Key Largo or West Palm Beach

[love2fishfork]

I will be in Orlando on business and want to extend my trip to do some diving. I assumed that the keys would be the place to go, but now I'm being told that West Palm Beach is also very good. So if you had your choice what would it be?

 

[ReefHound]

Without a doubt, Key Largo. Unless the plan was to shore dive.

 

[Tom Winters]

It's maybe 2-something hours to the Palm Beach/ Martin county line and Jupiter Dive Charters. Key Largo is another few hours south - you have to drive through the length of Dade and Broward counties, home to some of THE most brain-dead drivers anywhere and then traverse the US1 Highway of Death between Florida City and Key Largo. Yes, I know that you can take the toll road around Card Sound, but it's longer and boring. Still, if the Highway of Death is shut for yet another Medevac, this is how you will gratefully go.
There's good diving in the Keys - Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb - but that's a long drive from Orlando and then you have to go north again after that all the way back to Mouseville.

 

[Charlie99]

I prefer the Ft Lauderdale/Boyton Beach/WPB area over the Keys.

Maybe because I'm lazy and like drift diving with valet pickup service rather than swimming back to the boat.

Usually I'll split my time between SE Florida and the Keys, but OTOH, I've done trips where I've flown into Miami, headed north, and never bother driving back south down to the Keys.

Both Keys and SE FL have good diving. Boat diving in WPB is pretty much one reef that runs for miles. Usually 65' or so to the sand on the inside edge, another 15 or 20 feet deeper on the outside. Reasonable relief of 10 or 15' or so on the reef edges, with the center of the reef not as interesting and being about 45' or so. Each group of divers tows a flag or float ball throughout the dive. The boat stays live and picks up divers as they surface. There are some wrecks also.

Keys diving has lots of reefs in the 30-40' range. Diving is usually buddy pairs swimming around, and then returning to the moored boat.

The divers in the Keys are primarily tourists. The boats in SE Florida are a mixture, with lots of locals on the weekends.

If you're cramped on time, then just drive down to WPB. If you have several days, then it's worth it to sample both.

 

[Missdirected]

Save time/stress and use it diving. Do WPB and the surrounding areas. Randys Landing (bought by Sailfish Marina) is an awesome place to stay - there is a little shore dive there for late afternoon, if you'd like. If you did WPB, I'd say go with Sandys Sunday/Ocean Quest Scuba. Otherwise, Splashdown in Boynton. Note, Randys landing is a better hotel than you will find in Boynton. Those are just my thoughts if I had my druthers.

 

[moneysavr]

As said prior I would shoot for WPB unless you like to drive,
As I don't Live in Fl but drive & Fly down many times a year to dive, and have found out if we move around like head to the Keys for a quick side trip we head out real early REAL EARLY! and get to Largo,or mid Keys with lots of time to eat breakfast and then check in, and send the wife and kids off with my cash$$$$
If your up in Mouse-ville thats a trip,WPB has many fine opps and fine sites to dive,we dive a bit south out of Boynton Beach,this area sports many fine boats to dive off and I try to go out on;
www.splashdowndivers.com
the reefs they dive are all easy and range with lots-o life to see,the shop is next to boat and tend to be a mix of local divers and will buddy you up,tag with a group or DM if needed ask,
Few days and I am down to do some mass dives!
Have fun,
Brad

 

[dumpsterDiver]

WPB and you will save 5-6 hours of extra driving over the keys....

 

[love2fishfork]

Thanks for all the replies. If we take driving out of the equation than which has the best diving. I figured I would finish my business on Wednesday noonish and drive to wherever. Than dive Thursday-Saturday and return on Sunday. I'm flying out of Ft. Lauderdale. I will lodge wherever I am diving. I really don't mind driving as long as the diving is significantly better.

 

[LiteHedded]

Thanks for all the replies. If we take driving out of the equation than which has the best diving. I figured I would finish my business on Wednesday noonish and drive to wherever. Than dive Thursday-Saturday and return on Sunday. I'm flying out of Ft. Lauderdale. I will lodge wherever I am diving. I really don't mind driving as long as the diving is significantly better.

i think the reefs in the keys are much prettier.
of course you actually have to kick and swim around down there

 

[PaulChristenson]

It's maybe 2-something hours to the Palm Beach/ Martin county line and Jupiter Dive Charters. Key Largo is another few hours south - you have to drive through the length of Dade and Broward counties, home to some of THE most brain-dead drivers anywhere and then traverse the US1 Highway of Death between Florida City and Key Largo. Yes, I know that you can take the toll road around Card Sound, but it's longer and boring. Still, if the Highway of Death is shut for yet another Medevac, this is how you will gratefully go.
There's good diving in the Keys - Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb - but that's a long drive from Orlando and then you have to go north again after that all the way back to Mouseville.

Come on Tom...don't hold back please tell us how you really feel....