INFO-Grove & Duane

[Florabama]

If you want to stay at an all inclusive resort, there are very few in the Keys. Amoray is very popular for that reason and if you just want to go diving and don't care where then that is a good choice. If you have specific places you want to dive or have, shall I say, out of the ordinary types of dives you want to do then you generally would need to hook up with a smaller operator that is willing to do what you want to do. For example, we get a lot of people that want to do nothing but wrecks every day for several days in a row. If you're on a larger boat that also has beginner divers or people that want to snorkel or people that just want to do reefs, the chances of doing a lot of wrecks is pretty slim. A great many people that come to the Keys just want to get wet and don't really care what type of diving they do and variety is fine but if you have specific ideas as to what you want to do then it simply isn't practical for the larger operations. You also need to be very specific when you book your trip, if you want to do something, that the operator will actually meet your requests. We get divers in quite often that said they had booked a trip on a boat, that they would be able to go where they wanted and then found on the day of the trip that others were not qualified or had the interest and the operator changed the itinerary due to the majority. Many of the smaller operators will book a charter for a specific location or purpose and then sell that trip. If others want to do something else then they're told that they need to book a different trip, so everyone gets to do what they want to. Most operations can recommend lodging accommodations and in many cases get you a discount. There are all types of accommodations in the Keys from bare bones, no frills to luxury resorts. It just depends on what you are looking for. There's something for everyone.
Dive Safe!

Reef diving gets old for me very quickly. I've been to the Caymans, Bonaire, Belieze, the Bahama's and the Keys, and essentially, all reefs look alike -- at least to me. I guess I'll stick with Amoray when we go to the upper Keys. As I mentioned, they do have a small six-pack charter that will take your party exactly where you want to go every day if you wish, and on the big boat, they will go to the wrecks if they tell you they will, even if no one else on the boat wants to dive them.

Once, my son and I were the only divers that went into the water at the Duane because the current was ripping and there were other boats already on the mooring balls. The captain let us jump off up current and swim for the mooring ball. It was a risk because if we missed he would have to pick us up down current. We made it and had a great dive on the Duane. He drifted around until we came up and then picked us up. I've always been grateful for that. He could have called the dive, but he gave us a chance to make it work and we did.