Trip Report Key Largo with Rainbow Reef

[Catito]

First, let me say, Cpt Raelyn is the best. Former Coast Guard. Friendly and an excellent navigator.

Dove 6 dives (Sat and Sunday) with Rainbow Reef. Always friendly staff. They let us dive our own dives for 5 of 6 dives (1 hr max). On the drift dive they pulled us up together at 40 minutes (!). Because we did not dive the wrecks, we dove the usual spots 65ft max to 29 ft. Ripping current kept divers off the wrecks.

Great viz (about 80ft). Water temperature was a scary 86F. Pretty hot. Yikes. I am worried about our coral.

Nothing too exciting other than a female Darkheaded Blenny (teeny—1/2 inch). Lots of lettuce sea slugs, nice sea fans, big schools of reef fish, lobster, Goldentail Moray, Roughheaded Blennies, Yellow headed jawfish, a few green turtles, massive baraccuda, schools of big Midnight Parrotfish, tons of Bicolor Damselfish.

Photos: Darkheaded Blenny (female); Lettuce Sea Slug; Roughheaded Blenny

 

[CuzzA]

86°f is the average temperature for Key Largo in July.

 

[deeper thoughts]

First, let me say, Cpt Raelyn is the best. Former Coast Guard. Friendly and an excellent navigator.

Dove 6 dives (Sat and Sunday) with Rainbow Reef. Always friendly staff. They let us dive our own dives for 5 of 6 dives (1 hr max). On the drift dive they pulled us up together at 40 minutes (!). Because we did not dive the wrecks, we dove the usual spots 65ft max to 29 ft. Ripping current kept divers off the wrecks.

Great viz (about 80ft). Water temperature was a scary 86F. Pretty hot. Yikes. I am worried about our coral.

Nothing too exciting other than a female Darkheaded Blenny (teeny—1/2 inch). Lots of lettuce sea slugs, nice sea fans, big schools of reef fish, lobster, Goldentail Moray, Roughheaded Blennies, Yellow headed jawfish, a few green turtles, massive baraccuda, schools of big Midnight Parrotfish, tons of Bicolor Damselfish.

Photos: Darkheaded Blenny (female); Lettuce Sea Slug; Roughheaded Blenny

Water has been very warm
I have not seen bleaching yet but keys dive out of Islamorada reportedl on fb that they did at the shallower sites

 

[Johnoly]

massive baraccuda, schools of big Midnight Parrotfish,

Nice photo shots! You got down there just before all the fun happens this week.
How did the boat damage look on the RR boats from the news story?

Rainbow Reef boats damaged by whacko boater

Possibly drunk (just guessing) boater damaged several Rainbow Reef boats. The amount of damage was not disclosed...

scubaboard.com

 

[Keith Blair]

We were down there this past weekend also and you're right, the water felt very warm. My computer was reading 87 degrees for the morning dive at French Reef. Some nurse sharks, definitely some larger barracuda, spotted eagle ray, and several green moray eels. Lots and lots of turtles on the Benwood on our night dive.

Boat damage didn't seem too bad on the Odyssey; mainly some bent railings on the bow.

 

[Catito]

Nice photo shots! You got down there just before all the fun happens this week.
How did the boat damage look on the RR boats from the news story?

Rainbow Reef boats damaged by whacko boater

Possibly drunk (just guessing) boater damaged several Rainbow Reef boats. The amount of damage was not disclosed...

scubaboard.com

Oh! Did not notice. Maybe that is why they shifted us from their 8 person boat to a larger one.