Diving the Florida Keys

[Divin'Papaw]

My wife and I are doing some initial planning for a future vacation. We've decided to hit the Keys so that I can dive for a couple of days while we're there. She has been doing her thing, which is to investigate options of where to stay. She's really good at it and she narrows the list before I get involved. Now it's time to begin to factor in diving.

We are looking at either Marathon or Largo. I'd like advice from the folks that know ... all my friends on Scuba Board! What are the diving options at those two sites? Any operators you'd recommend? What dive sites would you recommend?

In terms of my diving/experience level: By the time of the trip, I'll have AOW, EAN, PPB, Rescue, Deep and Wreck certs and possibly Master Scuba Diver, all with PADI. I should have 45-55 dives logged by then.

 

[Divingguy]

I'd vote for KL. You have all of the qualifications to do any of the dives down there. Just in this last week or so Brent of Blue Water who is one of the dive ops in KL has had several posts in a couple of recent threads with "insider" recommendations of lodging and food. I do not know how to paste a link, but a quick search in this forum should pull those right up for you. I stayed at the Sherator (nice but overpriced), dove with Quiescence (totally enjoyed diving with them), and ate at Hobos for lunch, and Docs diner for breakfast. Have fun!
Tom

 

[Walter]

We are looking at either Marathon or Largo.

If those are the only choices, it'll have to be Marathon. Largo isn't in the Keys, it's in the St Petersburg area.

If you're a little more open, I'd suggest Tavernier. I's about 10 miles south of Key Largo, so it's close enough to still dive the sites you'd see on the south side of Key Largo. You can hit the Islamorada sites. The Eagle is fabulous! There are also some great places (Conch and Davis) right off Tavernier.

 

[Willie]

I do not know how to paste a link ...

Click on the link button above the text entry box, just below the smiley (the world and link of chain) and paste the link in. I usually click the one just to the left first, then the link button and it will indent it as well to set it off. Then it will look like this.

http://ez.com/SB/SB-insertlink.png​

I also attached the screen shot.

Willie

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Thanks for the input so far. I do need to clarify. I meant Key Largo, not Largo. Sorry. Also, anywhere really from Key Largo through to Marathon are possibilities. Don't really want to go any further out than Marathon.

 

[Divingguy]

Thanks to Wet-Willie for teaching me a new trick.
Here is a prime example of another thread on this same topic right now, which is literally 2 threads down from this one.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=135172[/URL]

I hope that worked, and helped.

Tom

 

[Walter]

It didn't, but it's easily fixed.

Try this

You left out the "[" and "url=" prior to the web address.

 

[Dean810]

On my trip last year, I stayed at Neptunes Cove in Key Largo and dove with Island Ventures, which is moored just a short walk away. It was a good experience. Neptunes Cove isn't at all fancy, but has very reasonably priced cabins, some with kitchenettes. They have a small beach that I snorkeled in when a dive was cancelled due to weather.

Does your wife dive? One thing I found about the Keys, at least the northern part, is that there is not a whole lot for non-divers, boaters or fishers to do there. But there is great diving!

 

[Divingguy]

OK, so it apparently takes two people to help teach me how to paste a link to help someone else. Not a good sign. I am going to try again just so I can say I did it correctly.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=135172
I sure hope that worked.:05:
Tom

 

[Divin'Papaw]

OK, so it apparently takes two people to help teach me how to paste a link to help someone else. Not a good sign. I am going to try again just so I can say I did it correctly.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=135172
I sure hope that worked.:05:
Tom

Found it. Thanks.