Key Largo dive trip

[tkaelin]

Trying to plan a trip to Key Largo and diving with Rainbow Reef in May.

 

[CajunDiva]

We just got back from a 10-day outing in Key Largo. It was the first time in a year we've been anywhere, so wanted to make our vacation days count!

We dove with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, as we have for the past 17 years. As always, everything was perfect and we had an incredible time. Their 8 boats are working daily.

 

[TequilaSunrise]

I haven't been to the keys yet. Planning a trip soon. Does anyone know if there are any operators in the keys that keep the group size small?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I haven't been to the keys yet. Planning a trip soon. Does anyone know if there are any operators in the keys that keep the group size small?

Home | Quiescence Diving Services, Inc.

 

[TequilaSunrise]

If you want a small boat be prepared the charter an entire 6-pack.

Home | Quiescence Diving Services, Inc.

Thanks Jim

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Thanks Jim

No problem. They may go without a full 6 but most 6-packs want a solid 4 to go. Some will run with 3. It all depends.

One benefit of the larger boats is if you are a single you can jump on a trip and have high confidence the charter will run. I am typically diving by myself and I like to know that if I book a spot the boat is going to run as long as the conditions are manageable.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

The thing that gets me is people sometimes want a 6-pack to avoid a crowded boat. When I see the six-packs go out the divers are stuffed into the boat like sardines, but only six sardines.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

The thing that gets me is people sometimes want a 6-pack to avoid a crowded boat. When I see the six-packs go out the divers are stuffed into the boat like sardines, but only six sardines.

True that!

 

[boulderjohn]

Here is a generic comment about dive operations around the world (not just Key Largo) and trying to choose one based on things like 6-pack boats. My summary is that there is a lot more than that to consider, and if you limit your reasoning, you may be making a big mistake. Here are some things to consider.

• In many cases, the dive site and the manner of the dive depend upon who is on the boat with you.
  • In my earlier years, I did a lot of diving in Cozumel, always staying in the same place and diving with the same operator on their 6-pack boat. As is the case in many Cozumel operations, we got on the boat at the northern end of the island and headed south, and at some point the DM would ask people where they wanted to go. After a few years of this, I had become a pretty decent diver, and I grew unhappy with the dive operation because it seemed like on every trip, someone would respond, "Well, we just got certified, and...." I switched to an operator with multiple boats and the ability to group divers by ability.
  • After I had been away from Cozumel for a number of years, I returned, and someone convinced me that I should go with an operation with one 6-pack boat. I did 2 days with that operator. The first day, there was only the DM (owner) and 2 of us. The other guy was a strong diver, and we had a great day. They next day, we were joined by another couple. I cannot figure out how the wife got certified. The DM gave her a buoyancy lesson on the first dive while the rest of us watched, and then he literally held her hand on the rest of that dive and the one that followed, 2 dives at her level of skill. Our dive day consisted of 2 dives not done at a passing level for OW certification dives.
• Big boats can divide divers. One day on the big island of Hawai'i, I was on a big boat with 24 divers. As the boat left port, the skipper read off the names and told us what groups we were in. When our group got together, one member explained that he was with the company, helping to train our DM, a new employee. Everyone in our group had more dives than the DM, so we could do pretty much what we wanted while the DM learned the area. We had a great dive. The other two groups were more basic divers doing a more basic dive. We went in the water ahead of them and got out after them.
• In many places, including Florida, most operators do not put a DM in the water with you. That means you and your team can do a completely different dive from the other divers on the boat. In Florida, I have been on more than a few dives in which some of the divers do a single lengthy technical dive while the others do 2 shorter recreational dives.

BTW, this advice can also be applied to the divers who smugly outwit the dive operator by showing the lowest level of certification required for the dive, rather than their true advanced certification, this ensuring that if the dive operator divides by ability, they will be grouped with the beginners.

 

[Scuba-Blue-13]

Just got back from Key Largo a week and a 1/2 ago. Dove with Rainbow Reef for 3 days. All boats were running, some AOW check-out dives were cancelled due to high currents at the intended site, but all rec dives were a go.