Keys...how many days are needed?

[Hemlon]

We're planning a trip to the Keys this summer.

How many days should we plan if we intend to:
1. See all/most of the big sites
2. Plan 2 dives each day

Is 3-4 days enough? Can anyone suggest some good dive shops along the way for air fills, etc?

 

[gj62]

3-4 days per key is great. Of course, there are hundreds of keys, so plan to stay for awhile. Seriously, are you thinking Upper, Middle or Lower Keys (or all the above?)

 

[ReefGuy]

3-4 might cover the Key Largo area. Depends on what you're looking for and what you mean by big.

 

[Hemlon]

I hadn't really thought about which area of the Keys. Is one area suggested over another?

How far are they from each other?

 

[gj62]

It's about 100 miles from Key Largo (Upper) to Key West (lower), not counting the Dry Tortugas, which you can't drive to - gotta take a boat.

What do you like most? Key Largo has Pennekamp and the Spiegel Grove wreck - both pretty cool. Marathon (Middle) has a few wrecks, including the Thunderbolt, as well as some great shallow diving, etc, etc...

 

[H2Andy]

yow.... tough question... i would have to make three stops:

Upper Keys: two days total

Key Largo: Dive Pennecamp Park and some of the wrecks.

Islamorada: Hens and Chickens Reef and Alligator Reef


Lower Keys: two days total

Marathon: Sombrero Light, Collin's Patch

Big Pine Key: New Found Harbor, Looe Key


Key West: 2 days in the Dry Tortugas

Not excellent diving around here, but if you can find a way
to dive the Dry Tortugas, by all means do so. I think
liveaboards are the only way to dive them right now.

 

[Hemlon]

Thanks, H2Andy, these are exactly the kind of tips I was looking for!

We are hoping to find lots of shore dives. The plan is for this trip to be as spontaneous as possible. (Drive along and decide, "That looks like a great place to dive...let's do it!")

 

[BIGSAGE136]

Most folks just wind up staying!

 

[gj62]

Thanks, H2Andy, these are exactly the kind of tips I was looking for!

We are hoping to find lots of shore dives. The plan is for this trip to be as spontaneous as possible. (Drive along and decide, "That looks like a great place to dive...let's do it!")

Gosh, I don't know of many/any shore dives that would make it worthwhile to go... Andy?

 

[H2Andy]

Gosh, I don't know of many/any shore dives that would make it worthwhile to go... Andy?

well.... i hate to be negative, but i understand that there
really isn't much in the way of shorediving in the keys.

HOWEVER, the capital of shore diving in the US is
Ft. Lauderale, less than an hour away by car. hook up with
Scuba_Jenny and she will give you more info than you
can handle on shore diving.