ScubaHankNYC
Contributor
Hi, I'm heading down to Key Largo in October. This will be my first time in the Keys and I'm not traveling with a dive buddy. Can anyone recommend a good dive shop? Thanks!
Key Largo - Dive Shop Recommendation
- Thread starter ScubaHankNYC
- Start date
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
drrich2
Contributor
Just got back yesterday from a week stay at the Courtyard Marriott diving with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, which was well-regarded both here and on Trip Adviser. Here's a breakdown of how it works.
1.) Each boat trip does 2 dives. I think a trip is around $75 or so; there are package discounts; I did the best package rate, 10 boat trips (yeah, 20 dives), which made it $60/trip plus tax. I paid $644.95 at the end, for the diving (not counting tips).
2.) The boat goes out in the morning around 8 a.m.; you'll have booked in advance, but check in with them. The first dive may be a deep dive (e.g.: Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb), followed by a shallower reef dive. Figure on a 30 to 40 minute or so boat trip out to the first dive site, shorter to the second.
3.) A free dive guide is put in the water; 2 if it's a pretty big group. You don't have to follow the guide if you don't want. The Captain will likely tell you something like 'pool's open,' please be back in an hour.
4.) Boat should get back somewhere in the ballpark of noon; you'll likely get a 30-60 minute break till the afternoon boat goes out. If you stay at the Courtyard Marriott, that's time to hit your room and eat something there.
5.) The 2 afternoon dives will be relatively shallow reef dives. I'm talking mostly 20 - 40 feet deep.
6.) Viz. my week was around 30-50 feet. Not was good as Bonaire or Curacao. On the other hand, I saw goliath grouper on the Spiegel Grove and Duane, and both nurse sharks and reef sharks on the reefs, and I'd never seen either in Bonaire. I saw quite a few black grouper, 2 Nassau grouper, a bunch of large barracuda, several big green moray eels, and on some reef sites a whole lot of fish.
7.) Staff were fun, friendly, helpful (e.g.: often changed my gear over from one tank to the other after the first dive), safety conscious and the dive briefings were practical and helpful (from both Captain and the guides).
8.) When we did the wrecks, we giant strode in with a 'granny line' in one hand (a rope from the back of the boat around it to the mooring line out front), went around & went 'hand over hand' down the mooring line to the wreck; came up the same way. Ropes didn't have anything on them that stung me, but had plenty of barnacles; you might want a pair of gloves.
9.) You need AOW to do the deep wreck dives; couple of guys didn't get to do them. They were asked if they had log books showing recent deep dives, and they didn't. Not sure what might've been worked out if they had.
10.) Tanks were 80 cf aluminum. They had a pair of 3300 PSI 100 cf alu. tanks available by special request, and that's all I dove with all week. My fills per my Atomic Cobalt were around 2800 to over 3000 for the week, but my Oceanic VT3 tends to give PSI listings about 70 higher than my Cobalt.
11.) When you end a reef dive, you come up behind the boat & grab a rope, take off your fins, and pull yourself to the ladder. In this shallow top water layer, we encountered moon jellyfish; dinner plate-sized jellyfish with short tentacles that can sting painful. I'd use a fin in hand to shove them away from me. Seldom saw jellyfish down on the reef; mostly an issue getting out (and that's prob ably what stung me on the legs jumping in one dive, though it felt like sunburn and went away quickly).
To sum it up, loved my 20 dives out of Key Largo, loved Rainbow Reef Dive Center, and the free guide service was a real plus that not everybody offers. But call; they may be booked up when you go. Also, if you're a 'dive your tank' type who wants to dive well over an hour on a tank, this might not be your match.
Richard.
1.) Each boat trip does 2 dives. I think a trip is around $75 or so; there are package discounts; I did the best package rate, 10 boat trips (yeah, 20 dives), which made it $60/trip plus tax. I paid $644.95 at the end, for the diving (not counting tips).
2.) The boat goes out in the morning around 8 a.m.; you'll have booked in advance, but check in with them. The first dive may be a deep dive (e.g.: Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb), followed by a shallower reef dive. Figure on a 30 to 40 minute or so boat trip out to the first dive site, shorter to the second.
3.) A free dive guide is put in the water; 2 if it's a pretty big group. You don't have to follow the guide if you don't want. The Captain will likely tell you something like 'pool's open,' please be back in an hour.
4.) Boat should get back somewhere in the ballpark of noon; you'll likely get a 30-60 minute break till the afternoon boat goes out. If you stay at the Courtyard Marriott, that's time to hit your room and eat something there.
5.) The 2 afternoon dives will be relatively shallow reef dives. I'm talking mostly 20 - 40 feet deep.
6.) Viz. my week was around 30-50 feet. Not was good as Bonaire or Curacao. On the other hand, I saw goliath grouper on the Spiegel Grove and Duane, and both nurse sharks and reef sharks on the reefs, and I'd never seen either in Bonaire. I saw quite a few black grouper, 2 Nassau grouper, a bunch of large barracuda, several big green moray eels, and on some reef sites a whole lot of fish.
7.) Staff were fun, friendly, helpful (e.g.: often changed my gear over from one tank to the other after the first dive), safety conscious and the dive briefings were practical and helpful (from both Captain and the guides).
8.) When we did the wrecks, we giant strode in with a 'granny line' in one hand (a rope from the back of the boat around it to the mooring line out front), went around & went 'hand over hand' down the mooring line to the wreck; came up the same way. Ropes didn't have anything on them that stung me, but had plenty of barnacles; you might want a pair of gloves.
9.) You need AOW to do the deep wreck dives; couple of guys didn't get to do them. They were asked if they had log books showing recent deep dives, and they didn't. Not sure what might've been worked out if they had.
10.) Tanks were 80 cf aluminum. They had a pair of 3300 PSI 100 cf alu. tanks available by special request, and that's all I dove with all week. My fills per my Atomic Cobalt were around 2800 to over 3000 for the week, but my Oceanic VT3 tends to give PSI listings about 70 higher than my Cobalt.
11.) When you end a reef dive, you come up behind the boat & grab a rope, take off your fins, and pull yourself to the ladder. In this shallow top water layer, we encountered moon jellyfish; dinner plate-sized jellyfish with short tentacles that can sting painful. I'd use a fin in hand to shove them away from me. Seldom saw jellyfish down on the reef; mostly an issue getting out (and that's prob ably what stung me on the legs jumping in one dive, though it felt like sunburn and went away quickly).
To sum it up, loved my 20 dives out of Key Largo, loved Rainbow Reef Dive Center, and the free guide service was a real plus that not everybody offers. But call; they may be booked up when you go. Also, if you're a 'dive your tank' type who wants to dive well over an hour on a tank, this might not be your match.
Richard.
CajunDiva
Contributor
Hi Richard -
Thanks for your report. I'm happy to hear that you thought as highly about Rainbow Reef Dive Center as we do. We have been quite happy diving with them over the past ten years. The next "Cajun Invasion" is in June...we'd be happy to adopt you
Thanks for your report. I'm happy to hear that you thought as highly about Rainbow Reef Dive Center as we do. We have been quite happy diving with them over the past ten years. The next "Cajun Invasion" is in June...we'd be happy to adopt you
drrich2
Contributor
I should also mention more than one boat may go out in the morning, and one may not be headed for a deep site. Not everybody as the desire for a deep dive, and you can stick to reef diving if you want.
Some of the reasons I chose Key Largo included a desire to scope out a shallow reef region in case our baby daughter gets certified to dive (since a lot of places one can ocean dive tend toward dives well over 40 feet deep), and where the U.S. health care system would be available if she got sick (a concern brought up by someone else in another thread on this forum, and traveling with a baby, I took it to heart).
Richard.
Some of the reasons I chose Key Largo included a desire to scope out a shallow reef region in case our baby daughter gets certified to dive (since a lot of places one can ocean dive tend toward dives well over 40 feet deep), and where the U.S. health care system would be available if she got sick (a concern brought up by someone else in another thread on this forum, and traveling with a baby, I took it to heart).
Richard.
Moon jellies have short tenacles. If you put your hand on the top side and steer them gently you can move them out of the way. Kind of pretty actually. There are three moon jelly photos on
Key Largo Dives - Oct 2009
Most times I never see them but when they are around there are several of them. Sea turtles eat them.
There is a place on the right side of the marina to grab a quick lunch or bite/beer afterwards. Same building as ocean divers.
Key Largo Dives - Oct 2009
Most times I never see them but when they are around there are several of them. Sea turtles eat them.
There is a place on the right side of the marina to grab a quick lunch or bite/beer afterwards. Same building as ocean divers.
beaner
Contributor
I just got back from a week in Key Largo and was out with Horizon Divers. The boat crew (Troy, Stephanie & Reiza) were wonderful -- hands-on enough to help without getting in the way or smothering you. of course if you want more help they'll happily provide it. My only irk was with Cindy, in the office/reception -- her attitude leaves a lot to be desired. Don't take it personally though, it seemed that she was like that with everyone :-/
Last edited:
koozemani
Contributor
My wife and I had a great experience with Conch Republic and will use them again when we get back out there.
I love Conch Republic Divers!
A lot of the operations will cancel the trip at the last minute if there are less than a certain number of divers. Every time I go to Key Largo, I dive with Ocean Divers. They are more expensive than some of the others, but they always go out, even if there is only 1 diver. Having an entire Newton 46 to yourself and one or two other divers is a luxury.
ootuoyetahi
Registered
When in October are you going? I am going down Oct 17th-21st and diving with Rainbow Reef.
Similar threads
