Key West?

[KCShocker03]

I am planning on a diving trip to Key West over spring break in march. Our other choice was Cozumel but due to the hurricanes earlier in the year the diving has been reported to not be that great. How is the diving (vis., wildlife, etc..) in the Keys?? Any thoughts, advice, etc...would be great. Thanks!

 

[stu_in_fl]

Key West is the place to stay for great nightlife but not really to dive...20 miles or so up the road is Looe Key which has good diving - or 50 miles to Marathon or 100 miles to Key Largo.....but the road is slow, so if you drive from Key West to Key Largo expect it to take 3 hours.

 

[KCShocker03]

Any other good dive places in the Keys?

 

[Tom Winters]

Sometimes people depserate for a dive will go to Key Largo or Islamorada in the northern Keys - there's a few places to dive there but not any nightlife outside of Big Dick and the Extenders at Woody's.

 

[stu_in_fl]

Any other good dive places in the Keys?

Both in Looe Key and in Key Largo are marine sanctuaries - nice reefs, plenty of fish. The reefs around Marathon are also nice. Offshore from Key West are the dry tortugas, but you'd probbably be hard pressed to find a dive op going out there for anything apart a livaboard (although makes a nice day trip with snorkelling)

For artificial reefs, the big ones are Adolphus Bush (Looe Key), Thunderbold (Marathon), Eagle (Tavenier), Speigel Grove/Duane/Bibb (Key Largo)


..but nightlife - Duval street is great (and can be full of very strange people)

 

[cleung]

There is diving off Key West but for the Keys, the Key Largo area is much better. I have an article on Keys diving in the Articles section of this board.

 

[Tom Yerian]

Hi cleung, I live in the keys, and have worked the shops in Key West,and, though some of the reefs are pretty impacted; many are not!The sambo's reef system, the Western dryrocks,and some of the reefs out toward the Marquesaes, are beautiful!!! Don't go on a cattle boat, Hire a six-packer, tell him what you want, and he will get you to beautiful reefs, from 25- 50 fsw. Plus, that have a bunch of wrecks, from,60-320fsw, depending on your level of EXPERIENCE, not just a certification! Then lastly, you have a tremendous variety of night life, bars, clubs, harbor area, mel's place, museums,local history, and lore, God, I love it! Very important, be flexible in your views about life styles. There are many,and some,VERY DIVERSE!!!....CAPT tOM

 

[Tom Yerian]

Super show, that big ole boy is fantastic, I have never heard of anyone whold get in your **** like him. Who ever reads this, go see his show!!!!coming from keywest heading to Miami, stop off in Islamarada pull in to Woody's, onthe left.If you say anything, or just looke diff. enough to be picked on, yop are in for some major insult therapy!!! You will not be able to out do him: He is great!!....Capt. Tom

 

[daniel f aleman]

Key West

..but nightlife - Duval street is great (and can be full of very strange people)

The place is a freak show. But, talk to this guy, Thomas Willson website, a NAUI Course Director, Technical Instructor, and boat captain; top notch, and will put together a package just for you.

 

[Tom Winters]

If I was going to Key West during spring break, the last thing I would be capable of would be submerging myself in anything deeper than about 14 margaritas. Why waste time diving when you could be doing tech partying? I just need my wife to go to Europe or something.