Boat diving with a new diver Southern Florida

[Katch]

Rainbow Reef in Key Largo (Holiday Inn marina/channel) has a dive guide included. You'll see they get excellent reviews here too. I just dove with Horizon Divers on Saturday, but that was because they did a double dip on the Spiegel Grove.


Thanks for the Key West info dvankirk. Head'n there tomorrow after a Looe Key dive.

Steve

 

[iluvtheocean]

Rum Barrel in key west gives 10% discount for divers if they show their c-card

 

[mikeb21072]

I will second rainbow reef, I will be diving with them this weekend and over Christmas week. They run 46' Newtons, easy to get on and off, even in rough seas. They are very friendly and provide a guide at no charge, great for new divers. Checkout their website at Scuba Diving Florida Keys | Rainbow Reef Dive Center | Key Largo, FL, they also have good deals on packages including the hotels by the canal.

 

[CajunDiva]

I would also highly recommend Rainbow Reef Dive Center. They run a PADI Instructor Development Center and are well qualified to handle new divers. There will be several interns/instructors aboard, including a guide who is included in the price of your dives.

We just went down to Key Largo with our best buddies to hang with them while they achieved their AOW certification with RRDC. We were completely impressed with everything but the weather, and I guess there's not much they could do about that

 

[islanddream]

Scuba Jenny, as soon as we have an "itinerary", such as it is, I will contact you and more than likely take you up on your offer. We will be passing down thru that area. Are there any shore dives near by or only boats? We will be traveling with all of our own gear,,,, tanks, regs, computers, etc. Also many thanks to the responses so far!! Tony

Just an FYI:

When we were in Jupiter, FL in August, we had to bring our own tanks and weights to the dive boat. This was a surprise to us since we'd never had to do that before when we've gone on diving vacations in the Caribbean. We rented both from a dive shop in Jupiter. However, when we were in Key Largo in July, tanks and weights were provided. Enjoy your FL diving with your daughter!

 

[iluvtheocean]

Just an FYI:

When we were in Jupiter, FL in August, we had to bring our own tanks and weights to the dive boat. This was a surprise to us since we'd never had to do that before when we've gone on diving vacations in the Caribbean. We rented both from a dive shop in Jupiter. However, when we were in Key Largo in July, tanks and weights were provided. Enjoy your FL diving with your daughter!

all depends on the boat -- it's partly because so many of the boats from Jupiter down to the keys see the tourists who need everything & lots of locals who bring their own tanks and every mix in between. check with the operator whether tanks/weights are included or not.. and those are usually air unless you pay extra for nitrox.

 

[mselenaous]

... I'm available as a guide. would love to be of your service.

^ Ditto what she said.

Not all boats are created equal. For Jan. diving in the Keys with a new cert I like
-boats with easy entry and egress from the water
-stable boats.
-ability to get out of the weather. On a cool day in Jan being able to get out of the wind is a big factor.

I am planning some early Jan dives out of the Holiday Inn Marina and for those reasons I am going with Ocean Divers.
-Big boats with lots of sheltered area. Plenty of room for each diver to get gear ready, move around, etc.
-Low to the water so easy to get in and out
-Very stable boat if a bit choppy
-Will go out with only 2 divers. Done that several times with them.
-Routinely run twice a day

There are more dive ops in the Key Largo than gas stations. Most of our reef structure is about 25-35 ft deep which is perfect for newer divers, junior divers, and full of life and light for the vid & photogs.
I dive routinely with many ops down here and have dove with just about everyone at sometime. Feel free to PM me if you've got questions.

I recommend reading through some of the threads in the Florida forum where you will find discussions about dive ops, conditions, accommodations, eateries, even what to do when the seas are too sporty to dive.

Let me know your dates and maybe we can even meet up for .

 

[iluvtheocean]

We plan on eating at the Keys Fisheries when we come down in January and they will ship frozen to you as well. Their soups are endorsed by Whole Foods

 

[LowVizWiz]

The last time I dove with Jenny she nearly... LOL
No fear Jenny is here!

If diving in Broward, Fort Lauderdale area I'm available as a guide. would love to be of your service.

Sent from my LG-MS770 using Tapatalk 4

BTW, I endorse the above message!

 

[conchrandy]

Sorry for a little OT. But the tanks/weights issue is a sensitive. You will get exactly what you pay for-$60.00 w/o or $85.00 with. A cursory look in the Upper Keys suggests a 50/50 split on this policy. The shop that I am associated with is strictly ala carte, in deference to a solid 35% that bring their own. Again, I respect those that "include"...