My wife has business in Miami towards the middle of June and suggested we fly down a couple days earlier and do some diving in the Miami area. We'd be staying in Key Biscayne, coming in from New England on a Saturday morning and I'd be headed back Monday morning, giving us Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning to dive. We're both AOW certified. Does anybody have any inputs or suggestions for some dive operations/shops in that area they would recommend us contacting? Thanks.
Looking for inputs on a weekend dive trip in the Miami/Key Biscayne area
- Thread starter deke
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
DennisS
Contributor
mike_s
Contributor
for research try http://www.divemiami.com/home.html
It's an "Alliance" (or might be monopoly) of dive shops in the Miami Area.
It has info about sites in the area and different dive shops.
I'm not reccomending any of them as I don't know them, but it's a place
perhaps to start for a list of places to look.
-mike
It's an "Alliance" (or might be monopoly) of dive shops in the Miami Area.
It has info about sites in the area and different dive shops.
I'm not reccomending any of them as I don't know them, but it's a place
perhaps to start for a list of places to look.
-mike
MikeJacobs
Guest
Those are good links others have sent. Just FYI in case you don't know, Miami really doesn't have what most here regard as great diving. Most of the diving here is just north of Miami-Dade County in Broward County or in the Keys.
I always recommend the Keys if you have the time, and it looks like you do. The most diving is arguably in the upper Keys, so you're going to be pretty close already. The wrecks there are widely regarded as the best.
Many of us dive with Island Ventures, located at about mile marker 104 on the right (bay side) headed south on A1A. Look for Sundowners and Senior Frejoles and pull into their parking lot. I don't think it would take you more than an hour and a half, but Brian would be best to ask.
Island Ventures: Brian & Carrie Berry
MileMarker:104.0
www.islandventure.com
Email: Dive@islandventure.com
Phone: 305-451-4957
Toll Free: 1-866-293-5006
They one of many exciting wreck dives (http://www.islandventure.com/wreck.htm) first followed by a nice, easy reef.
Afterward, have lunch or dinner at Sundowners right next door... if you do the afternoon trip and make a reservation for a "bayside table" you'll usually have an incredible sunset view. The food is always good.
There are lots of other options, which I'm sure others will contribute. If you think you'd rather head north to Broward just post and we'll give some more suggestions.
You already probably thought about your fly-time, but if not and it concerns you there is some good shore diving in Broward less than 25'. I do a shallow reef and fly the next day often.
I always recommend the Keys if you have the time, and it looks like you do. The most diving is arguably in the upper Keys, so you're going to be pretty close already. The wrecks there are widely regarded as the best.
Many of us dive with Island Ventures, located at about mile marker 104 on the right (bay side) headed south on A1A. Look for Sundowners and Senior Frejoles and pull into their parking lot. I don't think it would take you more than an hour and a half, but Brian would be best to ask.
Island Ventures: Brian & Carrie Berry
MileMarker:104.0
www.islandventure.com
Email: Dive@islandventure.com
Phone: 305-451-4957
Toll Free: 1-866-293-5006
They one of many exciting wreck dives (http://www.islandventure.com/wreck.htm) first followed by a nice, easy reef.
Afterward, have lunch or dinner at Sundowners right next door... if you do the afternoon trip and make a reservation for a "bayside table" you'll usually have an incredible sunset view. The food is always good.
There are lots of other options, which I'm sure others will contribute. If you think you'd rather head north to Broward just post and we'll give some more suggestions.
You already probably thought about your fly-time, but if not and it concerns you there is some good shore diving in Broward less than 25'. I do a shallow reef and fly the next day often.
I have not been able to find anyone doing non-technical dives out of or near Key Biscayne. The one shop on the Key tells me they only dive 170-280' dives, and make up their mind where to go when everyone arrives for the trip.deke:
I live on Key Biscayne, but usually drive to Key Largo and go out with a shop. I missed the boat this weekend due to a car wreck on the bridge just above Key Largo. The wreck was behind me, but they closed the bridge ahead of us. It normally shouldn't take you longer than 1 1/2 hours to drive to Key Largo if all goes well, but I suggest allowing 2 1/2 - 3 hours in case of problems.
Also, when you drive from Key Biscayne, go US1 South only until you get to the ecit for Florida's Turnpike (Merge onto FL-878 W toward SR-874 / FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE SOUTH). Do not - under any circumstances - let anyone tell you to drive US1 all the way to Key Largo. I would rather chew off my leg than drive that route.
Sandbar
Contributor
Ditto what the others said. Keys has better quality...Broward County is less likely to encounter serious traffic snarls as described by KB-FL.
This op in Fort Lauderdale is very reputable www.scubafortlauderdale.com
Roughly an hour from Key Biscayne.
This op in Fort Lauderdale is very reputable www.scubafortlauderdale.com
Roughly an hour from Key Biscayne.
Similar threads
