Key Largo mid-March, diving and snorkeling together, or snorkel only?

I'm taking my wife and kids (2 boys 17 & 15, and girl 12) to Key Largo, flying to Miami March 11 night. Then taking Costa Fortuna, W. Caribbean cruise on Sun. Mar. 14. this is our first time diving/snorkeling at Key Largo.

I'll go on the Capt. Slate's Creature feature dive on Fri. March 12 morning. It's supposed to be near City of Washington at 35', and then a second shallow site.

We'll probably stay at the Ramada. I like my wife and kids to snorkel at least once. Are the shallow dive sites in Key Largo also good for snorkeling, or are the snorkelers better off going on a snorkel-only trip (e.g. those offered by Quicksilver, Key Divers, ReefRoamer, etc.)?

When I go on the Creature Feature dive with Capt. Slate, is that also good for my wife/kids to come as snorkelers, to snorkel on top of where we'll be diving below?

The Rainbow dive op, seems to be the only one that provides a dive guide free. So other than the Creature dive, I might do other dive trips with Rainbow. They have Sat. morning to Spiegel and Benwood. On Sat. afternoon they go to Christ statue and Minnow Cove -- would these two shallow dives be good for snorkelers?

Oh, the snorkel only trips seem to cost a bit less than snorkelers going on dive boats, other than Rainbow who said they'll charge $27/adult since we have all our own dive/snorkel gears.

Thanks.

Statue and Minnow Cave are great for snorkelers.

The creature feature with slates is great fun. Its pretty much right at the city of washington plus or minus about 50'. The second dive will most likely be at south ledges. As for the snorkelers during the creature feature, im pretty sure its allowed but to me it sounds alot like putting a wounded seal on the surface during a shark feeding.

Snorkel is actually going to be better from the dive boats as they will get more time and it wont be as crowded. The snorkel boats pack every inch of the boat they can.

Why not do Discover Scuba for the Kids so they can dive with you? We can set up a package DSD deal for you over at Silent World if you like. (305) 451-3252

azchipka:

The creature feature with slates is great fun. Its pretty much right at the city of washington plus or minus about 50'. The second dive will most likely be at south ledges. As for the snorkelers during the creature feature, im pretty sure its allowed but to me it sounds alot like putting a wounded seal on the surface during a shark feeding.

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Huh? What do you mean by that, is it good or bad for the snorkelers?

azchipka:

Snorkel is actually going to be better from the dive boats as they will get more time and it wont be as crowded. The snorkel boats pack every inch of the boat they can.

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That's good to know. Interesting. At first I thought the snorkel only boat would go to good snorkel sites, but you have good points. My wife is a non-swimmer, but I dragged her to snorkel in the last few years so she's comfortable now. My kids are good swimmers and good snorkelers, so they certainly won't need hand-holding. So it sounds it might be good for them to join on a dive boat.

azchipka:

Why not do Discover Scuba for the Kids so they can dive with you?

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The 2 boys did 2-tank DS before, did well and quite enjoyed it. But the rates in Key Largo seems a lot higher. I'm researching more..

Torontonian:

Huh? What do you mean by that, is it good or bad for the snorkelers?

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I wouldn't be floating around on the surface with sharks being feed in the water but thats just me. No ones been eaten as of yet doing it.

Torontonian:

The 2 boys did 2-tank DS before, did well and quite enjoyed it. But the rates in Key Largo seems a lot higher. I'm researching more..

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Since you have two who who would be doing I may be able to get you a better price then what you are seeing else where. Drop me a line via pm.

azchipka:

I wouldn't be floating around on the surface with sharks being feed in the water but thats just me. No ones been eaten as of yet doing it.

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I told my wife and kids the sharks there only eats two snorkelers a week. So by the time they are in the water the sharks should be full and not bother them. I also reminded my wife that she's got lots of life insurance so there's no worry.

They are nurse sharks. I simply can't imagine they streaking up to the surface to nosh on a teen when they have all of that yummy fish on the sea bottom. I did Slate's Creature Feature for my birthday in October and it was perhaps the most fun I've ever had underwater.

Theres been bull sharks and reef sharks seen at the City of Washington before. There was a hammerhead spotted on French and the Spiegel in the last two months.

Not say anyone is going to be eaten while snorkeling during the creature feature I just personally think that floating around on the surface during a feeding may not be the best idea.

No reason to temp fate.

azchipka:

Theres been bull sharks and reef sharks seen at the City of Washington before.

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When was this, about the bull sharks?

azchipka:

There was a hammerhead spotted on French and the Spiegel in the last two months.

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Wow, that's great. But I thought hammerheads love cold water. When I was in Taiwan, Green Island, I was hoping to go to a hammerhead dive. That didn't work out. I would love to see hammers.

azchipka:

Not say anyone is going to be eaten while snorkeling during the creature feature I just personally think that floating around on the surface during a feeding may not be the best idea.

No reason to temp fate.

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I thought Capt. Slate has been doing this for years. If there is any danger to a snorkeler, there certainly would be danger to divers too?!?

Capt Slate has been doing it for years and has a great track record for safety. No reason not to do it, I just personally don't snorkel during feedings, but then again I've feed sharks from my mouth so I may not be the smartest person to begin with.

Bull Sharks about two months ago.

Torontonian, I sent you a PM. Bottom line, listen to the folks here on the Conch forum who have been in SoFla for decades; many of the frequent posters on here grew up down here.

I would take any information made by a competitor's employee with a huge grain of salt.