Key Largo in May, or should we wait until June?

[RIHappyDiver]

My wife and I are thinking about a mid-late spring trip to Key Largo next year. Is mid May good, or too early? Knowing that you can never count on ideal conditions, we’re looking for the better chance of good weather conditions and warmer water temps. As a point of reference for warmth, we dive Bonaire in Jan/Feb in 5 mm. So, we know we’ll be bringing at least the 5s, possibly 7s.

As for the diving, we are not looking for strong current or major drift dives. We prefer to go slow and take in the sites. A little bit of current/drift is not a problem, but I want to be able to stop and take in the beauty of that goblin shark. Also, the wife prefers to bottom out around 60’. Is there a dive op that is a better fit for that type of diving, without having to be 1 of 25 following a DM. DMs are not a deal breaker or maker, large groups all following 1 DM is.

TIA,

Erik

PS: Recommendations on really good Key Lime pie are always welcome!

 

[Eric802]

I dove off the upper Keys in late April and was comfy in a 5mm. 78 degrees at 100 feet, little warmer at the surface.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I dove off the upper Keys in late April and was comfy in a 5mm. 78 degrees at 100 feet, little warmer at the surface.

Ok, that’s not so bad. If you don’t mind, how much diving did you do, and how was the weather? I used to spend Christmas in the Keys in the 70’s and early 80’s, but never that time of year.
Thanks

 

[arkstorm]

Water temps in April, 2025, were high 70's. Last August, 2024, water temps were mid-high 80's.

Currents usually very strong at the popular wreck sites, Speigel Grove, Duane, etc. But the near shore reefs, not as bad.

Best operator for avoiding diving in large groups: Horizon Divers. But if you want a guide you will need to arrange that with them in advance.

Best key lime pie: Key Lime Pie Factory in Tavernier, ten minutes south of Key Largo.

Cheers.

 

[Eric802]

Ok, that’s not so bad. If you don’t mind, how much diving did you do, and how was the weather? I used to spend Christmas in the Keys in the 70’s and early 80’s, but never that time of year.
Thanks

I only got out the one day, with Conch Republic Divers. We did a double-dip on the Spiegel Grove. I was supposed to go out of Key West the next day but the winds picked up and that got blown out. The day we did go out, the seas were definitely lumpy; it was a little spicy getting back onto the boat. I've always heard June was a good month for calmer winds and flatter seas, but I haven't been there at that time of year.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Mid-May should be great. We transition from our winter to summer weather pattern in the April timeframe roughly speaking. By May we tend to have far more good (diveable) days than bad (blown-out) days. It is also well before hurricane season, so the chances of a tropical system are very, very low. I absolutely love diving South FL in May-Jul! You won't have mid-80 temps yet, but you should see temps pushing 80. Right now for example (5/22/25) in the Key Largo/Miami area, water temps are running right around 80 +- a degree. So in mid-May you should expect maybe 77/78 on the low side up to 80/81 on the high side.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

Mid-May should be great. We transition from our winter to summer weather pattern in the April timeframe roughly speaking. By May we tend to have far more good (diveable) days than bad (blown-out) days. It is also well before hurricane season, so the chances of a tropical system are very, very low. I absolutely love diving South FL in May-Jul! You won't have mid-80 temps yet, but you should see temps pushing 80. Right now for example (5/22/25) in the Key Largo/Miami area, water temps are running right around 80 +- a degree. So in mid-May you should expect maybe 77/78 on the low side up to 80/81 on the high side.

Thanks, that sounds really good. That will give us one more trip in with warm water before hitting the 60-70 degree temps of our local summer. Kinda backwards, but it works.

 

[Rae HalfTheHill]

From a local captain- June will likely have more predictably calm winds. Water temps yesterday were in the low 80's, so people are transitioning to a 3 mil at most. May also tends to have a little bump in business as people kick off their summers. Visibility lately has been fantastic, and will (hopefully) continue to be awesome until the next big blow.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

From a local captain- June will likely have more predictably calm winds. Water temps yesterday were in the low 80's, so people are transitioning to a 3 mil at most. May also tends to have a little bump in business as people kick off their summers. Visibility lately has been fantastic, and will (hopefully) continue to be awesome until the next big blow.

Very helpful! Thanks for the info!

 

[Johnoly]

PS: Recommendations on really good Key Lime pie are always welcome!

I'll answer this part. We always buy 1 or 2 Keylime pies and eat a slice after dinner back at the hotel/place that we are staying at. ALOT of K/L restaurants don't have time to make Key Lime pie so they buy them from this place also, and have the national awards hanging on the wall too. They have the recipe down to a science, it's not too tart, not too sweet, and the crust is thick but you don't need a butcher knife to cut thru it. The pies are made on the same day they are sold and on weekends they can sell out so go early afternoon & buy 2 !!. The place is kinda hidden and down at the south part of Key Largo but before the Tavernier bridge. Cost was ~$23/whole pie, $7/slice>>>But it's worth it !!
Key Lime Pie Factory {aka Blonde Giraffe} 92220 Overseas Hwy