New diver: Key Largo/Islamorada/Looe vs. Ft. Lauderdale/WPB

[datzoo]

Thanks everyone for the replies and guidance - it's been very helpful!

For now, I've decided to hold off doing AOW in Florida - I was interested primarily so that we'd be able to dive the Duane and Spiegel Grove, but it probably makes sense to wait until we're a bit more experienced.

I've booked 5 dive trips with Rainbow Reef:
1) Benwood Wreck + French Reef (other option I considered was City of Washington + Elbow Reef, but all of the other Benwood trips are combined with Spiegel Grove during the days we're in KL)
2) Night dive (should hopefully be fairly straightforward despite us being new OW divers...)
3) Hole in the Wall + Fire Cave in Molasses (other option I considered was Molasses Deep, but the person on phone recommended against it given our inexperience)
4) Conch Wall + Pillar Coral (other option I considered was Horseshoe + Minnow Cave, but seemed like Conch Wall + Pillar Coral might be more interesting based on the trip reports I read here)
5) Snapper Ledge + Pillar Coral

We have one more day in Key Largo that I haven't booked any dives yet (RR only had more Molasses trips besides deep wreck trips that day). Originally, I was considering going down to Looe Key but that looks like a pretty long day trip (probably can do that in a future trip with Key West and Marathon). Instead, I'm considering diving Carysfort + Elbow with the Pennekamp operator (they're the only ones I've seen with Carysfort in their weekly schedule - I guess Ocean Divers stopped going there after merging with RR) and/or going to Islamorada to dive with Key Dives (Davis/Alligator/Victory/Hens&Chickens Reef all seem to be good options for us). If it's possible, I might try to do the Islamorada dive in the morning and the Carysfort one later that same afternoon.

We will also have ~36 hours in the Pompano Beach area before our return flight, so might be able to squeeze in one more dive trip there or Boynton Beach.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @datzoo

Sounds like a great plan, let us all know how it works

Good diving, Craig

 

[seeker242]

I'm simply reporting on my experience and the tires where EVERYWHERE.

You must have been quite unlucky then. I've been diving local reefs for almost 3 years now. I can't recall seeing any tires on the reef.

 

[Nick Steele]

@Adiron for what it’s worth is it possible you are hitting the first reef (10-20’) in the Pompano/commercial area from the beach? This is the only place I’ve seen tires remain over the past year or two. But I’ve never seen anything looking like a “dessert” at all always fish and inverts around.

@datzoo sounds like a good trip I hope to make it down to the keys sometime this summer to enjoy a change from the Pompano/Fort Lauderdale beach dives.

 

[datzoo]

Just a few last questions as I finalize our itinerary:

1) Would Molasses Deep and/or Conch Wall be too challenging for us as new divers? (the other options I was considering during those time slots are Hole in the Wall + Fire Coral Cave in Molasses, as well as Horseshoe + Minnow Cave in North Dry Rocks)

2) Is it worth going down to Islamorada and/or going with the Pennekamp operator up to Carysfort for 1-1.5 days? It'd be more economical and efficient to stay with Rainbow Reef all 3 days, but I worry that we'll end up re-visiting various parts of Molasses for 2-3 of the dive trips, since we won't be doing the wrecks sans AOW.

3) Do people usually dive in full-foot or open-heel fins? We have our open-heel fins + 7mm booties from diving in Monterey, but I imagine it might be too hot in the Keys. Also, will we need a wetsuit, or should a bathing suit suffice (I think I run hot, given that I wasn't cold at all in the Farmer John + Jacket wetsuit during our Monterey OW cert dives...my girlfriend probably runs a bit colder)?

 

[sportxlh]

Regarding the first question, conch wall has some fairly shallow sections at about 45 feet but also goes down to about 100 feet in the sand. It can be an enjoyable dive at any of those depths between the two extremes. It's one of my favorite dive sites in the upper Keys

Regarding your third question, I tend to dive with 3mm booties and opened heeled fins as do many divers. But you'll see a lot of full foot fins too.

Everyone has different tolerances for cold, I almost always wear a 3 mm full wetsuit, even in the summer: I get cold easily. But you'll see people in 3 mm shorty's or even board shorts

 

[robandliza]

2) Night dive (should hopefully be fairly straightforward despite us being new OW divers...)

I did a night dive as one of my 5 AOW ( I went straight from OW checkout dives to do AOW on the same trip) and it is not straight forward in my opinion. . I found it quite spooky as you only see what your light is pointing at and my heart was going like the clappers for the whole dive. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it but it is very different to a day dive and if your GF is nervous now..........

I also wouldn't worry about doing the same trip/reef twice in one trip
a) you will spend most of your time checking your gauges and concentrating on what you learnt as you are without your instructor rather than looking around
b) even if you don't you will see something new every time anyway, and you may look around more as you will be more comfortable in a place you've been before

 

[GetDownScuba]

Molasses is large and plenty of great, easy and fun diving. Just a heads up, conditions will dictate where the boat will moor, so don’t be surprised or anxious if you don’t end up at the precise spots you planned to hit. It’s nature, so go with the flow but of course don’t be afraid to thumb if you feel the plan is beyond your comfort or training level. All that said, if the boat is supposed to hit the shallows, the captain will stay shallow. Have fun. Key Largo is fantastic!

 

[Bladebreaker65]

You guys will have a great time. As for the islamorada trip, it is only 20 min drive or so from key largo and alligator is great. GREAT little dive op there is Sea Monkeys. No need for deep dives more to see shallow and more bubble time to play. I will be in Islamorada the first week of sept.
ENJOY