Can any suggest a good dive shop in the middle Florida keys?

[razor]

I was wondering if any body could recommend a good dive shop in the middle florida keys and if the area has an airport or would I have to drive from Miami?

 

[BILLB]

Middle Keys to me is essentially Marathon.

If you want to become an instructor then try Hall's Diving. Probably the prettiest shop around, well stocked and a full staff for instuuctor training. Yes, they dive too. With their own boat. Located on the lower end of Marathon not far from the Seven Mile bridge.

Captain Hook located on upper Marathon has received good reviews. The shop is not much but they do dive the Thunderbilt, Sombereo Reef and Looe Key.

The Dive Shop located just across the channel from captain Hook has a full service dive shop with partuial pressure mixing of Nitrox. They dive the Thunderbolt often and have a nice but small boat. Well stocked shop with nice Tee shirts.

If you are into more serious diving, then go across the Seven Mile bridge to Sun Shine Key (Ohio Key) and go with paradise Divers. They are good friends and are a sanctioned IANTD facility. They are gear to do tech dives (Wilkes Barre, and others). They too will do the Thunderbolt and the Busch.

I have dove with Tilden sevral times but I find that they mother hen the entire dive. Usually will not allow you to dive your profile. I shamed them into allowing my dive profile on the thunderbolt last summer. The DM's are young and green!

There are others but I am not familiar with them. Mostly snorkel boats. If you want to drive a bit farther go to Cudjoe key and Dive with Captain Jim Wyatt. I did and will dive with him again. Best pricing around and has Nitrox and will do Tech dives.

 

[DandyDon]

I was wondering if any body could recommend a good dive shop in the middle florida keys and if the area has an airport or would I have to drive from Miami?

In addition to what Bill offered, I dived with Marathon's Abyss once, and really enjoyed them. Roomy sixpack, Dive Master in the water on deep dives like the T-bolt, and a nice deal at the Holiday Inn when diving with them.

http://www.abyssdive.com/

And I think that Marathon has the only airport between Key West and Miami. If you're flying yourself in, then you'll have the maps to see if I'm correct or not.

http://www.floridakeysairport.com/

If you're flying commercial, you may find it easier to fly in to the one of the two big airports and drive over. I find the scenic drive enjoyable, from either direction.

Tell us what your plan would be; maybe we can give more specific answers...

don

 

[showboat]

I also agree with Dandydon by trying the abyssdive, very professional 6 pack opperation.

Let us know who you choose and we expect a trip report when you get back on how it went for you down here.

 

[Charlie99]

Captain Banny runs a small 4 pack boat. Fun guy, very flexible, works hard to show you the best of middle Keys reefs. He went above and beyond the norm in checking out 3 different reefs to find the one with the best viz after a storm.

I also agree with Dandydon by trying the abyssdive, very professional 6 pack opperation.

I must have used Abyss on an off day. The anchor stopped dragging only when it hung up on the coral of the outside ledge. The capt had to be reminded that he had a float ball and big reel when 2 divers came up 150 yards downwind and were struggling against the current. One big plus for Abyss, though, was that they went out on a sloppy day when nobody else in Marathon would venture out.

Charlie Allen

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Captain Banny runs a small 4 pack boat. Fun guy, very flexible, works hard to show you the best of middle Keys reefs. Charlie Allen

Banny is a good guy--never heard anything but good about him.

 

[s7595]

what is captain banny's phone no or web site?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

what is captain banny's phone no or web site?

Bannys' web site

Also call Captain Doug Morgan

Both run smaller boats..both run good charters.

 

[GoBlue!]

Another vote here for Capt. Banny. We dove with him for six days in 1999 and only dove the same site twice (and that was by our request). Agree w/ Charlie, some days he'd buzz around between a few different reefs if he wasn't happy with the viz in order to find the perfect location. Catered to the skill level of our group, and really ran a class act.

(Hard to imagine his former life as a controller wearing a 3-piece to work every day.....at least that's the story he told us....

Jim

 

[CAPT HOOK]

My favorite is Abyss Dive Center; good deals with the Holiday Inn too.