Duck Key/Marathon

[Oceandvr]

I'm traveling to the Duck Key/Marathon area for a meeting in mid-November. I'd like to get a dive in or at least snorkel the area. Can anyone tell me about the underwater area (shallow and further out) and/or recommend a dive shop?

Thank you!

 

[TheRedHead]

I'm traveling to the Duck Key/Marathon area for a meeting in mid-November. I'd like to get a dive in or at least snorkel the area. Can anyone tell me about the underwater area (shallow and further out) and/or recommend a dive shop?

Thank you!

The best dive, IMO, is the Thunderbolt wreck which sits in about 130 feet. It is home to a gigantic jewfish the locals have named Bubba. He's at least 6 feet and weighs over 600 pounds. Most of the diving in that area is very shallow. For snorkeling, I like Coffin's Patch where you can find remains of an old galleon strewn about as well as prolific numbers of fish. My favorite shallow diving spot is called Samantha's Reef, named after a nurse shark who has apparently moved on. Lots of ledges and nooks and crannies to explore.

I dove the Gap, a deeper site that is seldom dived because of hurricane damage sustained many years ago. It borders a deep sand flat where I found many rays and reef sharks crusing. It's practically a coral rubble mound now, but there are many sponges and hydroids taking over. It is so seldom dived the morays will swim out of the holes to investigate.

I have used both Captain Hooks as well as Abyss Divers and like them both. The resort at Duck Key is very nice.

 

[WetHoss]

Well, if it is the weekend around the 17th-20th, there should be a bunch of us Atlanta area folks down to dive in the area. Check out the link in www.sescuba.com to see the trip schedule. I think we are diving the aforementioned wreck possibly as well. If the weather and the big spinning things dont throw it off.

We are a great group and you could definately dive with us!!!

Hoss

 

[Oceandvr]

The best dive, IMO, is the Thunderbolt wreck which sits in about 130 feet. It is home to a gigantic jewfish the locals have named Bubba. He's at least 6 feet and weighs over 600 pounds. Most of the diving in that area is very shallow. For snorkeling, I like Coffin's Patch where you can find remains of an old galleon strewn about as well as prolific numbers of fish. My favorite shallow diving spot is called Samantha's Reef, named after a nurse shark who has apparently moved on. Lots of ledges and nooks and crannies to explore.

I dove the Gap, a deeper site that is seldom dived because of hurricane damage sustained many years ago. It borders a deep sand flat where I found many rays and reef sharks crusing. It's practically a coral rubble mound now, but there are many sponges and hydroids taking over. It is so seldom dived the morays will swim out of the holes to investigate.

I have used both Captain Hooks as well as Abyss Divers and like them both. The resort at Duck Key is very nice.

Thanks for the information. I figured that the area was shallow, but that's okay with me. Most of the species I enjoy to view are in 80 feet or less and if it's a decent day to photograph, then I hope to be there!

Is Coffin's Patch accessible from shore or should I go with a dive group?

 

[Oceandvr]

Well, if it is the weekend around the 17th-20th, there should be a bunch of us Atlanta area folks down to dive in the area. Check out the link in www.sescuba.com to see the trip schedule. I think we are diving the aforementioned wreck possibly as well. If the weather and the big spinning things dont throw it off.

We are a great group and you could definately dive with us!!!

Hoss

Thanks for the invite Hoss! Indeed, I will be there that weekend...over at Hawk's Cay. I'm traveling with some non-divers so, we may opt for snorkeling. Unless I can talk them into doing a discover scuba session!

 

[TheRedHead]

Thanks for the information. I figured that the area was shallow, but that's okay with me. Most of the species I enjoy to view are in 80 feet or less and if it's a decent day to photograph, then I hope to be there!

Is Coffin's Patch accessible from shore or should I go with a dive group?

Nancy,

No shore diving or snorkeling in that area, unfortunately. Very shallow turtle grass flats run a mile or so in all directions. There is no beach because the area is built upon an ancient coral reef and there is lots of coral rubble. Coffin's Patch is only 18 feet deep and fine for snorkeling.

You can catch the snorkel boat from the Marina at Hawk's Cay. I think it is called the Minnow and makes daily trips to Coffin's Patch. It's not associated with the on site dive shop. The concierge should be able to make a reservation. At Coffin's Patch, you can see the remains of a lighthouse sticking up in the water and I have had great luck in finding juvenile drums hiding in that area.

When the fishing boats return to the marina in the evenings, the crew cleans the catches and throws the scraps to the fish that congregate there, mostly tarpon, but also great numbers of huge Rainbow Parrtofish. I was able to take some wonderful photos from the dock as well.

 

[BILLB]

There are many more places to go! Sombereo reef off Marathron is probably the prettiest reef in the Keys. Then take a ride with Paradise Divers on Sunshine Key and dive the Busch (110 feet) and a second dive on the famous Looe Key reef.

Take care in how you work with the dive shops that go to the Thunderbolt. One time Capt. Hook let me dive my gas (Nitrox) and profile. The next time it was 15 minutes and everybody back on board. Needless to say, I changed that rule in a hurry!

 

[Oceandvr]

Good information...thanks! I'll check out the services at Hawk's Cay and go from there. If it were up to me, I'd dive all the locations that I could, but limited time and non-diving buddies kind of curtails that option. lol

How are the water temps there in November? It won't be long before we all have break out our thicker wetsuits for Gulf diving.

 

[matts1w]

This is a no-brainer-

The scuba/snorkel company out of Hawk's Cay is Tilden's Scuba Center (tildensscubacenter.com). They are awesome. We do all our open water check-outs with them and they are very professional and organized. The diving around there is actually best in the 20-30 foot range- as far as the reefs. The deeper reefs have much less life.

 

[Oceandvr]

The scuba/snorkel company out of Hawk's Cay is Tilden's Scuba Center (tildensscubacenter.com). They are awesome. We do all our open water check-outs with them and they are very professional and organized. The diving around there is actually best in the 20-30 foot range- as far as the reefs. The deeper reefs have much less life.

Thanks for the link. I see that they have snuba there...has anyone tried this? I might be able to get my non-diving friends to go for that.