Florida Keys Dive Shops and Sites

[adamwalker]

My girlfriend and I are off to Florida and specifically the Keys next year.
Does anybody have advice on dive shops/charters which they have used while there?
Also any dives which are a must or should be missed (wrecks/reefs)?
We want to make the most of our dive time there we will be mainly in Key West and Key Largo.

Thankyou all happy diving

Adam

[Edward Haynes]

Adam

Unless the speed limits have been lifted it will take about 2 hours to drive between Key West and Key Largo on US 1.

At Key Largo I used the Florida State operation that runs the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. They have first pick of sites inside the reserve (they run it).

Didn't dive Key West as the reports I was getting from other divers turned me off.

Edward

[Nick McV]

Unless the speed limits have been lifted it will take about 2 hours to drive between Key West and Key Largo on US 1.

Obey the speed limits - the traffic cops have no sense of humour! If you do get stopped - stay in the car, hands on the wheel, and wait for the patrolman to come to you!!!!!

At Key Largo I used the Florida State operation that runs the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. They have first pick of sites inside the reserve (they run it).

From Key Largo and south down US 1 (the highway) there seems to be a dive operator at every lamp-post, we dived with Amoray - see link - and they were good.

Most of the addresses in the Keys have a reference to 'Mile Marker' or 'mm' on them, so you can work out how far apart they are on US 1.

Dives to do:
The Duane, Purposely sunk Coastguard Cutter. Can have VERY strong surface currents, but OK on the wreck.

Meet Psyco, the 'pet' Barracuda.

Key West:
several operators, can't remember offhand who we went with, but we were there at New Year and it had been a little stormy, but there were a couple of half decent reefs to dive. I understand that there are some other wrecks accessible from here, but can't comment on them.

My opinion - do your diving round Key Largo and go down to Key West for the fun & games on land.

Have a good one!

[Steve Walker]

My girlfriend and I are off to Florida and specifically the Keys next year.
Does anybody have advice on dive shops/charters which they have used while there?
Also any dives which are a must or should be missed (wrecks/reefs)?
We want to make the most of our dive time there we will be mainly in Key West and Key Largo.

Thankyou all happy diving

Adam

From my own experience, don't expect too much from the staff in these places:
I was in a dive shop in Florida, put the goods on the counter the (admittedly, very attractive) female assistant took my CC & was waiting for aminute or so for the transaction to finish when she came back and said "Is anyone serving you?"
Me: "Err... yeah, you!"
Asst: "Are you sure ?"
Me: dumbfounded

Same shop a couple of days later, buying stuff and asked for the discount we were told we could get 'cos we were with the National Underwater Research Program
Asst: "The What...?"
Me: "It's part of NOAA..."
Asst: "Is that some kind of dive club?"
Me: "No, its part of your Government..." sigh...

Have fun!
Steve W