Key west scuba for a new diver?

[2steaks]

Did the PADI with my 10 year old daughter in April. Looking at going to key west next Easter. How's the diving there given we're limited to 10m? Good coral and marine life at that depth? Good visibility? Diver operator recs?

Any view gratefully received!

 

[NYCNaiad]

I haven't been to Key West. If you decide not to go there, Key Largo & the other upper keys as well as the middle keys are fantastic! I stayed in Key Largo & it was easy to go diving the upper & middle keys from there. In the upper & middle keys, there are a large number of nice dive sites that are that shallow. Here's a list of some good dives in Key Largo. Others in my group were able to do a day trip down to Key West during the same vacation though it was quite a long day.

Have fun & that's fantastic your daughter in joining you!

 

[sportxlh]

If you don't get any responces, call Captain's Corner. They run afternoon reef dives, the morning dives are to the Vandenberg, as is the case with most dive boats in the area, and that would not be appropriate for your child. They can tell you about the depth of the reef dives.

I've only dove the Vandy while is KW, vis and currents can change pretty dramatically on that site from day to day: not sure if that's true of the reefs or not. NYC's suggestion is a good one, the upper keys have lots of extremely shallow sites that would be perfect for you. Rainbow Reef in Key Largo is good with inexperienced divers

 

[oly5050user]

We are on Key West just about every August. Diving there is not the best in the area.
The Vandenburgh wreck is the only site worth going out on unless you hire a private boat and go to locations the big operators do not go out to.. The shallow reefs are in real bad shape. IF you do go to KW with daughter you will have better experience if you drive north 40 minutes to Looe Key and dive there. Reef in good shape, shallow , a lot to see.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Did the PADI with my 10 year old daughter in April. Looking at going to key west next Easter. How's the diving there given we're limited to 10m? Good coral and marine life at that depth? Good visibility? Diver operator recs?

Any view gratefully received!

If you plan to fly directly into Key West, then dive Key West. Diving there is simply not as good--coral, etc.--as in the upper keys, such as Key Largo and Islamorada. If you plan to fly to Miami or Fort Lauderdale and rent a car and do the long (but extremely interesting and fun) drive out to Key West, then stopping in Key Largo for a few dives is a no-brainer. Do your diving, then continue on to Key West and enjoy what Key West has to offer.

 

[Wookie]

It isn't where I'd take my 10 year old (Key West is more geared towards "adult" themed entertainment), and unless you plan to spend a fair bit of cash, the diving is relatively poor. It doesn't take more than getting about 10 miles west, but the dive boats don't go there, you'd need a private boat.

 

[kevindive]

I dove with Dive Duck Key and they had some shallower dives. I did enjoy diving with them and give them positive marks.

Scuba Diving, Snuba, Resort Courses, Scuba Diving Lessons at Dive Duck Key, Florida Keys

Duck Key, Florida, which is between Marathon and Islamorada.

 

[2steaks]

Thanks everyone. Incredibly helpful. Seems like we should be looking to go further north to key largo or islamorado then. How about up as far as key biscayne?

 

[Wookie]

You will find everything you want in Looe Key, skip Islamorada and Marathon, go to Tavenier and Key Largo. I wouldn't bother north of Key Largo with a little one. The diving is fairly lousy in Key Biscayne and pretty advanced from FLL north.

 

[buckled plates]

We do private charters for from Big Pine Key (Lower Keys) about 35 miles east of Key West. We dive the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary (depth 15 - 30'), and a variety of other sites that are excellent for young people and new divers. There is much greater choice of places to stay, eat, and shop farther east (Marathon, Key Largo especially) and many, many great dive operators there as well. Big Pine Key is quiet (relative to Keys life in general), and we offer private charters that work excellently for buddies or couples (three divers at most). Our prices are not much more than the headboats charge, but we offer a more personal experience and greater flexibility in dive planning and scheduling. One note: the Keys are often too windy and too rough to dive comfortably at that time of year so if you're coming exclusively to dive, you may want to consider an alternative. Best of luck, and safe diving!