For those who dove Dry Tortugas...

[SeaHound]

I have saved a few extra bucks and was considering my first liveaboard adventure.

Ultimate Getaway seems to be a good and economical liveaboard diving in Dry Tortugas. Are the diving conditions, visibility, marine life and underwater landscapes much different from Florida Keys? Since my interest is in photography, I was looking for large marine life encounters, varied terrain like drop walls or other geographical features and dont know if Dry Tortugas is the place for it.

For those who have an idea what diving there is lik, I would love to hear from you guys.

Thanks in advance

 

[Walter]

Sea life is similar to the Keys, but the coral is generally healthier. I've made several trips to the Tortugas and would love to go back. I've been on the Ultimate Getaway a couple of times. You won't find luxury, but it's an excellent boat and a top notch crew.

 

[SeaHound]

Nice! Hows the viz? Can we get 100 +?

Any other interesting landscape features? Steep walls? Caves?

 

[pafindr]

I've done a couple Dry Tortugas liveaboard trips some years back and it was great.
Like Walter said it's similar to the Keys but since not as many people swarm the area the coral is healthier.
The vis is the same as the Keys.
I had a couple dives where HUGE schools of amber jack cruise by. I don't remember any steep walls mostly large outcroppings of coral just like the Keys.

 

[BradEllis]

Since we opened our dive store in 2000, I've consistently done trips to the Dry Tortugas once or twice a year. Each trip has been onboard the Ultimate Getaway. As others have said, the boat is not luxury, but you are guaranteed to get in more diving than most any other liveaboard. We have had days where we did 8 or 9 dives, and providing the conditions are ok, you'll almost never do less than 6 in a day. The coral formations are pretty varied, from patches of reef over open sand, to huge pinnacles (~200' diameter) rising 40 to 60 feet off the bottom, as well as gently sloping walls (the Ultimate Ledge is a great site). The vis is usually very good, ranging from 40 feet or so on a really bad day, to upwards of 100'+ on a good day. You'll see a huge variety of marine life, even some really large animals. I've seen quite a few sharks, spotted eagle rays on many occasions, goliath grouper, dolphins on my last trip, and even saw a juvenile blue marlin about 7' or 8' long in 2005.

If you like to do lots of diving, you'll love the Tortugas!

Brad Ellis
DiveSports.com

 

[Johnoly]

1. Soda's free, but bring your own beer.

2. Be sure to ask about which trip you are on. Some are better for photog's and some are better for spearo's.

3. Sign in / sign out. Don't be a block-head (like I was).

4. Don't bother tearing your bed apart at night looking for the chocolate mint that the maid left on top of your pillow.