JesperS
Contributor
We picked a pretty great week to be in the keys, weather has been great since we got here on Saturday.
This is mostly a family trip, so the diving will be a bit limited. Rented our favorite house in Marathon. This is the third time we're renting it, and I love it. Central to everything, about an hour and change to Key Largo, about an hour 20 to Key West. Quiet, on a canal with a dock and pool.
Here with my parents who just got back after being gone for the summer, and my sister and brother in law from Sweden. Kiddo got to miss school for a week of general Keys awesomeness and a few good dives.
Today was a our first dive. My friend has been telling me for two years now that I need to see Looe Key, where they usually go to snorkel.
With family in tow, I called and booked us with Looe Key Reef Resort & Dive Center to book our trip. I specifically chose them based on decent reviews, and the fact that they take divers and snorklers. Unfortunately, check in is at 7:30, so our happy arses were up by 5:40 or so to get ready.
Check in was straightforward, they then have you bring your gear through the shop to the dock in the back. The boat is a large and comfortable 45 foot catamaran. We were far from full, so there was plenty of room for everyone, I'd say 15-20 total, with roughly half and half divers/snorkelers.
A 45 foot boat is nice, but not so nice when you are on a small canal. It took a bit of maneuvering to get out, and there's a blind corner at the end, but the captain handled it without problem and as a consummate pro. The 2 groups were separated on the canal ride for separate dive/snorkel briefings, which was fun and informative.
Looe Key was a fairly quick, say 25ish minute ride (didn't keep track). Though it is called Looe Key, it's actually a reef. It was pretty windy, so there were probably 2-3 footers, which is pushing the limit on what my body can handle. Got the chance to try my Quease Ease. It worked, in that I didn't get worse, and then felt better, but it wasn't terrible out, so I can't guarantee it did anything. Will require further testing.
A giant stride entry is made from the side. Dive #1 was a pleasant dive, and we saw a large goliath free swimming (and I had my gopro, score). He then hung out under the boat for the remainder of the dive. Got some good footage of her. I'm guessing 2-300 lbs.
Ladder entry again through the side of the ship, nice large ladder. We were right next to the entry, so plopped down, switch tanks on the short jog to another buoy, and hop back in. Unfortunately, I should have stuck with my gut instinct, we should have worn our wetsuits. We were chilly throughout the second dive. However, there was more fish life, and a nicer spot in general than dive one. We didn't stay the full hour due to being chilly.
All in all, I have to agree, Looe Key is a very very nice reef. Dramatic features, large coral heads, lots and lots of fish life. My sister and brother in law saw a reef shark, but we missed it.
The ride back was fast and easy. Maneuvering back in through the canal was again, very tight, and we met some idiot botor on the way, but again, the captain knew what he was doing, so it went without incident.
Back at the docks, you receive a free drink ticket for the tiki bar, AND you get access to the pool for the rest of the day, which could be very nice if you wanted to take a dip.
Large rinse tanks for all your gear. Got everything zipped up and off we went. Nice boat, nice dive site, great crew.
Tomorrow we are off to do Key West (no diving)
Wednesday me and the kid are diving with Abyss, which is only a five minute ride away. I think we're doing the Turtle Hospital that afternoon. This was originally going to be a hunting dive with another company, but kiddo decided he didn't want to do that, so we're checking out these guys instead.
Thursday is an Islamora excursion (no diving)
Friday, we plan to do the Duane with Ocean Divers. It will be another early morning for us, as we'll have to drive up to KL. This is our first trip down since earning our AOW cards, so we have to do a wreck. Did a night dive with Ocean Divers on our last Keys vacation and had a good time wtih them, like their boats, and I think I saw that they will go out as long as there's two people.
Will let you know how the other dives go, and post the video once I go through grueling video editing.
This is mostly a family trip, so the diving will be a bit limited. Rented our favorite house in Marathon. This is the third time we're renting it, and I love it. Central to everything, about an hour and change to Key Largo, about an hour 20 to Key West. Quiet, on a canal with a dock and pool.
Here with my parents who just got back after being gone for the summer, and my sister and brother in law from Sweden. Kiddo got to miss school for a week of general Keys awesomeness and a few good dives.
Today was a our first dive. My friend has been telling me for two years now that I need to see Looe Key, where they usually go to snorkel.
With family in tow, I called and booked us with Looe Key Reef Resort & Dive Center to book our trip. I specifically chose them based on decent reviews, and the fact that they take divers and snorklers. Unfortunately, check in is at 7:30, so our happy arses were up by 5:40 or so to get ready.
Check in was straightforward, they then have you bring your gear through the shop to the dock in the back. The boat is a large and comfortable 45 foot catamaran. We were far from full, so there was plenty of room for everyone, I'd say 15-20 total, with roughly half and half divers/snorkelers.
A 45 foot boat is nice, but not so nice when you are on a small canal. It took a bit of maneuvering to get out, and there's a blind corner at the end, but the captain handled it without problem and as a consummate pro. The 2 groups were separated on the canal ride for separate dive/snorkel briefings, which was fun and informative.
Looe Key was a fairly quick, say 25ish minute ride (didn't keep track). Though it is called Looe Key, it's actually a reef. It was pretty windy, so there were probably 2-3 footers, which is pushing the limit on what my body can handle. Got the chance to try my Quease Ease. It worked, in that I didn't get worse, and then felt better, but it wasn't terrible out, so I can't guarantee it did anything. Will require further testing.
A giant stride entry is made from the side. Dive #1 was a pleasant dive, and we saw a large goliath free swimming (and I had my gopro, score). He then hung out under the boat for the remainder of the dive. Got some good footage of her. I'm guessing 2-300 lbs.
Ladder entry again through the side of the ship, nice large ladder. We were right next to the entry, so plopped down, switch tanks on the short jog to another buoy, and hop back in. Unfortunately, I should have stuck with my gut instinct, we should have worn our wetsuits. We were chilly throughout the second dive. However, there was more fish life, and a nicer spot in general than dive one. We didn't stay the full hour due to being chilly.
All in all, I have to agree, Looe Key is a very very nice reef. Dramatic features, large coral heads, lots and lots of fish life. My sister and brother in law saw a reef shark, but we missed it.
The ride back was fast and easy. Maneuvering back in through the canal was again, very tight, and we met some idiot botor on the way, but again, the captain knew what he was doing, so it went without incident.
Back at the docks, you receive a free drink ticket for the tiki bar, AND you get access to the pool for the rest of the day, which could be very nice if you wanted to take a dip.
Large rinse tanks for all your gear. Got everything zipped up and off we went. Nice boat, nice dive site, great crew.
Tomorrow we are off to do Key West (no diving)
Wednesday me and the kid are diving with Abyss, which is only a five minute ride away. I think we're doing the Turtle Hospital that afternoon. This was originally going to be a hunting dive with another company, but kiddo decided he didn't want to do that, so we're checking out these guys instead.
Thursday is an Islamora excursion (no diving)
Friday, we plan to do the Duane with Ocean Divers. It will be another early morning for us, as we'll have to drive up to KL. This is our first trip down since earning our AOW cards, so we have to do a wreck. Did a night dive with Ocean Divers on our last Keys vacation and had a good time wtih them, like their boats, and I think I saw that they will go out as long as there's two people.
Will let you know how the other dives go, and post the video once I go through grueling video editing.
