Quick trip to the Keys

Just decided that a long weekend to the Keys might be a good pre-winter trip. I have a project coming up that will require me to be in San Diego 3 days a week starting 12/1for about 8~10 weeks. Looking at taking a 3~4 day trip to the Keys to get acquainted. Never dove there. Wife's been to Key West for a sailing school. Can get to Ft Lauderdale for nothing (the advantages of business travel) but know nothing about operators and locations. Thinking about renting a car, and driving down to the most appropriate location.

Wife is strictly warm clear water diver. Laying on the beach is just about equal to diving.

For me? The wreck clinic on the Yukon in San Diego on Labor Day couple of years ago with 55 degree water a couple of years ago was a blast. I dive a BP/wing/long hose, and the associated gear (Drysuit as required). She dives a shorty in a conventional BC. So trying to find something for both of us may be a challenge. Hence my post here for some input from the best dive forum on the web.

Ideally, fly in Thursday and drive down. Couple of deep dives Friday & Saturday. Easy shallow Sunday early back to Ft. L. fly out late Monday PM.

Key West? Marathon? Key Largo?

Any suggestions?

I understand your reasoning for going to the Keys on a mini vacation but if you like wreck diving IMO you're going to be missing some of the best wreck diving in the state of Florida if you breeze right on out of Ft. Lauderdale the day you arrive. Granted the Keys have the Grove, the Duane and the Bibb but Ft. Lauderdale has over 70 wrecks anywhere from 15 to over 300 feet, something for everyone. Check this link out http://www.dixiedivers.com/shipwreck.htm for info on some of the more popular wrecks in the area. Oh and the beaches, well there are miles and miles of them and you don't have to be staying in the hotel to use them, most of the beachs here are open to the public and there is plenty of beach diving here as well, something you won't fine in the Keys.

Let us know what your exact plans are and maybe a few of us can meet you somewhere and show you the sites.

are relative terms. Since Wilma, Key Largo water temperatures have been in the mid-seventies at depth, and visibility has ranged from 10-40' at the reef, and 30-60' on the deep wrecks. Visibility has been on the upswing, but I'm already into a full suit! Padipro's right... public beaches are far more plentiful and popular on the East Coast, and beach diving is practically non-existent in the Keys.

Thanks...

Turns out my wife can't take off the day before & after to get there over Thankgiving. Yes, "warm & clear" are relative terms. The last 15~20 dives fo rme have been in max 60 deg water, only two of which were in vis over 3 ft.

I would have preferred the wrecks around Ft Lauderdale, but it I would have been more for my wife to veg out than me diving. I plan on trying to get that fix in San Diego while I'm there on business the next few months... although storms will affect that.