Question about Bahia Honda

[livi120]

Going diving off of Key Largo Sunday morning however wanted to make a weekend of it and was thinking about spending Saturday at Bahia Honda Park (I've never been but saw it in FL top 10 beaches in the Travel Chanel) I looked at their web site on line and saw that "SCUBA is permitted, but only recomended for beginners because it is very shallow"

Question can you SCUBA here? has anyone done it? I was thinking it may be good to check a new BCD and bouyancy before Sunday here. Or shuold I just stick to some sorkling at the park? Also if someone has done diving/snorkling at the park where is the best site to do either? Thanks

 

[Buoyant1]

Were were there in Novembre and I was snorkelling out on the Atlantic side, and really didn't see much...(well except for the Portugese Man O'War) Can't say much for the Gulf side...

From what I remember it's pretty shallow...

Now they DO have some snorkelling charters that run out to the reef that you can catch from the shop...not sure what arrangements you need to make though...

Have fun!

 

[stu_in_fl]

as far as i remember from inside the park they have a snorkel boat that goes out a couple of times a day - don't know if they also dive. Nearby, on about MM21 in Cudjoe Key there is a dive shop at the marina there - it goes to Looe Key marine sanctuary (pretty dive that is shallow) and i think sometimes to the wreck of the Busch (advanced dive): the operators have just opened it http://www.cudjoegardensdivecenter.com/ (it could well be on the premisis that Jim Wyatt used to own)

 

[reefman]

the small island just east of the old bahia honda bridge has okay snorkeling(shallow)(little if any coral coverage). use caution as the tidal currents are strong just off the southern end of the island and the old bridge. i had the opportunity to dive the old bridge 4 years ago @ slack tide; it was terrific; schools of tarpon, lousy viz(20ft) and (approx4-6) bull sharks. i've heard hammerheads are occasionally observed feeding on tarpon in the vicinity of both bridges. unless your'e diving from a boat(with someone with local knowledge) i'd forgo diving from shore near either bridge.


reefman
key largo

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Went snorkeling on the gulf side, off the beach a couple years ago. Shallow and grassy. You can go out pretty far, and if I recall correctly, it is bouyed off. Not much to see, but Hermit Crab found a $5 bill! Would do it again, if I couldn't dive for some reason.

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

I think the max depth is something like 12' at the seaward perimeter of the buoyed-off area on the oceanside, but I recall thinking that it would be a good place for a shallow water scuba tune-up!

 

[Shcubasteve]

eel grass and a few cinderblocks in the roped off swimming area thats all.... GREAT park to BBQ, camp and hang out for the day, but not too much in the way of diving... Check out the charter boats in the area to get off shore to Looe key.

 

[Reel Crazy14]

the old bridge has the best diving opportunity at slack tide. A lot of different fish and yes lots of sharks. These tourists were yelling at me once from the top of the bridge saying I was surrounded by sharks. Since the vis is usually no more than 20 feet, I couldn't see them, I'd rather them just not let me know!