FEBRUARY 2021 Dive Trip... Where to Go in FL ?

[Diving Deek]

Hey folks. From IN. here. Wanting to go on a vacation/dive trip to FL. in Feb or early March 2021. Never dove FL before, have no idea on anything. I am Open Water Cert with 9 quarry dives and one specialty course under me.
I would be flying out of Cincinnati, OH.

Open to tips, tricks, place to go, avoid etc.
Probably NOT do a live aboard deal this time around.
Might be best to email me as I don't know if I'm set up to get notifications from this thread ?

Thanks All..
crayls@embarQmail.com

 

[Dusty123]

Probably your best bet would be to continue getting some instruction and get AOW and nitrox certs. This way you got some help your first time jumping off a boat into the ocean if thats what you want to do. For wreck diving I like to stay near the marina in Pompano Beach or even stay at the Sands Harbour hotel there and just walk to the boats. Force E or Dixie Divers are two shops close by. Further south I got good feelings about Divers Paradise down on Key Biscayne (basically south Miami). Key Largo I like Horizon Divers. Further down on Ramrod Key is Looe Key dive center which is a hotel, bar, and dive operation thats kinda fun. Key West isnt that great for diving and is exspensive but its an interesting place.

 

[Blues Runner]

Jupiter/West Palm are typically drift dives. If these are to be your first open ocean dives, these are probably not a good choice.

Key Largo offers shallow reefs, a couple shallower wrecks and is a great spot to gain ocean and dive boat experience. Rainbow Reef is a great choice of an operator. Their instructors/dive masters are generally excellent. Complimentary dive guides are in the water on every dive. They are the largest PADI instructor training operation in the US. A great place to continue your training as well.

Scuba Diving Florida Keys | Rainbow Reef Dive Center | Key Largo, FL

Marathon offers shallower diving on Sombrero reef. I have used Tilden's Dive Center there.

https://www.tildensscubacenter.com/

Looe Key as mentioned above is a beautiful reef. Looe Key Dive Center does a great job!

Home | Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center | Ramrod Key, FL

My only experience in Key West is diving the Vandenburg. You will want more experience and training for this one.

Whatever you decide, enjoy your time in Florida!

 

[FishWatcher747]

I agree with Blues Runner on Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo for your lack of experience. Show up at 0745 or 1245 each day and get a 2 tank dive on a 30 foot reef following a guide. The boats go out about 6 miles, takes about 25 minutes. Very little current to worry about. Do that for a week and your improvement could be enormous.

I'm a first year diver. I just finished 8 days at Rainbow Reef, lucked out on the weather, no cancellations. Huge improvement in SAC rate and I'm dropping weight like crazy. Did my first 2 drift dives today.

First time I flew to Miami and stayed in Key Largo. This time I drove and stayed in Florida City 25 minutes away, easy commute and the hotels are much cheaper.

Fly to Miami, rent car, stay near the dive center in Key Largo if you want, or commute from Florida City each day if you want to save money.

If the weather gets bad for multiple days and they cancel diving in Key Largo you can cancel your hotel and planned diving in Key Largo and go up to Blue Heron Bridge on the intercoastal near West Palm Beach. Rent gear at a local shop.

 

[Grateful head]

I have stayed at Amoray’s dive resort in Key Largo. Reasonably priced, dive shop on premises so very convenient. The dive staff was good and the diving was decent. Location was good as well.