Help Needed: Diving in Florida (Near Miami)

[TheAce]

Hi,

I'll be coming to Miami for a business trip. I will have only one free day for diving and I'll have a car also.

I wanted to know where do you recomend me to go on this one day that is close to Miami. I heard that Key Largo is recomended.

Which diving club/charter do you recomend me to go to? Which sites should I dive? Is there a place that offers 3 dives? Any other tips / recomendations? Should I bring my own equipment or they rent quality equipment there?

One important point is, we have reefs here in Israel too but I would like to do maybe something different, maybe diving with huge fish or manta rays or whale sharks, something that I won't find here... I've been reading about the Spiegel Groove, well, we don't have SUCH BIG wrecks around here, I love wrecks but I would preffer big fish...

Any information would be greatly appreciated. I would really like to get the most out of this day...

Thanks!

 

[scubabear]

Hi Ace,
I love the diving in Key Largo, but since you have only one day, here's a suggestion. Pull up this shops web site and check out the Tenneco Oil Platforms. Quite often we've encountered large jewfish, bull sharks and monster barracudas. Never can tell what might be swimming by. This shop has any/all quality equip. you would need, so no need to schlep to much gear with you.

Also e-mail the Divemaster and discuss any specifics( 3 tank etc.)

If you end up diving with them, tell Henry John and Jean say hi, and to take good care of you. Enjoy your trip/ diving and come back when you can stay a bit longer.

www.h2oscuba.com

 

[deanmartin]

I travel to Miami from Southern California each month on business. I usually take Friday and Saturday of the week to dive the keys.

You can drive to Key Largo from Miami in about an hour. The Spiegel Grove is an excellent dive when the currents aren't strong.

I usually do a 2 tank morning dive: the Speigel Grove and one of the local reefs. Because the reefs are shallow (max 35ft), I will make a 2 tank afternoon dive on the reefs. It's a long day but the warm water (80's) makes it easy.

I dive with Ocean Divers in Key Largo. They have a web site.
They are at about mile marker 100.

Good Luck

 

[Padipro]

scubabear once bubbled...
check out the Tenneco Oil Platforms. Quite often we've encountered large jewfish, bull sharks and monster barracudas. Never can tell what might be swimming by. This shop has any/all quality equip. you would need, so no need to schlep to much gear with you.

Also e-mail the Divemaster and discuss any specifics( 3 tank etc.)

If you end up diving with them, tell Henry John and Jean say hi, and to take good care of you. Enjoy your trip/ diving and come back when you can stay a bit longer.

www.h2oscuba.com

Scubabear is right. Tenneco Towers is a fantastic dive and H2O SCUBA is a good shop, I've dove with them several times and always had a good time.

Have fun and let us know how your trip went when you get back.

Scott

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

The Duane & Bibb offer more in the way of "big fish" than the Spiegel Grove. We're starting to see a few monster hogfish, snapper, and grouper moving in and around the Spiegel Grove, but your odds are better with the older wrecks (Duane & Bibb).

All three wrecks require deep diving experience and good diving skills. Check out our website at www.bluewaterdiver.net for a pre-sinking photo of the Spiegel Grove, with our dive boat in the foreground, and let me know if you need any additional information.