Best key for diving

[love2fishfork]

I have a business trip to Florida, and would like to add a few days for diving (May 11-13). I have my choice of anywhere in the keys. Having never been to the keys, I'm clueless as to which is the best for diving. I have done a search but didn't find much. Any opinions?

Thanks

 

[LiteHedded]

I've only been diving in marathon.
so I can't be of much help
but i did enjoy it!

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I've only dived in Key Largo, but man, it rocked... Great dive shops, great restaurants, great dives. I can't wait to go back.

 

[HarleyDiver]

You don't need to go any farther than Key Largo to find the best diving in the Keys.
Give Brent a call at http://bluewaterdiver.net/ They can set you up with hotel, dives, etc.

 

[Boldido]

I'll put in another vote for Key Largo.

In addition to having Florida's newest diving hotspot, The Spiegel Grove, they also have regular trips to other wrecks like the Duane and the Bibb. They have some pretty reefs and its just a short drive from Miami.

 

[Ironcat]

Okay here is what you do...

1. First you get breakfast at Lester's Diner on 84 in Fort Lauderdale.
2. Now you drive down to the Keys, making sure to stop and take a picture of yourself standing next to the "crocodile Crossing" sign at Lake Surprise.
3. Go to John Pennekamp and snorkel around their little lagoon and look at their fake shipwreck.
4. Go out on their afternoon SCUBA boat and hope they chose a good reef. I personally like Grecian or Dry Rocks but taste is subjective.
5. After an awesome SCUBA trip you come back in, rinse your gear, and shower at their handy facilities, change clothes and if it is still open, check out their little museum/aquarium.
6. Drive down to Upper Matecumbe Key and eat dinner at the Whale Harbor Inn. It is all you can eat seafood buffet but they have a guy with a bunch of woks to stir fry whatever you want, they make fresh waffle boats for filling with ice cream, etc, etc, but I digress.
7. If it is still light when you leave, go out back and watch the world turn pretty colors and listen to the waves while you digest.
8. Drive a little further south to the fishing bridge, near the entrance is a huge paved area with a guard rail around it. Spread your blankets, look up at the sky, count shooting stars, tell corny jokes, reminisce about your day, and count your blessings...

 

[HappyFunBoater]

Key Largo! Everything is good, from the shallow reefs (~30-50ft) to the wrecks - especially the very excellent Speigel Grove. I also loved the Duane because of the huge schools of big fish. The only down side is (a) current, and (b) nothing to do in Key Largo besides dive. Key West is the only town worth visiting in the Keys for non-dive activities, but the diving is only fair in Key West. It certainly doesn't suck, and I'm happy to dive there once a year, but Key Largo is the place to go.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

We really enjoyed Looe Key, my husband said the reef was much nicer than Pennecamp (I've never been) was and he hadn't been there in 15 years. The DM said if he thought it looked beat up 15 years ago he really wouldn't like Pennecamp now.

We must have seen 8 nurse sharks at Looe Key and a bunch of Barracuda among other things, we really had a great time.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[riguerin]

As other have stated, Keys Largo certainly has a great variety of good dive sites. But I would tend to agree with Ber Rabbit, the Looe Key Marine Sanctuary (offshore from Big Pine/Ramrod) probably has the nicest reef in the entire Keys. It doesn't get nearly as much diving pressure as the reefs in the upper Keys.

 

[av8er23]

Key largo!