Florida diving In August

[socalsurfdiver]

I am planning a dive trip to Florida in mid August. Probably Key Largo or Key West. For anyone whos been there what can we expect in the way of weather/ Viz? Accommodations? Dive companies. We will be diving for 3 maybe 4 days so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks in advance.

 

[Johnoly]

...Florida in mid August. Probably Key Largo or Key West......so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated....

Apologies skipping your questions but there are so many excellent posters here who will answer them, so I'll jump way off track to help you have fun.

Mid August in the keys is the beginning of Lobster season down here and they should be loaded up and easy to find due to the extended shutdown time. It's really easy to get a "non-resident saltwater lobster" license on the internet. Just go to Official Florida Fishing and Hunting Licenses | Go Outdoors Florida and buy it online before you come down. You can purchase a net+gloves+tickle-stick combo kit once down here for about $20.

But wait.....what do you do while waiting for your trip??? Easy, start watching all the hundreds of youtube video's on how easy and fun it is to catch 6 lobster tails per day !! You'll be eating like kings and diving in teeshirts in the 81 degree water !!

 

[Lostdiver71]

The best weather for diving, unless there is a Hurricane!

 

[seeker242]

Weather is generally good but viz is impossible to predict. It could be 40' one day and 100' the next.

Would definitely without a doubt choose key largo over key west. As for operators, it depends on what kind of dives you are looking for. Deep or shallow? Reef or wreck? Do you want your hand held or do you like independence, etc?

 

[Ana]

Mid August in (the keys) Florida is the beginning of Lobster season down here and they should be loaded up and easy to find due to the extended shutdown time.

View attachment 590868

are we there yet?


….how about now?

 

[Sean Walberg]

Jumping on this thread, I'm taking my scout troop to Islamorada in mid August. Heard from one troop that it might be a bad time for jellyfish, heard from a different troop that it's not a problem. Any thoughts from those in the know?

(We're also very excited for the lobsters!)

 

[Divin'Papaw]

First, pray there isn't a storm (Tropical Depression or bigger) as August is when things really start to get interesting down here. As long as that is the case the diving conditions should be great!

Second, Key Largo over Key West. Far more options and ranges of dive sites up in Key Largo than all the way down in Key West.

Third, if you're going to lobster please make sure your buoyancy is under control. We don't need any more damage to our already stressed reefs.

I will let others with more experience diving the Keys chime in on the operators and sites to hit. I've only been to KL a few times and did all my diving with Horizon Divers. I would definitely recommend them but I know there are many additional good Ops in KL as well.

 

[Johnoly]

.... mid August. ... bad time for jellyfish,...

Both the thimble and the man'owar jellyfish can be present in Florida at almost anytime of the year. It really depends on the currents and especially the wind direction blowing towards land(gulf or Atlantic sides).

Just from what I usually see is the 1st half of July ALWAYS has jellyfish. But by the end of July, the currents really pickup deep offshore and we don't get any on most dive sites. August is usually clear. The end of December is also a big jellyfish time and when I see Mola Mola's feeding on them. If the scouts are bug hunting they can always wear a long sleeve thin nylon rash guard and many now come with a hood which doubles for cheap sunburn protection and the kids think they are cool to wear anyways. I always get stung right around my lips and regulator, don't know why, but it does hurt.

 

[Scott Marcano]

gonna dive with Sea Dwellers 8/15-16. Warm water and good viz this time of year.