Recommendations for diving out of Marathon in October

[fred32176]

Planning a short trip to Marathon first week of October. Anyone use the dive boat operators in Marathon or Islamorada? What were your experiences with them?

 

[FreqFlier]

Key Dives - great op. Have to call them to book, they don't have online booking system.

 

[fred32176]

Thanks. Is Key Dives in islamorada better than Captain Hook's in Marathon?

 

[AdivingBel]

Thanks. Is Key Dives in islamorada better than Captain Hook's in Marathon?

Different dive sites. Out of Marathon you’ll get some nice patch reefs and the Thunderbolt. From Islamorada you’ll get a different selection of reefs and the Eagle. From Marathon for an alternate you’ll actually be closer to Big Pine where you’ll get Looe Key and the Adolphus Busch. Captain Hooks runs shops in both Marathon & Big Pine (as well as Key West). I’ve dived with Captain Hooks and they were fine…standard rec dives.

 

[FreqFlier]

As of this spring Thunderbolt did not have any mooring balls. Not sure whether it was taken care of recently.
Personally I wasn't able to make it work with Captain Hook's.