Please help with Florida trip!

[TTA]

Hi! We (three of us) are thinking of visiting Florida in the second week of December and we’d love to do some diving and try and see some manatees. Appreciate any help you can give us! We’ll have about 4-5 days for the trip.

Diving: We’d like to dive a couple of days – generally prefer reefs to wrecks. Where should we go? I understand from past posts that most people think Key Largo would be the best place in the area? And I’ve heard good reports of Conch Republic and BlueWater Divers…which should we go to if we’re keen on small dive groups (or no DM!).

People have mentioned that diving in December can be unpredictable. Is this much of a problem?

Manatees: I’ve heard the best place to see these would be Crystal River. What’s the best way to get from the Keys to Crystal River? Should we rent a car and just drive there – how long will that take? Can anyone recommend a good, ecologically friendly swim-with-manatees outfit for us to take a tour with? Again focus on small groups is preferable.

Accommodation: We’re looking preferably for nice boutique accommodation (price isn’t too much of an issue) – trying to avoid the big resorts. It doesn't have to be fancy, but somewhere with a bit of character where we can just chill out would be great. Any suggestions? A small apartment type place might be better for us seeing as there are three of us, unless they can add beds to rooms…

Thanks for all your help in advance. We can’t wait to visit Florida!

 

[herman]

If I were looking for reefs and manatees, Key Largo and Crystal River would be my choices.
There are a lot of good ops in Key Largo. I recently used Island Ventures and was real happy with them. Unless you request them, to my knowledge no op in the keys provides a DM or guide. They give you a site briefing and send you into the water on your own. http://www.islandventure.com/

For manatees in Crystal River I would suggest Birds Underwater. If anyone knows where the manatees are it's Birds. I have used Birds severa times and have always been happy. http://www.birdsunderwater.com/

Your big problem is distance, it's better than 300 miles between the 2.

 

[moneysavr]

As said Birds underwater is a good choice! good opp and they can fill all your needs, some great places to stay at or around crystal river,

 

[MsParamedic]

Diving in December usually isn't a problem---just unpredictable! One day it can be calm like a lake, and the next day there maybe 15-20 knot winds with 3-5 ft seas. Just be prepared and patient! If a shop calls the dives for the day--it is in your best interest!


For a Keys-y feel with your lodging, you may want to consider the Hungry Pelican, or Largo Lodge.

C'mon on down to the Keys and see why we love diving here!

Pat

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Amy Slates has a funky Keysih feel to it also.

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

We can hook you up with a very good rate at Marina Del Mar. You'll be a stones throw from practically EVERYTHING (including our boat)! I believe that they charge an extra $10/nt for a rollaway bed. Alternatively, The Suites At Key Largo, across the canal from MDM, offers one bedroom, two bath, apartments. Each unit has a kitchen, bath, and living area (complete with sleeper sofa and balcony) downstairs, and a real bed and bath upstairs. Either option will run ya around $100/nt, plus tax.

For boutique, without spending an arm and a leg, I highly recommend Bayside Resort (www.baysideresort.com). Mike and Carol (owner/operators) have carved out a true slice of paradise here! You can spend more money at Kona Kai or Azul del Mar, which are both very nice. I believe that the Kona Kai is the only one of these three that has a swimming pool.

December seas can be rough or calm, depending on the timing of winter cold fronts moving through the area. Trips are rarely cancelled due to weather, so prepare to medicate (or hurl) if it's windy and you're prone to motion sickness!

 

[ctmax]

We can hook you up with a very good rate at Marina Del Mar. You'll be a stones throw from practically EVERYTHING (including our boat)!

Brent set us up last year at the Marina Del Mar, Nice place just make sure you stay either in the middle of the complex or on the pool side. That is assuming that you want a good night's sleep... The bar on the other end had music going well into the night and the crowd in the parking lot wasn't exactly quiet either. Two of our friends were the unlucky ones that had a room on that end. The rest of us had no idea that there was even a bar there.
A cup of coffee and a day of diving with Blue Water Divers made everything OK. Brent took care of everything we needed and even went out of his way to schedule a night dive for us. I can't say enough about him and his operation.

 

[CAPT HOOK]

The reefs in Key largo are nice but for the best reefs. IMHO, try the WPB, Boyton Beach, Jupiter area. They are a little deeper, 50 - 90 feet; healthier reefs with a greater diversity of sea life.
Again, IMHO.

 

[CBulla]

Well the reefs part is covered - the manatee's...well, you can drive all the way up to CR if you want to snorkel with em...

Over here in Ft Myers we have a park called Manatee Park and during the winter months its fairly well guarantee'd they'll be about! Rent a kayak or canoe and they are around you in the river, especially near the warm water discharge of the power plant (it was converted to natural gas a few years ago, but they set up a special discharge for the manatee's since they had been accustomed to it).Scuba_Jenny and her daughter make an annual trip over to see the big ole beasties and babies wallowing around