).

Any input appreciated, thanks!

 

[Jorgy]

Key Largo vis is hit or miss.......can be good or bad depending on time of year, gulf stream and weather........

Best vis I have seen in the US is Molokoni Crater off Maui......

M

 

[Huck BB62]

Having done both, I'd have to agree with Jorgy.

 

[Jorgy]

FYI the picture is our son Jordan......

I am much older......

M

 

[Chris12day]

You can not beat the temperature or vis in Hawaii. When I retire from my real job, I am moving to Kona and becoming a DM.

It is worth the travel time and money. My avitar was taken at 100 ft without any strobe light off Kona.

Happy Diving

 

[diver 85]

For a short little live aboard trip, don't forget about the Flower Gardens--2 or 3 days is available ie 7 or 11 dives max.......leaves out of Freeport, Tx...usually have 60 to 100 ft. vis come summertime, but is all weather dependent......

 

[ScubaduoAdventures]

Yesterday Key Largo 70 FT> today 20Ft. and a lotof other days especially during the summer 100 ft.
We use to live and work in Kona Hawaii[ for one of the dive shops and it probably has some of the best constant viz in the US along with the US Virgin Islands./COLOR]

 

[1wretch]

Hey thanks a lot everyone for your input. Very much appreciated. Never heard of the Gardens in Texas, I will def. put that on my "to go to some day" list, as I will Kona. Molokoni Crater sounds very interesting, I see flights from LAX to Maui for $386 round trip in Mid april. Is mid april visibility in crater just as good as any other months? I take it there are no "bad" visibility months due to hurricane season (which I think is later in the year anyways) and or current variations, etc... Any recommended dive shops for a launching point?

This is getting scary, if I'm not careful, this may turn into an actual trip

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Springs are the best visibility, so then I guess it would depend on your definition of warm water.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

There is no season for Molokini; 99% of the time the viz is 100'+. Second dives are often along the Maui coast and vis fluctuates with wave height. There is no way to predict the best coastal vis.