Dry Tortugas

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

sharky60

sharky60

Contributor
Messages
3,328
Reaction score
639
Location
somewhere between Texas and Mexico
# of dives
500 - 999
Is the one live a board the only dive op that goes to the Dry Tortugas? they want a small fortune as they are a private charter and want a minimum of 8 to book, their schedule doesn't fit into my vacation anyway.
surely there must be dive ops that make day trips out there and won't ask for your first born in return, it is touted as such a great dive site that i find it hard to believe that only one dive op goes there
 
Seaclusive and ultimate getaway are the only ones I know of. They are 70 miles from key west so a day trip is out of the question.
 
sharky60:
Is the one live a board the only dive op that goes to the Dry Tortugas? they want a small fortune as they are a private charter and want a minimum of 8 to book, their schedule doesn't fit into my vacation anyway.
surely there must be dive ops that make day trips out there and won't ask for your first born in return, it is touted as such a great dive site that i find it hard to believe that only one dive op goes there
Click to expand...

Both of the operations are heavily oriented to spearfishing. The boats are usually chartered for the week/weekend to dive shop operators who then market the trip to their own customers. If you're looking to go on certain dates, you need to find out who's got the boat chartered and then find out from them if there are any slots left to be filled.
 
There are two catamarans and a seaplane that go from Key West on day trips to the National Park at Fort Jefferson. They provide snorkelling gear for swims in a limited area offshore with patchy reefs, but don't cater to divers as far as I know. There is camping available for something like 5$ a night out there, so you might be able to work something out that way.
 
Unfortunately the price of the charters isnt that bad, its not cheap, but for a 70+ mile trip (or in the case of Ultimate Getaway out of Ft Myers even longer), the gas for that, plus 3-4 days of almost unlimited diving (i would think you could easily knock out 15+ decent dives), with food etc included, you arent paying too much. We are trying to get an SB trip together, but its tough to get people to part with that much cash for a weekend away.
 
simbrooks:
Unfortunately the price of the charters isnt that bad, its not cheap, but for a 70+ mile trip (or in the case of Ultimate Getaway out of Ft Myers even longer), the gas for that, plus 3-4 days of almost unlimited diving (i would think you could easily knock out 15+ decent dives), with food etc included, you arent paying too much. We are trying to get an SB trip together, but its tough to get people to part with that much cash for a weekend away.
Click to expand...

Is there a thread dedicated to this trip? I would be interested in participating for a weekender. Thanks,
-J
 
You pretty much have the choice of Playmate or Ultimate Getaway.

Playmate is out of Key West and is smaller. Ulimate Getaway is out
of Ft. Myers and is about 100' and sleeps around 20 divers.
You can do Ulimtate getwaway two ways. Charter the whole boat or
go individually either direct with Ulimate Getaway or one of the
dive shops that sell slots to their customers.

BTW.. the Ultimate Getaway's web site of their schedule is not up to
date. If you see a slot/weekend you want to go on that doesn't
have information beside it, call their phone number and ask who
has it reserved.
 
Headhunter Charters out of Ft. Myers Beach also will run Dry Tortugas trips. They have two 40-foot vessels, the NAUTI GAL and GULF BUSINESS. 4-6 divers. You customize the trip to do what you want to, and dive as much as you want to.
 
The catamaran trip out only stops at Ft. Jefferson, it doesn't take you to Loggerhead Key (where the lighthouse is, and the better diving from what I've heard)

I didn't see anyone take any dive gear, just a few snorkellers when I went the last time.

It's shallow by the fort except for the side where the coaling station is (pretty deep) I saw some HUGE cuda's on that side while snorkelling!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

L
Question Best Sites at the Dry Tortugas
Replies
0
Views
467
LightBrownPillow
L
MrChen
Review Key Largo Diving on Rainbow Reef
4 5 6
Replies
54
Views
4,863
Pearly
Pearly
C
For Sale SEAC WARM DRY - XL DRYSUIT - BRAND NEW.
Replies
0
Views
288
Cocopops
C
G
New Dive Charter: Palm Beach Scuba
5 6 7
Replies
63
Views
4,978
Divin'Papaw
Divin'Papaw
D
Worst cruise itinerary ever (cant dive any port)
3 4 5
Replies
43
Views
4,217
Bubblesong
Bubblesong
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

Back
Top Bottom