I just booked the airfare for 7/11 to 7/14 for a Key Largo trip.

[Harro10]

We are going to give it a try. I will post when we get back if we made the boat. If we do not we will try for a night dive that day.

 

[deepstops]

Just remember, if you miss the dive in Key Largo, you could have been diving in Fort Lauderdale

No point in stressing over making the timeline when you've got a relaxing alternative 10 minutes from the FLL airport.

 

[Harro10]

We will probably do that on our next trip. We only have three dive days and we want to maximize out chances of doing the Duane, the Bibb, and the Spiegel Grove.

 

[Garrobo]

I travel to the Upper Keys regularly on Southwest to Lauderdale. It is about a five minute walk to the baggage recovery. I have never waited more than about five or ten minutes for my bags. From the baggage area you go back upstairs to a ramp over to the rental garage, another five minutes. I go to Payless for the cheapest cars in town. I rent them a week or two ahead of time, watch the price drop then cancel and confirm my rental when the price is good. I actually got a clown car once for $10.47 a day. Buy your gas from the rental since it's usually around 20 cents cheaper per gallon. When you leave the parking garage get on I-595 west and get on the Turnpike south. No stops now as they tally your fees electronically. Last time it was $4 each way. If you aren't driving erratically you can haul *** with everyone else. It's about 55 miles to the causeway on the Turnpike and about 20 miles on to Largo on Rt 1. (Watch your speed on Rt 1.) Takes about an hour and a half. It's about another ten miles on to Tavernier and about the same to Islamorada.

 

[Tom Winters]

I didn't see this thread 'til now. Brian gave you the best advice - you could literally walk from FLL airport to American Dream divers in Fort Lauderdale in about an hour. Plus there's lots of other boats down there that you leaisurely get to with no stress.
Then you could eat some good Cajun food at either Shuck 'N Dive or Creolina's - food you're not gonna in Saratoga Springs - and make a relaxed drive to the Keys.
Your way, it's Stress City getting out of the airport and blasting down the T'Pike and US Killer1. Plus the afternoon seas in the Keys might you displease with stomach unease.
Make it easy on yourself - the Duane, Bibb, Spiegel Grove, Thunderbolt, Wilkes Barre, and Vandenberg aren't going anywhere unless the Obama administration sagely reallocates that $2 billion High Speed Rail Link monies to the awesome and incredible MATKWTOBR project.

 

[Harro10]

Thanks everyone for the excellent tips. The diving in Key Largo is already booked for this trip. If the plane is delayed and I think at FLL that we will not make the boat I will notify the Capt and then try for spots with American Dream divers.

 

[Harro10]

The plane arrived at FLL 20 minutes early. There was no wait for the rental car and there were no major traffic delays on the way down to Key Largo. We made the boat in plenty of time and we even had time for a quick lunch and check into the hotel before going to the boat. However, if someone asked me if they should do this I would say no. There are too many things that could delay you and not much margin for error.
The diving was fantastic. I know everyone has their favorite dive operations and have good reasons for it being their favorite. We used the HMS Minnow and it fit our needs perfectly. It is a six pack but we were the only divers on the boat so we chose the dive site. The boat leaves at 7:30 am for the morning trip but since we were the only divers it left when we boarded at about 7:15. We got to the dive sites first. We were the only divers on the Spiegel Grove for a 45 minute dive and the same was true the next day on the Duane. Several other boats were arriving as we were getting out of the water.
Thanks to all for the advice and the tips. This was one excellent trip for us.
Safe diving.

 

[deepstops]

I didn't see this thread 'til now. Brian gave you the best advice - you could literally walk from FLL airport to American Dream divers in Fort Lauderdale in about an hour. Plus there's lots of other boats down there that you leaisurely get to with no stress.
Then you could eat some good Cajun food at either Shuck 'N Dive or Creolina's - food you're not gonna in Saratoga Springs -

I regret to say, Creolina's has ceased operations. Having lived New Orleans in the 80s, they served the real deal

Thanks to all for the advice and the tips. This was one excellent trip for us.
Safe diving.

Glad it worked for you and you had a great trip. You're getting back home just in time for race season

 

[Harro10]

My saddle is prepared.