A Few trips with Silent World

[Sinbad the Diver]

Pat, aka Ms Paramedic here on SB.

also the best person to talk to about where to eat and what to do while in Key Largo.

 

[gypsyjim]

I was actually underimpressed

We were essentially dumped off at the sites with no reference on where to go or what to look for. It felt more like I was simply buying a taxi service from land to the sites.

Having a DM in the water who knows the area means that you could see things that you otherwise might miss. I'd never done any dives on the 'Grove and even though I'm an experienced diver and comfortable exploring and navigating, it would have been helpful to have been explained "look for X at this point of the wreck and the goliaths usually hang out under the stern..." Draw it, show me specifics if you aren't going to send a DM down with us.

Expectation. It's all about expectations.

Often I have had to fight hard to get out from under the "guided tour" type of DW and dive boat operator, so that I can dive my own plan and move at my own pace. SW captains both explained the sites, suggesting a couple possible plans and gave signposts and suggestions on what marine life had been seen on each site recently.

The captains and their DM were quite helpful, assisting anyone who asked for help with gear, and certainly gave good predive instructions. They were also a lot more observant of divers in the water than many of the low wage native DM's I have witnessed in other areas of the Carribean!

I have seen that other type of "in the water DM's" lose divers, expose divers to unsafe diving w/o sufficiant SI's, let divers enter the water with unsafe gear, or captians napping with divers in the water, etc WAY too many times! And what is scary is I used to be like a lot of the divers I see, and follow these DM's like a heard of sheep, thinking they had my safety in hand.

It was explained to me when I first looked into Keys diving that DM's could be aranged ahead of time if we asked, but that most ops did not have them going into the water, unless they were booked by the customer.

Again, it's all about expectations.

 

[siegelreptiles]

We just took a 3 day trip to key largo /tavernier area. We dove 2 days in tavernier with conch republic and then on the way home we had one dive with silent world.
I will say prior to silent world, we were about ready to write off diving in the keys for good. We have 4 dives off of tavernier, and have to say, I think we have far better diving we we live up in broward and palm beach. I am probably not being entirely fair, as the dives we were on were lobster dives, and although we did catch lobster, the views were pretty crappy and I was very dissapointed.
Next up was diving with silent world and capt Deb. Wish we could have booked all 3 days with them. Beautiful diving-great and friendly service. No rushing, and alot to look at on the reef. We saw a ton of cool stuff and had great visibility. When I get aow and nitrox, I will definately go back for the wrecks with them and for some more reef. I only had one complaint with silent world--the freakin swamp angels were HORRIBLE-we were chewed up at the dock. Bring off!!
If I could give them only one suggestion, it would be a door on there shower--that would be the only thing I could reccomend as I dont think they can do a whole lot abou the mosquitos.
Ben

 

[thebes11]

siegel: Do your AOW with Capt. Deb....you'll love every minute of it!

 

[John_B]

I only had one complaint with silent world--the freakin swamp angels were HORRIBLE-we were chewed up at the dock. Bring off!!

'Zactly! I bring a squeeze bottle of a good deet-based repellent (in its own ziptop baggie) and slather it during the ride back to the dock. Its the price you pay for glassy seas... No wind means no swells, but it also makes it much easier for skeeters to congregate. The bloodsucking little bastages! Oh well, what can you do, its South Fla. after all! :14:

 

[deeper thoughts]

'Zactly! I bring a squeeze bottle of a good deet-based repellent (in its own ziptop baggie) and slather it during the ride back to the dock. Its the price you pay for glassy seas... No wind means no swells, but it also makes it much easier for skeeters to congregate. The bloodsucking little bastages! Oh well, what can you do, its South Fla. after all! :14:

Thats funny here in Islamorada/Tavernier on the ocean side with the boat I never get bit but if we go to the bay it is every person for themselves.

 

[divad]

Silent World's boat is (was) one (short) block from the ocean.

 

[John_B]

Thats funny here in Islamorada/Tavernier on the ocean side with the boat I never get bit but if we go to the bay it is every person for themselves.

Calmer air = more mosquito bites.

 

[kidsdream]

While I frequently dive with Conch Republic, HMS Minnow among others in the Upper Keys; I do dive (and enjoy going out) with Silent World when I want to hit the Keys most Northern sites.

Yesterday was truly a Chamber of Commerce day here in Key Largo and that made our trip to Carysfort that much more pleasurable. Even with one boat sidelined due to a broken motor mount (we saw the mechanic working on it when we returned from our morning dive), Chris agreed to get us out to one of my favorite spots in the area.

Yes, they don't put anybody in the water unless you ask. And we even lugged our own tanks as one of our group works at Fill/Dive Rite Express so he helped out with some gas. But this is the kind of diving and treatment our group loves. A friendly crew (Bob & Steph) who lets advanced divers do their own thing - but helpful in dealing with our our cameras as required.

Yup.... A great day in Key Largo - This just says it all.

That is the tip of Carysfort Lighthouse just sticking out above my son's head.

 

[deeper thoughts]

It was a lake out there yesterday and supposed to be the same today.