Florida Charter Operators

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

I have been out with both Divers' City and Island Ventures. Both are good.

If I had to choose, I would pick Island Venture. However, I would go with either one if going to the spot I wanted.
 
Hello Cold Water Girl, I just got back from Miami Beach this past Tues.. Dove Molasses Reef and Railroad wreckage with Ocean Divers out of Key Largo, they were a great bunch of folks and the only limit on time down was whatever our gauges told us. Also went out of Miami Beach with RJ Sea Ventures and dove the Belcher Barge and Tugboat, good folks but probably too far North for the Grove. Have a great time and check out the Fish House restuarant in Key Largo.
Safe diving, Rick2
 
Is there anyone who has camped at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. We have reserved a camp site there for the 6 of us. I was wondering if anyone can give me some information about camping at the park. I checked the web page, however they do not give a lot of detail about the camping.
Thanks.
 
I haven't camped at Pennekamp, but I'm in the park 2x/week. Although it's one of the most visited parks in Florida, it's relatively small in terms of land. There are a lot of activities: a couple of small beaches (a big deal given their scarcity in the Keys), a few hiking trials through the mangroves, canoe/kayak/boat rentals, and dive/snorkeling/glass bottom boats to the reef. Winter (through April) is busy season for camping and right now is also spring break, so the park is crowded. The campgrounds are graded so access is easy. Most of the sites will accommodate RV or tent camping. There are showers, toilets, and laundry facilities. There are campground hosts at your service to answer questions or handle problems that arise around the clock. So far this season the bugs haven't been bad, but I think we're done with the cold spells that keep them at bay, last night the temps didn't drop below the mid-70s, so the bug population will probably be growing with each passing day.

I hope this helps; if you have specific questions, just ask.
 
I have not heard anything bad about camping in the park, but there is another camp ground at MM 97. American Campgrounds. Here's there website http://www.aokl.com/.
You may want to check with them as well.

As for diving wrecks here are some of the major ones.
Spiegel Grove, Bibb, Duane, Benwood, and Eagle. Most of the Key Largo operators go to all except the Bibb and the Eagle. The Bibb is the sister ship to the Duane and sits in a little deeper water 130' so it's pushing the rec limits. The Eagle is off the coast of Islamorada and is too far for them dive.

Saw on this thread that most of the dive operators us Membrane systems and there fill stations are not O2 clean. Well that may be true for some shops, but not mind.
I own Conch Republic Divers and we have a Partical Pressure system, as well as, an O2 Stick for banking 40% Nitrox. We also have a membrane system that I don't use.

If we can help with any questions please don't hesitate to call. We'd be glad to help, even if you don't dive with us.

Good Diving,
Capt Gary & Admiral Brenda
Conch Republic Divers
Tavernier Creek Marina
800-274-3483
http://www.conchrepublicdivers.com
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

Back
Top Bottom