Key Largo July vs August and what are night dives like?

[chrispina]

Planning a short trip with my 21 YO son this summer. We've been to Key Largo a few times and did our AOW with Rainbow Reef a few years ago. This will be our first trip where we aren't part of a larger group that is doing the planning for us. We've had some issues with really choppy seas in the past (like the dive masters were getting seasick) and I would love to know if we are likely to have calmer seas in mid July vs. mid August. I know that weather can change from day to day, but if you had to bet, which month would you bet on for calmer seas?

Also, I'm trying to talk kiddo into a night dive. I've been twice in Cozumel. The first time was freaking amazing with great visibility and multiple octopi and I loved it and the second time was awful with murky water and swarms of bloodworms and I was not a fan. Which experience are we more likely to have in Key Largo?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

You can get windy days anytime of the year. There is no way to predict whether July or August would be calmer.

Night dives in Key Largo typically have excellent visibility.

 

[Johnoly]

I would love to know if we are likely to have calmer seas in mid July vs. mid August.

Not just Key Largo but all of Florida>>> July is more consistently calmer waves than August. The 2 reasons for that is:

1) The annual Saharan dust moving over Florida PEAKS in July. It will suppress storm development and weaken existing tropical systems in Florida. The sky dust is very dry and can stabilize the atmosphere, making it difficult for clouds and thunderstorms to form. That means great sunshine & no wind for diving.

2) In August the tropical storm belt really starts ramping up and just rolling off storms at the 15 degree latitude line and heats up as the water temperatures get hotter each day. Storms don't have to directly hit Florida to ruin diving. Just a 500 mile far away churn & spin, will have an effect on our forecast.

Avoid the last week of July since it's mini-season $$$. I've had some incredible night dives in Key Largo with zero current, top to bottom visibility and every colorful critter comes out to crawl around. If you go,,,,write up a short report of your dives on ScubaBoard.

 

[bradlw]

I'm planning a similar trip. My timeframe is locked on August...and I knew that this is less than ideal because of storm season...but it is what it is.

My wife and kids are getting certified the first week of July and I want to take them on a min-trip to get their first real OW dive logged while the training is still fresh.
It'll most likely be Florida since I'm trying to keep it drivable (cheap and easy) and I'm leaning either to the upper keys or to maybe the West Palm area for drift diving. Those were what I remember being the best "easy" reef dives that usually had good conditions

but maybe just maybe doing a dive excursion from a cruise might work instead

Anyway, It's been a couple of decades for me, and so I'm fuzzy about the conditions that time of year.... so I I'm finding this thread interesting

Good idea for a night dive too. I doubt if I'll try for that since this will be my group's first experience...but I sure did enjoy doing them!

 

[chrispina]

Not just Key Largo but all of Florida>>> July is more consistently calmer waves than August. The 2 reasons for that is:

1) The annual Saharan dust moving over Florida PEAKS in July. It will suppress storm development and weaken existing tropical systems in Florida. The sky dust is very dry and can stabilize the atmosphere, making it difficult for clouds and thunderstorms to form. That means great sunshine & no wind for diving.

2) In August the tropical storm belt really starts ramping up and just rolling off storms at the 15 degree latitude line and heats up as the water temperatures get hotter each day. Storms don't have to directly hit Florida to ruin diving. Just a 500 mile far away churn & spin, will have an effect on our forecast.

Avoid the last week of July since it's mini-season $$$. I've had some incredible night dives in Key Largo with zero current, top to bottom visibility and every colorful critter comes out to crawl around. If you go,,,,write up a short report of your dives on ScubaBoard.

I think our last two trips were during mini season. Going to try to avoid it this time.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I think our last two trips were during mini season. Going to try to avoid it this time.

I don’t go anywhere near the water during mini season. Way too many lunatics on & in the water!

It never ceases to amaze me how a few extra lobster can make people lose their minds.

 

[chrispina]

I don’t go anywhere near the water during mini season. Way too many lunatics on & in the water!

It never ceases to amaze me how a few extra lobster can make people lose their minds.

We usually travel with a group of adaptive divers and they seem to schedule during mini season. not my favorite!

 

[FreqFlier]

maybe the West Palm area for drift diving.

Be aware most if not all WPB/Jupiter/Boynton dive ops require Nitrox certs (due to a relatively deep dive profiles - many go well past OW depth limits). In addition drift dive is not what I would recommend for a freshly minted OW's.
Upper Keys - Key largo to Islamorada have many great dive ops...