Best Diving in the Florida Keys?
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Damselfish
Contributor
We were fairly new divers (AOW and about 20 cold water dives) when we attempted to dive the Duane on our first warm water trip. It was a "blow your mask off" day and several things went wrong (mostly related to an even more clueless 3rd wheel the dive op foisted on us.) We wound up bailing and never getting down far enough to even see the wreck.
EL Pistoffo
Contributor
That sucks. My dive on the Spiegel was current free. The hard part of the dive was getting on the boat. The dive ladder was swinging up and down about 5 ft on rough seas. One wrong move and it could knock your teeth out.
It was nutty. People were flying like flags off the line at the safety stop.
Freakiest part was heading back to the line...we ended up having to go over some of the superstructure to get back to the bow, and it was like stepping outside into a 50mph wind. Finned down as fast as we could to get back out of the current.
Got back up to the surface...no waves and water was like glass.
Mother Nature is a tricky little minx.
Current?? What's that?
On a serious note, get and learn to use a Jon line....currents no longer become an issue on the way up.
As far as the best diving in the keys, I agree with Frank...get out to the marquesas, much more interesting over there. If that's not an option, key largo seems to be higher quality with more diversity than anywhere else in the keys.
On a serious note, get and learn to use a Jon line....currents no longer become an issue on the way up.
As far as the best diving in the keys, I agree with Frank...get out to the marquesas, much more interesting over there. If that's not an option, key largo seems to be higher quality with more diversity than anywhere else in the keys.
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Welcome to the FL Keys! A perfect destination for you AOW class.
Key West has some diving, lots of partying, bars, shopping, and other toursity activites, Marathon - more fishing, some diving, Key Largo - the eat, sleep and dive town. Lots of great diving up here in the Upper Keys where there are 30 dive ops to work with. Really, more dive ops than gas stations. There are shops with 1 boat or up to 4 boats, big boats (most stable if you tend to get motion sick) or small boats (if you don't like lots of people around) or even medium sized boats, shops that are tech or hunting or career development centric, shops that include free dive guides for the group, even a shop for non-English speaking Germs & Frenchys. A few shops are located at a hotel, some are next door or walking distance from a hotel they work with for package deals. So many options, it's hard to figure it all out. I've dove with most of them over the years and I work for several sometimes and use several more to meet my students needs. Usually AOW classes will include dives on the Speigel Grove and or the Duane. If I can answer any questions, please feel free to send me a PM....maybe even meet up for a
while you are here. :wavey:
Now if you want to head to the less dove, check out the MV Spree. Wookie runs a great trip to the unspoiled Dry Tortugas.
We are even thinking of joining him
maybe in October.
Key West has some diving, lots of partying, bars, shopping, and other toursity activites, Marathon - more fishing, some diving, Key Largo - the eat, sleep and dive town. Lots of great diving up here in the Upper Keys where there are 30 dive ops to work with. Really, more dive ops than gas stations. There are shops with 1 boat or up to 4 boats, big boats (most stable if you tend to get motion sick) or small boats (if you don't like lots of people around) or even medium sized boats, shops that are tech or hunting or career development centric, shops that include free dive guides for the group, even a shop for non-English speaking Germs & Frenchys. A few shops are located at a hotel, some are next door or walking distance from a hotel they work with for package deals. So many options, it's hard to figure it all out. I've dove with most of them over the years and I work for several sometimes and use several more to meet my students needs. Usually AOW classes will include dives on the Speigel Grove and or the Duane. If I can answer any questions, please feel free to send me a PM....maybe even meet up for a
while you are here. :wavey:Now if you want to head to the less dove, check out the MV Spree. Wookie runs a great trip to the unspoiled Dry Tortugas.
We are even thinking of joining him
maybe in October.Trexmdr
Registered
We were at key west. Most wreck dives at below 60 feet.
My son has an AOW but was one week from being 16 and they wouldn't let him go on the deeper dives so I can't offer any help other than make sure you are AOW and over 16 or those traveling with you.
RT
My son has an AOW but was one week from being 16 and they wouldn't let him go on the deeper dives so I can't offer any help other than make sure you are AOW and over 16 or those traveling with you.
RT
drrich2
Contributor
In case nobody mentioned if, if you're going to do the deep wrecks like Spiegel Grove or Duane, take gloves. The mooring lines have barnacles.
I'm not pushing you to do these; just saying if you do, like on the deep or wreck dive portions on AOW, it might provide some comfort. I've done it without gloves, and I don't think I got cut, but it was a concern.
Richard
I'm not pushing you to do these; just saying if you do, like on the deep or wreck dive portions on AOW, it might provide some comfort. I've done it without gloves, and I don't think I got cut, but it was a concern.
Richard
John_B
Grasshopper
Nice. Of all my dives on the SG, I don't think I'd ever describe any of them as "current free".
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