Key Largo GPS waypoints needed

[z969942]

Can anyone suggest a book or another source for gps waypoints of the reefs and surrounding areas? I'm planning to bring my own boat to the Keys on vacation this year, but can not find the info I need.

Any suggestions would be helpful!

 

[mike_s]

Without going to find my copy to double check...., I think that Ned DeLoaches book "Guide to Underwater Florida" has GPS (and/or Loran) coordinates to all the dive sites. Regardless, it's a GREAT book to get.

These folks also claim to have them in their book http://www.keysdiveguide.com/


you can get them all online here
http://www.scubadivers.ws/sites.htm


Or you can just watch where the other boats go. ANywhere you see 10 boats or more on moorings is a dive site.

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

I'd suggest a good chart of the area. You can't just run from waypoint to waypoint in the Keys without serious risk of running aground. TopSpot offers a waterproof chart of the area with GPS coordinates listed for popular wrecks and reefs. Enjoy!

 

[Life-Is-Good-Diver]

I'd suggest a good chart of the area. You can't just run from waypoint to waypoint in the Keys without serious risk of running aground. TopSpot offers a waterproof chart of the area with GPS coordinates listed for popular wrecks and reefs. Enjoy!

I agree with Brent, i use the TOPSpot map's also, and i have a hand help GPS and also use a $1,200 Chart Plotter with the C-MAP cartridge of the area, there's alot of low spot's all over the key's, you can be 8 miles out and hit a low spot down there, good luck, the HotSpot map's are nice, they also give you GPS corridnate's as well to all the wrecks and reef's down there, enjoy !

 

[mike_s]

I agree with Brent, i use the TOPSpot map's also, and i have a hand help GPS and also use a $1,200 Chart Plotter with the C-MAP cartridge of the area, there's alot of low spot's all over the key's, you can be 8 miles out and hit a low spot down there, good luck, the HotSpot map's are nice, they also give you GPS corridnate's as well to all the wrecks and reef's down there, enjoy !

Not only do you damage your boat if you hit a low spot in the keys, depending on where you are, you can be fined for running around and damaging the coral.

 

[z969942]

I agree with Brent, i use the TOPSpot map's also, and i have a hand help GPS and also use a $1,200 Chart Plotter with the C-MAP cartridge of the area, there's alot of low spot's all over the key's, you can be 8 miles out and hit a low spot down there, good luck, the HotSpot map's are nice, they also give you GPS corridnate's as well to all the wrecks and reef's down there, enjoy !

Basically what would be your advice? Is it doable for a first timer to the area to have a week of good dives? I have 4 divers, seaworthy craft, navigation system, and will buy paper maps in addition to the things I own. Or should we just go out with a charter?

 

[Life-Is-Good-Diver]

Basically what would be your advice? Is it doable for a first timer to the area to have a week of good dives? I have 4 divers, seaworthy craft, navigation system, and will buy paper maps in addition to the things I own. Or should we just go out with a charter?

Well i can only tell you from my experiance. I went to Key Largo, and stayed at the Ocean Point Suite's, for two reason's, #1 it's on the Ocean side, you pull out of there own marina, which the slip is about $25 a night, well worth it, i kept my boat in a slip at their marina the whole time for the week, i love that, not having to take it off and on the trailer. Second reason i stayed there, is cause it's not that far from alot of the Upper Key's main attraction's, all the wreck's and reef's are approx 8 miles to 12 miles out of Ocean Point Suite's, and your in the gulf inshore, so most of the time it's calm.

If you pick a " waypoint " and hit " goto " , most hand held gps will give you a road to follow, i picked a " route " going from waypoint to waypoint , going around the low spot's , and didn't have any trouble's at all. Matter of fact , it was my first experiance bringing my own boat down to the Key's 6 month's ago, and navigating around.

It wasn't hard at all, matter of fact, we dove all day, and dove every night till 1 am hitting all the reef's, the Benwood, etc, and had no trouble's navigating at night either. Luckley , we never did hit ground, though we came close our first night, at Mollasases reef, i din't know they had moaring ball's all ready there so you don't disturb the reef system, but we had a ball !!!

In all honestley, my day's are done with diving off crowded dive boat's, telling us where were going to dive, and how long we can stay down.

I say go for it, sound's like your fully equiped, ready to have fun, it's not that hard to navigate, you just have to " get to know the water's " down there, and by the end of your trip , you'll say it wasn't that bad at all. You do have to watch all the time, and pay attention to your route, there are alot of low spot's , but im sure you'll be fine, have a blast, you'll love it !!!

One last thing, if you pick a place to stay in the upper Key's, and are going to keep going where the Speigal Groove, and all the wreck's etc are, try to pick that side, cause navigating at night if you plan to night dive is a pain for me from the other side, plus it add's about 25 min onto your run time, just a thought !!

 

[_Kurt_]

Well i can only tell you from my experiance. I went to Key Largo, and stayed at the Ocean Point Suite's, for two reason's, #1 it's on the Ocean side, you pull out of there own marina, which the slip is about $25 a night, well worth it, i kept my boat in a slip at their marina the whole time for the week, i love that, not having to take it off and on the trailer. Second reason i stayed there, is cause it's not that far from alot of the Upper Key's main attraction's, all the wreck's and reef's are approx 8 miles to 12 miles out of Ocean Point Suite's, and your in the gulf inshore, so most of the time it's calm.

If you pick a " waypoint " and hit " goto " , most hand held gps will give you a road to follow, i picked a " route " going from waypoint to waypoint , going around the low spot's , and didn't have any trouble's at all. Matter of fact , it was my first experiance bringing my own boat down to the Key's 6 month's ago, and navigating around.

It wasn't hard at all, matter of fact, we dove all day, and dove every night till 1 am hitting all the reef's, the Benwood, etc, and had no trouble's navigating at night either. Luckley , we never did hit ground, though we came close our first night, at Mollasases reef, i din't know they had moaring ball's all ready there so you don't disturb the reef system, but we had a ball !!!

In all honestley, my day's are done with diving off crowded dive boat's, telling us where were going to dive, and how long we can stay down.

I say go for it, sound's like your fully equiped, ready to have fun, it's not that hard to navigate, you just have to " get to know the water's " down there, and by the end of your trip , you'll say it wasn't that bad at all. You do have to watch all the time, and pay attention to your route, there are alot of low spot's , but im sure you'll be fine, have a blast, you'll love it !!!

One last thing, if you pick a place to stay in the upper Key's, and are going to keep going where the Speigal Groove, and all the wreck's etc are, try to pick that side, cause navigating at night if you plan to night dive is a pain for me from the other side, plus it add's about 25 min onto your run time, just a thought !!

Great input. I am considering doing the same thing and you answered quite a few questions I had. Thanks for the post.
Kurt

 

[Life-Is-Good-Diver]

Great input. I am considering doing the same thing and you answered quite a few questions I had. Thanks for the post.
Kurt

Hey no prob, when you guy's heading down, were planning a trip end of March to bring the boat back down, and dive all the wrecks again, i try to go down every other month at least, i love it down there !!