What are the Keys temps like in mid November?

[DandyDon]

I dived Key Largo wrecks last March, and my family & I snorkeled Kings Bay/Crystal River a couple of weeks ago, so I did not expect to be back out for a year. Then I opened an eamil that been in my box for a few days...

The fare sale out of DFW on my favorite airline was ending tongiht, but - as long as I buy tonight, and fly by Dec 20, there were some cheap possibilities. Now...

I just finished a Tampa trip with a bargain air fare;

I'm using FF-miles for Canada Sept 3;

I already have a bargain fare for North Carolina the first of Oct;

I already have a FF-mile ticket for Dec 25 to Miami to catch a BlackBeards;

But I couldn't pass this up! Lubbock to Miami or Ft.Lauderdale is usually around $400, and in fact - if I book point to point, it still is. But if I break the fare in DFW, it's only $280. I'll get extra FF-miles for buying 2 tickets online, and earn about $120 value miles for going.

I feel dumb for buying just 'cause it's cheap - SE Florida for $160 net RT - but I guess I can squeeze a weekend in about mid November? I figure I'm going to take so many days off from work a year, and spend certain amounts of money anyway, so the best I can do with my addiciton is minimize the outgo. $160 net? I spent that much to fly an airline I don't like to Austin to dive Aquareen Springs. And - I was thinking that I had a 12 week break without a dive trip anyway. This could cut that in half.

So - It's done. Tickets purchased, contingent seats assigned; First Class upgrades requested. Nov 11-15, aiming at Key Largo!

There's a thunderstorm rolling in, and I may not have the option to book online in an hour or two; I know that I'm going to do it; so I did it.

 

[BILLB]

The Key Largo area is usually around 80 F. Nights are in the 60's. But it could be like summer too. Winds are a problem in November. Go farther south to Marathon and the weather may be better if temp and winds are a problem. The defining line between warm weather is usually around the ORLANDO Area. Most the eary season cold fronts usually run out of steam by the time they hit Miami.

Water temps are usually high 70's.

 

[DandyDon]

The Key Largo area is usually around 80 F. Nights are in the 60's. But it could be like summer too. Winds are a problem in November. Go farther south to Marathon and the weather may be better if temp and winds are a problem. The defining line between warm weather is usually around the ORLANDO Area. Most the eary season cold fronts usually run out of steam by the time they hit Miami.

Water temps are usually high 70's.

You know this much from PA? You must like to visit there, too.

Wind is usually a problem when I come there. My favorite operator is Taverneir Dive Center, and Scotty can drop me on a wreck when most operators won't go out.

But 80 days and high 70s water sounds better than I'd though. Similar to what I had last March. Super - thanks!

 

[CBulla]

Water will be in the lower to mid-80's.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

That's what my log shows - 83-84 last October, 78-79 in December for Key Largo.

Come on down and do some nice, warm dives. (The seas tend to pick up a bit at that time, though, so pack some dramamine.)

 

[rje634]

We were in Key West beginning of Dec. last year and we just hit it worng, very windy daytime temps were 70's at night high 60's. Water temps were 76 to 78. but all of that was OK because we were escaping a northeast blizzard.... It's a relative thing, all the locals were in jackets at night we were wearing shorts and t-shirts.
One thing though we went on the edge of the good diving season (so we were told by Southpoint Divers) and viz was about 30ft - 40ft, your going early though so you should be OK..

Have a great trip...

 

[DandyDon]

Water will be in the lower to mid-80's.

You're kiddin'?! Wow! I'll just wear a skin.

That's what my log shows - 83-84 last October, 78-79 in December for Key Largo.

Come on down and do some nice, warm dives. (The seas tend to pick up a bit at that time, though, so pack some dramamine.)

You guys sure your thermometers are good? One of my computers reads everything else fine, but is 10 degrees off on temps; I can guess closer than that. Anyway, it sounds like the only spare suit I need to bring in my 3 mil, just in case.

I never worry much about feeding the fish, just about whether they'll go out or not. I'm been out there when we got caught in 8-12 feet waves, and that got interesting. Right or wrong, we still dived once; learned how to board a bucking boat. Didn't go back out again for 3 days!

It'll still be a gamble, but I know the area better now, as well as having new friends here on SB now, so maybe I'll have more options?

thanks, don

 

[beachcomber]

Where is the best place to dive in the keys?

Thanks

 

[DandyDon]

Where is the best place to dive in the keys?

Thanks

Hye BC - Since this is your first post, and you have no info in your Profile, I'm just guessing that you're new? If so, I'd suggest that there's no better place for a newbie to get valuable practice than the shallow reefs off of Key Largo. Just be sure to select an operator that caters to newbies and puts a Dive Master in the water with you.

If you run a Search on Key Largo, you should get tons of info.

And if you'd like to do your own Intro in that forum, just click on the link in my Sig area below

 

[Orlando Eric]

Arrrghh! There is nothing like a dive in 12' seas, high winds and overcast, even better to come up into a blowing rain! Swim up to the boat and try to time the swim platform so that the downward crash does not scatter your brains to the waiting fishes.

The platform goes up out of yor reach about eight feet high then craaSH! three feet under you, grab hold and pull like keeping your head on your shoulders depends on it!

That is just the exit.. the dive.. what a great time. 8~9 knot current, cold water.... that is were you earn your fins.. none of this "it's okay melvin.. i have never failed a student yet everyone can be a diver, no matter what their fitness level is..."

Serioulsy though the boats are spacious those days. It is better to get some people together that you know who will dive in these conditions, that way the boat will go out.

"IF the captian says.. I dunno it looks kinda rough out there.." taunt him about his little boat not being able to take a little chop... he'll go.

Arrrhh where's me parrot...