Diving in the FL keys?

BenjieC · #1 07/25/2006, 09:08 PM

I'm looking for good dive shops to dive out of and some great places to dive at in the keys. Thanks!

ReefWaters · #2 07/26/2006, 01:25 PM

I recently dove with Quiescence out of Largo. They only take 6 packs and they are incredibly friendly.

thor32766 · #3 07/26/2006, 05:51 PM

how long are you going to be there.

BenjieC · #4 07/26/2006, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thor32766
how long are you going to be there.

I'm planning on 5-6 days. Sometime in Oct-Nov.

83ironhead · #5 07/27/2006, 06:57 AM

If you're going to be there on a Friday, do Capt. Slates. You can watch him feed sharks, barracuda and eel's. Plus, they're really good people.

drbronx · #6 07/27/2006, 09:16 PM

Quiescence is excellent if you prefer a smaller boat experience. I also highly recommend Sea Dwellers which operates a larger boat but seldom crowded. They really know the reefs and will take you to the best places conditions will allow. They are associated with the Holiday Inn at Key Largo. The boat docks right behind the hotel and you can get good hotel/dive packages. I dove with them many times over the years and always had great experiences. Can't go wrong with either one as far as Key largo diving.

BenjieC · #7 08/02/2006, 03:35 PM

Anyone else have any experiences?

JohnCasey · #8 08/21/2006, 08:31 PM

I recommend Tildens dive shop and charters out of Hawks Cay on Duck Key. Dove with them on Easter this past year and can't wait to get back. They also allow collecting of reef fish.

beaker99 · #9 09/04/2006, 07:42 AM

If you want to do some snorkeling then I would stop at Bahia Honda State Park. There are some excellent spots there around the base of the bridges, and an island that is a short swim from the beach.

192clark · #10 09/05/2006, 04:29 PM

I have been to Key West and there is a store on Duvall named Bonsai. The owner also takes at the most 6 people on his boat. This guy was in the military like a seal and we were very pleased with the whole experience. The best thing that I saw was a Scorpion fish the clarity of the water was great. This was the 1st wk in May.

r00onmac · #11 09/07/2006, 10:19 AM

key west isnt really for snorkeling or scuba unless you are looking at wrecks - whatever is left of them at least...

key largo is supposedly the best.. when i went i dove with Amoray Dive Resort and they were very knowledgeable and friendly

ReefWaters · #12 09/07/2006, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JohnCasey
I recommend Tildens dive shop and charters out of Hawks Cay on Duck Key. Dove with them on Easter this past year and can't wait to get back. They also allow collecting of reef fish.

Did you do any collecting yourself? How do you catch the little guys? Most of them are very quick.

thor32766 · #13 09/07/2006, 07:10 PM

i have done collecting in islamorada, some nice reefs about a mile or so out.

r00onmac · #14 09/09/2006, 07:24 AM

a lot of the fish arent as quick as you might think when you have fins on... i spend a few minutes chasing down large (probably 2') parrotfish in the keys and touching them... i would have thought i could never catch one but it really isnt that tough if you watch their body language, if i had a net i could have caught one..

cabrerad · #15 09/09/2006, 09:07 PM

My wife and I did two days of diving with Silent World dive center out of Key Largo a few weeks ago. They are a very well regarded outfit and we had small groups on both days I dived.

drgabe · #16 09/11/2006, 11:38 AM

Stay away from Key West. Go there at night to party.

The upper and middle keys are the best for diving. If you like being packed in big boats with lots of sea sick people stick with the big charters. Personally, nothing beats a 6-pack boat, especialy if you have a couple of people with you. Personal service and personal trips - you wont dive the same spot twice.

There are lots of good suggestions in this thread - call those folks and if they are full let them rec another person. Thier livelyhood depends on good referrals, you'll get good people.

have fun, take pictures, eat well!

ReefWaters · #17 09/11/2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by r00onmac
... i spend a few minutes chasing down large (probably 2') parrotfish in the keys and touching them... i would have thought i could never catch one but it really isnt that tough if you watch their body language, if i had a net i could have caught one..

When I dove Largo, I ran across a HUGE school of parrots. The green ones and the orange ones mixed together. All between 18 and 24 inches. There were probably 50 to 75 fish in this one school, just chomping at the reef. They let me follow them like I was part of the school. The way they moved as a group and never stayed in one spot for two long was so cool. It was AMAZING!

I wouldnt want to grab one and **** him off though.

r00onmac · #18 09/11/2006, 05:14 PM

yea... they have some chompers on them but i would just swim up and run my hand down their side as they swam away... amazing experience...

mine were the blue ones with red accents... awesome fish..

cwait · #19 09/14/2006, 09:15 AM

In Key Largo, ask to dive the French Reef-Christmas Tree Caves site. You'll feel like your on another plant, Huge formations
plus tons of swim thru's. I rate it as my best Largo dive to date!
I also highly agree with IronHead. Capt Slate is the ONLY guy that is still allowed to feed the fish in Largo (Grandfathered in). Go on the Friday morning dive, you'll see the resident rays, goliath groupers, many cuda's and nurse sharks.

Cshradr7 · #20 10/14/2006, 12:17 AM

havent read the entire thread but i did notice that quiescence was mentioned and i HIGHLY recommend them. Excellent people and small groups

underoo · #21 10/25/2006, 06:02 PM

I second Captin Slate's! There were only 6 divers on my trip, and the service was second to none!

conchead · #22 10/27/2006, 03:16 PM

My favorite is Sombraro Reef, off Marathon