Key largo or middle keys

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Mason Gierke

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Messages
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Location
Kankakee, IL
# of dives
0 - 24
I was supposed to stay in the northern keys for 3 days and was going to dive and take AOW with Rainbow Reef but my lodging fell through. I found another place in the middle keys but dont want to drive to key largo, any one have experience with Looe Key dive center or Captain hooks, or are the northern keys an RR that much better that I should stick to that area?
 
I booked a night dive with Captain Hook's once and ended up canceling -- they had advised me at the time of booking that they wouldn't run the trip with fewer than 4 divers. My wife and I later went on a (non-diving) sunset boat ride around the islands with them, which was fun. While I have not actually completed any dives with them, I would recommend them based on the condition of the boat and the booking and cruise experience.

Conch Republic Divers is one to consider, not as far as RR but further up than Captain Hook. They're highly regarded.

I like RR but would not necessarily drive all the way up the keys just to dive with them.

I have no experience with Looe Key dive center.
 
Looe Key Dive Center when I dove it back in 2015 was fun - but shallow. No deeper than 30 feet. If you are just looking to get your AOW and be done - it should be fine. I liked the operation but at 30 feet - I could not really rate it as challenging if you know what I mean.
But in my log for 2 dives - we saw an Eagle Ray, Sharks, Loggerhead Turtle, Giant Goliath (Jew Fish) and beautiful reef with life and fish. So from what I remember it was a good location. The one draw back is it is shallow and you had to be back on the boat in 1 hour regardless of gas left in your tank.
I would go back to Looe Key - but it would be mostly a pass through not necessarily a destination for me.
I ended up getting my AOW down in Key West with Captain's Corner on the Vandy.
 
Did AOW with Conch Republic at end of March this year based on SB recommendations. They were very accommodating and I like the shop a lot.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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