Key Largo or West Palm Beach

[KeyLargoBrent]

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.

What type/style of diving are you interested in?

 

[MsParamedic]

From a former mid-westerner (from the east side of Missouri--AKA St. Louis) I would pick Key Largo----but then again, Im partial!

 

[love2fishfork]

What type/style of diving are you interested in?

I prefer reef diving to wreck diving. I enjoy beautiful reefs and marine life and take a lot of pictures. I do enjoy drift diving as long as the current is not outrageous. I also want to do some night dives.

 

[del_mo]

I just got back from Jupiter and Palm Beach and had great dives. Jupiter being a little better as far as seeing stuff. The reefs were in great conditon. Tons of fish (and varieties), turtles and a few sharks. If you like wrecks, Ft. Lauderdale is loaded with them.

What ever your choice, you can't go wrong. I alternate between PB, Largo and Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[DEEPLOU]

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

Reefs in Keys are all protected, and shallow.
I prefer the reefs off Boynton Beach. You don't get those "I been diving for 10 years and have 15 dives" kind of folks.
If you go down "in season" and get a tag, you could grab a bug or two.
If your into spearfishing, you can do that.
If your into photography, you can do that too.


But if you want to do the Speigel Grove, Duane or Bibb, or Eagle.... then they are down in Keys.

 

[Tom Winters]

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

I have to tone it down or all my posts will consist mostly of asterisks.

 

[HowardE]

I have dived the reefs from Jupiter to Key Largo, and I prefer Boynton Beach for the most COLORFUL reefs, and plentiful sealife. Sure Key Largo is popular, and famous, but there's no comparison. The reef in Boynton might be the best reef in the state of Florida - if you like to see a colorful reef covered with sponges of all shapes and sizes, and tons of fish.

If you like monochrome reefs, and large brain coral and elkhorn coral... By all means go to Largo. If you want to dive some great wrecks like the Duane, Eagle, and the Spiegel Grove - then go to Largo.

But the East Coast of FL - North of Largo is GREAT!

I've tried several dive ops on the coast, and my favorite is Splashdown Divers in Boynton. They are the most professional, helpful, and friendliest operation I've been with maybe anywhere.

Whatever you choose... Have fun!

Edit - I have video from both Boynton and Key Largo in my gallery if you want to see the difference.

 

[netmage]

I like 'em all. Don't discount Boynton..., The Capt. Tony and Castor are both great freighter dives... nice penetration runs through their engine rooms and plentifull goliath groupers around.

 

[PaulChristenson]

I have to tone it down or all my posts will consist mostly of asterisks.

I thought that was what the private messages were for...

 

[Divingguy]

My son and I just got back from doing AOW certification in FLL/Pompano Beach. We had done Key Largo in February. Although we are certainly looking forward to being part of the "invasion" of the Keys in July, I had NO disappointment with anything I saw off Pompano. Great reefs, and several enjoyable wrecks. We just did the Rodeo 25 last Saturday with 150+ feet of visibility and 115+deep, and a couple of other wrecks in the 70+- range. All great!. It was certainly much easier to get in and out of FLL.
Tom