Looe Key Dive Charters?

[codecruncher]

Looking for recommendations on charters that target Looe Key for August 21 & 22.

Also - hotel recommendations for that area? Would staying up in Marathon and driving down be a pain? I haven't found much in the big pine key area - no interest in camping or cabin without ac.

I'm aware of Wreckreation Charters, but they are targeting lobstering both mornings I've checked. I may do an afternoon with them, but I'd prefer morning with less heat and less wind I'm thinking - is that true?

My wife is a freshly minted novice open water diver. I've got 35 dives in, AOW & deep certified, but neither of us have dove in the ocean yet (but we have the SMBs, whistles, dive alert, etc. I've read about). Was thinking hiring a private dive master for us at least one day, maybe both would raise her comfort level.

 

[moneysavr]

Are you sold on southern Keys?
MO= Our choice is Mid Keys Islamorada -Taverrnier area and dive opp's
But for a newer diver they run some great trips out of the lower Key Largo area John Pennekamp coral reef state park,see web site,
Be warned things can be slow this time of year and trips are canceled and your moved to some other dive boat or area and this sucks!
Ooop's It will be bug season so boats may have crowds,
Get several reports on your hotel and do a trip ad visor as Keys hotels can be some real eye openers, nice one year trashed the next!
If you need some mid key Recommendations feel free to ask and have fun,
Brad

 

[Kat4]

Strike Zone Charters is located on Big Pine Key. 800-654-9560 They run a couple times a day around 9am and 1pm. It is a two tank dive. Looe Key is not that difficult but they do have guide services available. Many snorkelers (my children) enjoy it as well. I'm not familiar about hotel/motel. Marathon is about 20min drive due to speedlimit and maybe traffic. Ask the charters.

Good luck

 

[DebbyDiver]

Check out Parmer's Resort, I've stayed there a couple of times and loved it. Everyone I've ever recommended it to thanked me!

 

[CBulla]

Dude, call Rachel and see what she has in store. If the boat isn't full of buggers, she could change her mind as to where the boat goes.

 

[Firediver32]

I would NOT recommend Looe Key dive center, it was a cattle boat of the worst kind, they made everyone who didn't have a knife rent of thier, pointed knives with flimisy rubber sheaths, and several people got cut by them, i accidently left my reg on the boat, and when i called later that afternoon they said it was gone, i called the next day, again told, no one had seen it. I told them i was on my way back to search the place, and when i got there guess what, There it was. I believe if i hadn't actually driven back, it would have become rental gear or worse. Just my opinion.

 

[LiteHedded]

i'll be sure to stay away from those guys
i wanna get down and dive looe key this summer some time

 

[Chaseh]

The made you rent a knife? That's a new one. I know they had new mgmt, maybe that's a consultants plan to ignite more revenue?

Anyway, I'm related to Rachel, so that's the disclosure. That said, when we visit, Parmers was convienient and suited our needs nicely. Wreckreation is a 6 pack boat and Rachel looks after her divers. I would think a much better choice over the loaded pontoon boats down there.

We got to see a emergency occur in water while down there, and although the divers (very experienced) had it under control, it was cool to see Rachel scramble down a mooring line like a gecko.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

We dove with Strike Zone a couple of years ago. Large, roomy boat but they take snorkelers with you too. There were only 3 divers and we had the entire back of the boat to ourselves so we didn't even notice the snorkelers. Bring along a watch when you dive; they tell you what time to be back at the boat so if your computer doesn't have a clock on it you're going to be hurting. Our dive master asked us to surface half way through our dive and give the boat an "OK" that way they knew everything was fine and we had an idea about which way to go to find the boat so we could get back to it on time. Most of our dive was in 20 feet of water and you could feel the surge which can be a little disconcerting to a new diver. It's nothing to be nervous about, if you are facing shore you rock forward and backward almost like you are laying on a swing. The easiest way to move in the direction of the surge is to kick when the surge pushes you forward and rest while the surge goes backward. When moving along the reef and perpendicular to the surge we had to make sure we were far enough away from the reef to avoid being pushed into it by the surge. There's no point in trying to fight the surge you're just going to burn your tank up faster.

Looe Key is a very nice beginners dive, a guide could show you the really cool things you might miss since it's you're first ocean dive.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Gradual Ascent]

On my recent trip to the Keys, I dove with Rachel on Wreckreation Charters www.WreckreationCharters.com.

I wanted a great experience for my kid's 1st dice after owJr. cert. She has a very nice clean and quick 6 pack boat that got us out to Looe key in a snap. The boat Capt'n former ran the boat for Looe Key Divers, so he has a ton of experience. She did a great job and I had some great dives with my kid. Highly recommended!

I also took the family on a combined dive snorkle trip to Looe with Strike Zone Charters, it was nice for the family (big boat, clean rthe head works ), but they paired me up with another freshly minted diver (his 1st dive after his open water cert), along with my kid, (I'll save you the long story) but for divers only I'd stick with Rachel.