Recommendations for Florida Keys

[dgangi]

Hey all -

My wife and I would like to plan a dive trip to Florida sometime in November -- something like a 4-5 day trip. We really love the Keys and would like to go diving there. Do any of you have any recommendations for hotels, dive shops, or dive spots in the Florida Keys area? It seems like most of the dive activity is centered around Key Largo - at least most of the advertising in the dive magazines is from there. But that's why I am posting this note -- to see if you locals can help us separate the BS from the truly great stuff.

Anyway, any suggestions you can give us would be most appreciated.

Thx...Doug

 

[DaveO]

Hey, Doug-
This past June my buddy and I made last minute impromptu dive plans, and on the strength of recommendations on ScubaBoard, dove with Blue Water Divers (www.BlueWaterDiver.net), mile marker 100 by the Holiday Inn. I can't say enough good things about these guys- they were helpful and very friendly, and took very good care of all the divers. Over a couple days I watched them "customize" the dive site for that day by guaging the experience level of the divers or choosing a site to match the requests of the divers. The boat is rated for (I think) 15 divers but they purposefully avoid over-crowding it so they can look after people. Brent, the divemaster, is a PADI instructor and Glenn, the captain, is a diver and Coast Guard certified.

I'll dive there again when I go back, and there were other repeat divers as well as locals with us too.

Just checked their website: it's down right at the moment, but their phone is (888)953-9600.

Wherever you wind up going, enjoy! You're gonna love it!

Dave O

 

[sillygrendel]

Hey Doug,

I did my OW/AOW with Reef-Divers off cudjoe key. Jim is a very cool guy. www.reef-divers.com I had a lot of fun.

 

[Bomber]

Doug,

I prefer the Islamorada area, it's quieter, more choices of better restaurants, and central enough to everything in the keys without having to be right in the hub-bud of all the crowds and traffic.
Favorite dive shop and boats are Lady Cyana Divers. They dive all the wrecks but are far enough South to avoid the crowds too.

You're right, most of the diving is centered around Key Largo.

Bomber

 

[FredT]

Bomber once bubbled...
Doug,


You're right, most of the diving is centered around Key Largo.

Bomber

At least most of the cattle boat tourista centered diving is. The Tourists tend to stop at Key Largo, or go all the way down to Key West.

The middle keys has some excellent low diving pressure reefs and wrecks. This often means more critters and undamaged coral.

Places I've stayed over the years I liked included the Lime Tree Bay Resort below Long Key (Green Key?) and Holiday Isle resort on Windley Key. Holiday Isle imported the only real beach in the keys and advertises relativly heavily They have a full service dive shop, quality restaurant and nightclub on premisis, and the Chesapeake House across the bridge. Lime Tree was the most laid back out of the way place I've stayed in the keys that reminded me of the keys 30 years ago. They ran a 6 pack when I was there, but I wouldn't call it a "full service" dive operation. In my book that is a bit of a plus. There are several good dive shops around Marathon as well. I had good results at "The Dive Site" in Marathon several years ago. The farther you get from either end, the less diving and pollution pressure will be on the reefs, and the healthier they tend to be.

If party and shopping are high on your agenda the middle keys aren't where you want to be. If good diving and simple surface things like a hammock by the bay are IT then you'll want to at least try stopping along the middle keys

FT

 

[Bomber]

The middle keys has some excellent low diving pressure reefs and wrecks. This often means more critters and undamaged coral.

Amen!

Hey Fred, we have the best shopping in Islamorada too! LOL and plenty of night life with Woody's, the Tiki bar, and Holiday Isle leading the pack.

No one mentioned Uncle's restaurant either!

 

[Reeflover]

I agree with DaveO's post. As a local I dive with Bluewater Divers and these guys are the best I've found. They are very knowledgable, helpful, and do their best to make the divers comfortable and happy. Theirs is not a cattleboat and I've had some of my best diving here with them.

Their website was down a day or two but is now up at www.bluewaterdiver.net.




Reeflover

 

[AltonK]

I dive with Silent world divers and they are a great outfit. Also I'd agree, go further south. The reefs aren't as beat up.

 

[AltonK]

dive the wall off biscayne key. Biscayne National park in Florida city.

Biscayne park

 

[plongere]

This is a duplicate post to the forum. It applies in two threads, so I cut and pasted. I apologize but I don't know how to link / point to another thread..



Just returned form two weeks in the keys. Great diving, lots of fun. I stongly recommend Looe Key (Mile Post 27.5). The reef was in excellent condition with lots of fish. Diving was easy from a Cat. Three tank dive for $45.00. Give it a shot!

In Key West we dove with Reef Raiders / Sea Breeze. It is a larger operator, but a great operation, great service. Register on the dock behind the Galleon Resort. We dove these guys two days. For the $$ and service, I think this is a top operator in Key West. We WILL dive these guys again.

Key Largo has lots to see, but also lots of people seeing it. There seems to be a dive operator every twenty feet or so. We dove on Christ of the Abyss. It was cool, good photo op, very shallow, but lots of divers kicking stuff up and lot of snorklers, etc. etc.

We only snorkled the Siegle Grover due to safety considerations. Currents can be tough there we were told, but the day we went there was NO current, but the wind was kicking up quite a chop. We decided not to dive since we were completing two weeks of heavy diving, I am overweight, and we were flying in 28 hours, so we passed. Snorkling over the Siegle Grove was a blast. It is a VERY LARGE SHIP. Well.... maybe next time.

If you are a movie buff and remember the movie African Queen with Humphrey Bogart and Katherin Hepburn, the boat "African Queen" is located in Key Largo (~ Mile Post 100) out of the water on a set of davits, on the canal between the Ramada Inn and the Holiday Inn. Great Photo op.

In Key Largo we used two operators.

On our way to Key West, we stopped for three days in Key Largo. We wanted to dive the Christ and reef. We hooked up with Blue Water Divers, located on the canal between the Ramada Inn and Holdiay Inn. The first day my wife ended up getting sick and we aborted our second dive. We rebooked for the next day, but had to cancel. We tried for a third time but had to cancel that too, still sick and remained so for two more days.

When we got home and got our credit card bill, Blue Water Divers had charged us for one of the days of cancelled diving (There were four of us so it came to $220.00). On one had I understand because we didn't cancel 24 hours ahead, on the other hand, he knew my wife was sick and when we cancelled he didn't say he was going to charge us, our phone call was just abruptly diconnected. If we were going to be charged I would have sent the kids out to get some of the $$ back. The boat was good, and crew was good. It is their business practices I disagree with. Oh well... Live and learn, but I won't dive this outfit again. You make your own call on this one.

On the way back from Key West we dove with the Dual Porpoise outfit. It is also located in the canal next to the Holiday Inn. It is a small boat, I think 8 max, but it is fast. Captain is ex-marine and a real card. Good outfit I recommend.

There is no shore diving I could find, as the reef is 3 - 6 miles out. Check with Discount Divers for recommendations and gear. They are in every major town in the keys and very helpful. Good luck and enjoy, we sure did!




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