Marathon vs. Key Largo

[billt4sf]

Hello Key people!

We will be staying in Marathon for a week with the extended family and my wife and I would like to do some diving in your keys! (The rest of the family doesn't dive but some may want to do a Snuba or an intro dive -- where are these available?.)

Should we use a dive shop in Marathon or drive up to Key Largo? What dive shops do you recommend? (We like medium-size boats as my wife suffers from motion sickness, yet we want to stay away from the cattle boats doing OW checkouts). I anticipate that we will dive three days during our 5-day stay (cannot dive the day before our flight out). We are novice divers (50 dives each). We'd love to see sharks, rays, etc. in their natural habitat (no feeding) but that is not our only interest while diving. Should we make an effort to get to the Jon Pennenkamp Coral Reef park?

Thanks for your help.

Bill & Emily

 

[CajunDiva]

If you go to the upper right corner of this forum, there's a SEARCH box. I typed in Marathon, FL Diving, and this came up:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-diving/450654-snuba-intro-dive-keys.html

Apparently SNUBA is offered right there in Marathon. The "search" feature can provide you with lots of answers from previous discussions, which will help in your decision

 

[sportxlh]

Bill: enjoy your trip.

I've tried to dive Looe Key on several occasions but always have been washed out due to marine conditions. I've buddy that dove it, my daughter has snorkeled it and all the pictures people post indicate that it is well worth diving. (Looe Key is in the Marathon area). I've tried to go out with Tilden's but never have made it due to the weather; on the phone, the folks running the shop seemed nice.

Its worth a day or two in Key Largo as well. I dive with Conch Republic whenever I'm in the upper Keys. The shop has a big boat that is pretty stable. During holiday times, the boat can fill up, be even full, there is a lot of room to spread out. If you decide on Conch Republic, check their schedule because they'll head to both shallow dives sites and deeper ones as well. Silent World has medium sized boats: they are comfortable as well but not quite as stable on CRD's big boat.

You'll probably see nurse sharks while in the Keys, but for reef sharks and bull sharks, you're better off coming up the coast and diving in Jupiter.

Here's some other threads on Key Largo and dive shop recommendations:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/fl...e-shop-do-some-you-recommend.html#post6671729
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-diving/447091-diving-keys.html

 

[Rich Keller]

If you go to Key Largo I would recommend Conch Republic at about MM90 Conch Republic Divers . If you want something closer and smaller I would go with Seamonkeys Water Sports at about MM80 Seamonkey's Scuba Diving Islamorada / Tavernier Florida Keys - Voted Best 6 Pack Dive . Theirs is a six pack charter right by Alligator reef and they put a dive guide in with you at no extra charge. You can read my review of them here http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-diving/451930-seamonkeys-water-sports.html . I used both on my trip there a month ago.

 

[JesperS]

I would recommend trying to find a local op to take you out to Sombrero reef. I have yet to dive it, we've only snorkeled, but it's a BEAUTIFUL reef, right off the northern tip of the 7 mile bridge. We plan on making it out there the next time we go the keys.

---------- Post added April 24th, 2013 at 10:18 PM ----------

BTW, not diving related, but make sure to take the family out to Pigeon Key when you are there, it's a great half day excursion. Home

 

[billt4sf]

I realized that, since I am an air hog, we want to find a shop that offers us larger tanks with nitrox. So medium boat, larger tanks, no cattle boats...

- Bill

 

[Peter_C]

Silent World can get you a nice steel tank with plenty of nitrox in it. I am sure there are other outfits that could oblige also.

 

[axop]

Both areas provide great diving.
Sombrero reef in Marathon is a must ! I used so far Tildens, Duck Key & Deep Blue all of them provided a great experience and safe operation. However be prepared; larger OP have a tendency to be commercialized and less relaxed.
In Key Largo I highly recommend Horizon Divers, great OP, great people and great reefs from shallow reefs to great wrecks.
There are a bunch of great dive op in both areas beside the ones I just named, you guys will have a blast.