Key West, Looe Key, the Grove, Pennekamp...

Any help you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated. My wife and I are coming down to Key West in two days, and will be there for a week. She has her PADI OW cert and has 100+ dives under her belt, while I am PADI OW, AOW, and Rescue certified, but with 26 dives logged, about half of those being ocean dives. I never have dived in Florida. My wife has dived in Pennekamp and the Duane.

We're just trying to find out which dives would be the best for us. I hear that Key West isn't all that great, but it has to be better than the quarries in Indiana, doesn't it? We are looking at diving in Key West, Looe Key, and possibly driving up to Largo to do Pennekamp or the Grove.

I've heard that the Grove is a challenging dive. I haven't had an experience diving in currents yet, though I have snorkled in some pretty brisk currents. Should I give it a shot, or should I try to get that experience somewhere else first?

If any of you could recommend some dive ops for any of the locations I've listed, that's something we could really use some help with too.

Thanks!

Bill

get_tanked:

If any of you could recommend some dive ops for any of the locations I've listed, that's something we could really use some help with too.

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We really enjoy the Duaine and of course the Grove is *required diving* for visitors.

Sounds like you're all set for these challenging wrecks, but be sure to bring your AOW and log book. Some operators like to see that you're up to them.

We have really enjoyed the professionalism and conscientousness of BlueWater Divers of Key Largo http://www.bluewaterdiver.net/ or call (305) 453-9600 or (888) 953-9600. Brent is a regular on ScubaBoard. The website above has links for local accomodations, and Brent can recommend places to eat.

Key Largo Resorts (mile marker 100 oceanside) in front of the Holiday Inn.

A lot of the operators require that you have AOW regardless of your dives, so you may want to check with them about your wife before you set up for the Grove.

It is a beautiful dive though.

You will have a great time, Good Luck

Paula

You may also want to check out the Thunderbolt off Marathon. I've done most of the major wrecks down there (Grove, Duane, Busch...etc) and the T-bolt is still my favorite because its small enough (189') that you can see the whole thing and its completely open so there are lots of really neat swimthroughs (you can actually start on the lower deck and swim up the stairwells to the wheelhouse without ever losing sight of an easy way out). Very cool wreck and one of the "easier" deep wrecks.

aquaholic901:

You may also want to check out the Thunderbolt off Marathon. I've done most of the major wrecks down there (Grove, Duane, Busch...etc) and the T-bolt is still my favorite because its small enough (189') that you can see the whole thing and its completely open so there are lots of really neat swimthroughs (you can actually start on the lower deck and swim up the stairwells to the wheelhouse without ever losing sight of an easy way out). Very cool wreck and one of the "easier" deep wrecks.

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That sounds interesting - can you recommend any of the dive ops there?

In Key Largo I recommend Bluewater Divers. Their boat holds ten divers and they are great people. Oh, I dove the USCG Cutter Duane last weekend and the current was STRONG! I paid an instructor from Bluewater named Sally to guide me on the dive. This current can get you in serious trouble fast.

In Marathon & Hawks Cay (Duck Key), I recommend Tildens and they have two locations. I really like the smaller Marathon Boat that takes you to Sombrero Lighthouse/Reef and Delta Shoal. Also, the small Barge dive is nice.

DM Wendy works Hawks Cay Boat
DM Tracy works Marathon Boat

Good Luck,
Tim

it's spiegel grove all the way from me. It's deep and is said to be challenging.. well, there's a slight current, but nothing to get freaked out about. BUT, you won't see much in one dive.. see if you can go down there a couple of times during your stay. You can get acquinted on the first try, and then really enjoy on the second try. Believe me, your dive's going to be 30 minutes or so, and that's never enough. (bottom time's even lower!)

I just finished a 5 trip package (you get discount for packages) from Silent World, and enjoyed diving with them quite a lot. They're around mile mark 103 or so, in Key Largo. Problem is, Silent World only goes to the Spiegel once they have 3 people, I believe. But, if you call them and tell them you want to go before hand, they'll get you in the Spiegel one way or the other. Ric, the owner at Silent World told me that they'd be able to put people on Capt. Slate's Atlantis (another dive op) trip if Silent World can't get enough people. I went twice this week though, so chances are, you'll be able to go through Silent World.

Either way, it may be a good idea to check up on both of them. I think they both do all the spots in that area. Their shops are on us 1, and ships at a marina about 3 miles towards miami from their shop. (they'll give you a map) Both shop's boats are in the same marina.

Silent World
http://www.pennekamp.com/sw/

Capt. Slate's Atlantis
http://www.pennekamp.com/atlantis/