Keys Vacation and AOW certification

[Russoft]

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

I'd be looking at Florida Keys Dive Center, just based on your location.
Re: Beach diving/snorkeling. The only place in the upper keys that I'm aware of is John Pennenkamp Coral Reef State Park.

I've been chatting with Florida Keys Dive Center and will probably end up booking with them. They responded quickly and were very helpful. And yes, I've got John Pennenkamp park on our list, if only for a place to swim. Thanks!

Conch Republic is in Tavernier. I dive with them often and my bet is that they can accommodate you. Rainbow Reef is also well known for training.

Also talking to Conch Republic as they come highly recommended, though it's been difficult to pin them down.

Heh. I took AOW in Brainerd and OWD in Key West. I was in my new favorite mud puddle in Eagan yesterday and it was 50 degrees below the thermocline. The thermocline was at 12'. Fantastic dive, though, three turtles, a large northern, quite a few large bass, and a curious pumpkinseed that swam up to my mask and then nibbled on my finger. I think I'm going to go to another mud puddle today, but I'm wearing my gloves this time. (For the cold, not for the pumpkinseed)

I've snorkeled Bahia Honda state park and had fun, but there isn't really any coral. There are some sponges and maybe some fan coral but nothing dramatic.

I would recommend Wahoo's bar and grill and the Sunset grill as both being fun places with good food. Both in Islamorada iirc.

Wife and I love Brainerd! It's a huge upgrade on local diving from our previous home (Alberta, Canada), and when we dive tropical water, we don't feel so rusty. Thanks for the suggestions! Bahia Honda, Wahoo's, and Sunset are added to the list!

You said the end of July. This year Lobster mini-season is July 26-27th. If you want to dive those days it may impact you so you want to plan it out early.

Thanks! That falls right in the middle of our time there, so we'll be sure to schedule around it!

I have also driven down to Bahai Honda, this will be about a hour &15 depending on traffic from tavernier. The bay side wasn't great for snorkeling apart from near the piling, but the current was strong there, elsewhere on that side there is mostly sea grass bottom and it's ok for kids and no dive flag in this side. The ocean side was much better, I really enjoyed this both times I have been, very shallow and lots of fishies to spy for free.. you are supposed to tow a dive flag, but we didn't and neither did anyone else when we were there. To be honest I think you would need one of those ones that clips to a snorkel as it's so shallow in parts.
Other things to do for cheap/free, go to feed the tarpon at Robbie's in islamorada, really fun . The dive museaum is cool for divers, not very interesting for kids though, unless they are into diving!
Have fun!

Thanks for the details!