Where to go???

[carldarl]

I am taking my family on a trip this summer and could use a little help. My wife, age unknown , my daughter (20) and y son (16) got certifiedin January and are new. The kids have no dives since getting certified and my wife only has 10 dives from a trip to Roatan in late February. Where would you recommend taking them to give them a good week's worth of diving that will fit their skill level? The Keys???

I appreciate any help and recommendations you have.

Thanks,

Carl

 

[Tom Winters]

From Idaho, Cozumel or Sabo San Lucas are just about as close as the Keys logistically. And there's always Lake Coeur d'Alene although I bet in the summer the boat traffic can get a little intense.

 

[MikeJacobs]

I am taking my family on a trip this summer ... snip... Where would you recommend taking them to give them a good week's worth of diving that will fit their skill level? The Keys???

I wonder if I'm over-reacting, but with the hurricane season to be supposedly worse this year than last it might be prudent to get trip insurance if booking through an agent.

The Keys is the best diving around SE Florida, hands-down. There isn't a whole lot more to do there, but there is a week's worth if you get blown out (which you probably won't but might think about just in case).

The most diving is in the upper Keys. The lower Keys has one spot they say is exceptional - Looe Key - but it seems to get blown-out often (I'm zero-for-two tries). So, you might try spending most of your time in Key Largo (upper) but moving down to Key West (lower) for the "culture" on your final days. Just my $0.02!

There are some advanced dives in the upper Keys but most are not. Even the advanced dives - like the Spiegel Grove - aren't all that bad, as long as your family is fairly competent in spite of their lack of experience. Timid divers should probably avoid the 'Grove.