Miami Area in March 2009

[Wheatondiver]

Family is planning on going to Miami for spring break the end of March. I am AOW. Son is 12 and Jr. OW (limited to 40 feet) with over 25 dives.

What are some good shops to dive with?

What are some dive sites to dive?

If Ft. Lauderdale is not too far, what shop in that area?

 

[sunapeebob]

Last year my Son (20) and I had a "business trip" to Miami and spent most of the time on Key Largo. We dove with two separate shops Conch Republic and Silent World. Both were great. There are a lot of dives that will fit the profile you are mentioning. We also did numerous PADI classes as well - UW photographer, Drift, Night, etc. We stayed in Key Largo and went into Miami for the meetings. It was not a bad drive. This March we are looking into Jupiter, Boynton Beach, etc. but are also considering Key Largo again, since we had such a good time. Feel free to contact the shops, they are very helpful. If you want your son to do some classes so he is certified to go deeper, then it opens up a lot more - Duane, Speigel Grove, Eagle, etc. Perhaps our paths will cross!


Bob

 

[netmage]

Family is planning on going to Miami for spring break the end of March. I am AOW. Son is 12 and Jr. OW (limited to 40 feet) with over 25 dives.

What are some good shops to dive with?

What are some dive sites to dive?

If Ft. Lauderdale is not too far, what shop in that area?

Are you looking for a site for BOTH of you....? Or one and the other... the 40' limitation cuts a wide swath across ALOT of options in Ft. Lauderdale...

Most of the Miami reef sites on the schedule are < 40'
- RJ Diving - RJ Diving Ventures - The Best Wreck and Reef Diving in Miami
Plenty of options in the Keys, as most reefs are < 30'.
- Conch Republic
- Silent World
- Blue Water Divers

Parrot Island in Fort Lauderdale, 2nd reef system, or 'da balls'/Pompano drop-off/Copenhagen is in that range.

-Tim

 

[Jupiter31]

You are far better off b/c of the depth limitation to consider Key Largo

Most of the reefs there are (or can be) below 40 feet; KL from Miami is about an hour

Great operators include HMS Minnow - the boat is located behind the Holiday Inn in KL and Conch Republic, located a little farther south in Taverner

RJ Diving Ventures, mentioned previously, offers shallow reef dives but you need to check with them via their web site to see where they are going - great folks BTW

Also, using the "Search" function on this site you will get a TON of information.

PS Lauderdale, Pompamo, and Palm Beach County diving are also great but the depth limitation will not make this an option, unless you want to do some beach diving - best to seriously consider Key Largo

 

[Diveral]

With those depth limitations and a Jr. Openwater diver I'd definitely hit the shallow reefs in Key Largo. Conch Republic and HMS Minnow are great recommendations.

 

[deepstops]

Family is planning on going to Miami for spring break the end of March. I am AOW. Son is 12 and Jr. OW (limited to 40 feet) with over 25 dives.

What are some good shops to dive with?

What are some dive sites to dive?

If Ft. Lauderdale is not too far, what shop in that area?

On Saturdays, Biscayne National Park (in Homestead) runs a reef trip where the dives are 15-35' deep and these reefs are only dove once a week (and in pristine condition). Book by calling 305-230-1100.

 

[Jupiter31]

On Saturdays, Biscayne National Park (in Homestead) runs a reef trip where the dives are 15-35' deep and these reefs are only dove once a week (and in pristine condition). Book by calling 305-230-1100.

These are some of the best reefs in FL, due to very little diver pressure

They were doing a dive on Sunday mornings to the "wall" followed by a shallow reef, but they needed a minimum of 4 divers to make the trip worthwhile - we did the wall once; showed up 2 additional times but the trip was cancelled b/c the other divers did not show - its a great dive and worth doing, especially if you have a group to assure they go out.