Any info on Looe Reef?

[creekland]

We were fortunate enough to score an oceanfront campsite at Bahia Honda for a long weekend at the end of this month and started hunting around at dive opportunities while we are there. Is it worth it to go out to Looe Reef (as I seldom see it mentioned on here) and, if so, are there other operators I could check with besides the big cattle boat that takes divers and snorkelers?

Weather permitting, we've already got Biscayne NP scheduled, and will probably take a day to dive around Key Largo earlier in the week (when we're at Long Key State Park).

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

Looe Key offers good shallow (15-35') reef diving and snorkeling when seas are calm (<15kts of wind). Bahia Honda is one of my favorite parks. Enjoy!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

We really enjoyed Looe Key. Saw a bunch of nurse sharks and barracuda among other really cool things. Can't help if you want a boat that doesn't take snorkelers. We went with

STRIKE ZONE CHARTERS
Phone: 305.872.9863
BIG PINE , FL 33043

and the only divers were my husband and I plus one other who ended up buddied with us. The snorkelers were kept in the front of the boat and we had the entire back half of the boat to ourselves, it was great!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Charlie99]

, are there other operators I could check with besides the big cattle boat that takes divers and snorkelers?

Looe Key is one of those rare dive sites that really are suitable for both divers and snorklers. The shallow end of the spur and groove reef structure is just a couple feet underwater, while there is plenty of nice 15-20' depth areas for the divers. IMO it's one of the nicest, if not the nicest reefs in the Keys.

There is a nice 6 pack boat that has operated off and on out of Cudjoe Key. The latest owner (Scubaboard member Biscuit7) has moved on to Turks and Caicos, but if your trip is a few months away it would be worth checking out http://wreckreationcharters.com/boat.htm and seeing if someone else has started running charters again.

Charlie Allen

 

[lmorin]

My wife and I dove Sombrero Light and Looe Key last June. Both were very nice. As described above, they tend to be shallow, but there are very large coral heads surrounded by clean sand channels. Navigation is pretty simple and it's just a matter of weaving in and out of the cuts in the coral.

I think Bahia Honda park runs snorkel trips to Looe Key. You might inquire whether they take divers. We did several dives out of Marathon with a guy from Captain Hooks. We were told in June that the fellow, whom we liked a lot, switched jobs and now works for the state at Bahia Honda. He is a dive master and boat captain, so maybe there are opportunities that direction.

If the wind is from the west, the visibility may not be too good as particulates are driven under the bridges from the gulf side.

 

[AstroDad]

IMO it's one of the nicest, if not the nicest reefs in the Keys.

I agree 1000% with Charlie.....

 

[deepstops]

There is a nice 6 pack boat that has operated off and on out of Cudjoe Key. The latest owner (Scubaboard member Biscuit7) has moved on to Turks and Caicos, but if your trip is a few months away it would be worth checking out http://wreckreationcharters.com/boat.htm and seeing if someone else has started running charters again.

Charlie Allen

Rachel (Biscuit7) has moved on to Turks & Caicos or else I would have recommended Creek to use her operation myself. At this point, I don't know any of the operators running down there.

 

[DanBMW]

Haven't been there in several years, but it was some of the best Key's diving I ever did. Suggest going out late in the afternoon, if possible, because that was when the fish seemed to be coming back. Saw tons of fish. We also did a night dive and it was very good too. Lots of charter boats during the early morning. Best if you have your own boat. With several people, a rental is worth it.

 

[kidsdream]

Vis. is not usually up to Upper Keys standards due the water transfer from the bayside, but still a nice stop.

I would expect low to mid-70's as far as water temps.

 

[Scubastud16]

I snorkeled there a few years ago. From what I remember (I was younger), it was awesome! 20'-30' (at the max), huge coral heads, lots of fish ('cudas included), and great vis.