check out Stuart Scuba (Stuart Scuba - Explore the Beauty of the Underwater World). several boats and awesome dive locations. The Keys are my SECOND FAVORITE place to dive in the US (Jupiter/Stuart remains #1)
Dive certification/vacation in Florida, early March
- Thread starter gryffin
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tlj3071
Contributor
We did our OW cert dives in Key Largo in March about 7 years ago. Used a 5mm suit and had no problems with chilling, however that year (I don't know if it was abnormal or not), we had 4-6' swells. While we did get the cert dives in, it wasn't much fun until we got down off the surface.
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Painter
Contributor
I was certified in March, and took a three day diving trip to Key Largo in November. It worked well for me because it was varied, but relatively easy shallow diving. A good confidence builder. I liked the operation I dove with (Rainbow Reef), but I suspect that other Key Largo operators are equally good. They make a gentle push for getting AOW, but it wasn't a high pressure sales job. I will probably go for AOW next summer in New England, but for my next dive trip to the USVI in March, I just want to have fun.
wspalding
Contributor
OP
gryffin
Contributor
Good to know about Boston Scuba- could be an option for us to dive this summer from home...
---------- Post added December 23rd, 2015 at 12:59 PM ----------
Ok, new plan - we figured out that we have enough miles to get "free" flights ($175 for two) to Grand Cayman out of Miami. I also found a reasonably priced B&B with facilities for our dive equipment. The cost of the flights plus the lodging in Grand Cayman are less than we were going to spend to stay in Key Largo. We are going to take advantage of this and do our referrals in Grand Cayman instead of Key Largo.
Now I have to start the dive shop search all over again, but I think it will be worth it! We will save Key Largo for another time. Thanks for all the tips on this thread.
---------- Post added December 23rd, 2015 at 12:59 PM ----------
Ok, new plan - we figured out that we have enough miles to get "free" flights ($175 for two) to Grand Cayman out of Miami. I also found a reasonably priced B&B with facilities for our dive equipment. The cost of the flights plus the lodging in Grand Cayman are less than we were going to spend to stay in Key Largo. We are going to take advantage of this and do our referrals in Grand Cayman instead of Key Largo.
Now I have to start the dive shop search all over again, but I think it will be worth it! We will save Key Largo for another time. Thanks for all the tips on this thread.
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nolatom
Contributor
Panhandle in March is not warm enough for me. But West Palm is perfect. Jupiter too, although it's a little deeper and more advanced venues, lots of spearos. I'm overgeneralizing here, but yes to "WPB"..
try Pura Vida Divers, good shop.
try Pura Vida Divers, good shop.
I have been in the Panhandle a couple times in March, and it is hard to find boats even going out. I spent the entire first week of March on the Alabama coast a couple of years ago, willing to dive every day I was there. No boats were going anywhere--I was the only one in the area willing to dive. An operator who was open for other forms of marine activity acted like I was out of my mind for wanting to dive then. I had my dry suit--I would have been warm as toast, but it was not to be.
In contrast, you can easily dive WPB year round.
wspalding
Contributor
Dave_lucas
Registered
On most of the wall dives from a boat it seems like you can stay on the top of the wall or along the edge at 60ft or less and there are also some shallower wall dives that you can do from a dock / shore such as lighthouse point, cobalt coast or over at the cracked conch. I am sure there are many more.
I was really impressed with divetech when we were there a few months ago they were very safety conscious and a top notch operation. Do not count out the shore diving we were there for 2 weeks and only went out on 2 boats everything else we did from the shore and we had a great time. I actually preferred the shore dives to the boat dives since we could do it at our own pace.
Kittiwake with divetech was a great dive, kittiwake was the first dive (~60 fsw) and we did a 2nd dive after that that was shallower around ~40 fsw. You do not have to go inside the kittiwake just let them know and they will take you around the outside.
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