Key West Dive Sites

[jcrews5508]

Hey Everyone,

Will be in Key West May 22-25 and am looking for a recommendation on a dive site. I will be staying on the Southside of the island by the Southernmost point if that helps. I will only have one day to dive and would prefer something with a lot of color and wildlife. I dive on the gulf coast routinely so I can do without the wrecks because that's all I get to see now. Any recommendations on what dives sites offer the best dives. If there is any good shore diving I might be able to leave the GF at the beach and squeeze in some more diving as well so any recommendations on shore sites would be appreciated as well.

 

[oly5050user]

No shore diving worth getting wet for.
Reef in better shape up north by Looe Key, a 30-40 minute drive ..
Vandenberg worth doing. Check with Captains Corner as to when they do a double dip there.
reefs that the boats usually go to in poor condition. Best to find a small operator that would take you to locations that the big operators do no go to. It's more expensive though.

 

[Johnoly]

Viz can really suck that time of year depending on weather. But I have dove from a yak about 3/4 mile from the shore in front of Casa Marina KW and seen some great stuff many years ago. You need a flag and also best to ask locals what daily conditions are like cause currents can be strong based on dive time and gulfstream location. Or just hop a morning 2 tanker and be back around lunch time to join the GF.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Given what you want to see, far better to make the easy 30 minute drive north to Big Pine and get a boat out to Looe Key. Several operators run charters. That is a gorgeous reef, full of color, tropical fish, morays, grouper, nice short boat ride, often calm, usually not much current. It has absolutely everything you want. Better yet, it is shallow so you can get three or four tanks on it if you take a full day.

That is by far your best bet. Weather permitting, of course.

The reef diving around Key West is just not as good by comparison. The Vandy is nice, but it is another artificial reef, which you don't seem to want. Shore diving? Forget it unless you like grass and silt, and dodging boats and water cockroaches (oops, I mean personal watercraft) who don't understand what a dive flag means.

 

[Wookie]

With all that said, Western Sambo Ecological Reserve is worth a couple of tanks. If you can find a boat that will take you there. Good luck with that. I'd go to Looe Key, and I live here. Actually, I take my boat to Western Sambo all of the time, and I quite like it. But you will be hard pressed to find a charter there.

 

[billinwilliamston]

Be aware that Big Pine is not a 30 minute drive from what a lot of people think of as Key West. It might have been 30 minutes to Big Pine from one of the closed motels in New Town before they tore up US 1, but it isn't anymore. Give yourself at least 45 minutes and, during rush hour, an hour to get there from the Historic Seaport, Casa Marina or points West. I've had it take 30 minutes to get to the Winn-Dixie from here. (Granted that was right at 5 pm). I'm not saying don't go up to Looe Key, just saying make sure you leave with enough time to make the boat.

 

[kelemvor]

There is rush hour in the keys? That just seems wrong!


Wait, it's not like a carribean traffic jam, is it?

[video=youtube;ca-HZ7qiR0I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca-HZ7qiR0I&list=PL48341B8BF47BBDDC[/video]

 

[EL Pistoffo]

Not sure about a rush hour in the keys but a several years ago on Memorial weekend it took me 8 hours to drive from Key West to the exit of Key Largo. Longest traffic jam I have ever been in. I will never venture into the Keys on a Holiday weekend again.

 

[iluvtheocean]

the O/P *is* going to be there on memorial weekend so i'd recommend Captain's Corner and walk over there -- since it's a major holiday weekend, parking is going to be even more of a premium -- if you're bringing any gear -- i'd use a folding dolly to bring it. or hail a pedi-cab if you can find one. depending on what you bring even - some of the hotels rent bikes.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Yes, since I don't live there, take the advice of the locals on how long it will take you to get to Looe. I did not know about the construction on US1. Still, it is your best bet.

I did not realize Memorial Day was so early. If you go to Looe, I would highly recommend you go on Friday the 23rd as it won't be so jammed with divers on that day.

However, BOOK NOW for Looe Key. That weekend, everything fills up.