Is Vandenberg worth it?

[Jim238]

I will be doing the Speigel, Duane and several reefs in Key Largo this week. Then I'm going to Key West for a 2 tank trip to the Vandenberg. Will let you know how they all compare.

FWIW, I'm generally more interested in the rusty metal than the reefs.

 

[Buoyant1]

Apples and oranges.....The reefs in Key Largo are better, and there are more wrecks up there, (Duane, Bibb, Eagle, Spiegel Grove) but the Vandy is a great dive. And there are always the reefs in Looe Key that are pretty great! (which is only a few miles out of KW AND if you time it right, you can go Wednesday when Looe Key Resorts does a 3 tank trip to the Adolphus Busch and two reefs!)

My two favorite dives last year were the Vandy and Spiegel Grove, I did them only a few days apart, but they were both great dives.

I'm trying to do most of the "popular" wrecks up and down the Keys, this trip is Joe's Tug (or what's left of it) and the Cayman Salvagemaster, only since I've never done them. I ALSO have a trip scheduled to go back to the Vandy (just a LOT to see! The guys I dove with last year were on it for a few days and we did two penetration dives, I really want to see more of the outside this year!) I'm also considering the Grove again, but I still haven't been on the Bibb. But it's all about options!!! Good luck, tough choices!!

 

[Jupiter31]

Your friend is wrong.
Key Weird reefs are often cloudy and poor viz.
I still like it there very much, but the greater Key Largo area has much better reefs, wrecks and variety.
I have not hit the Vandy as yet but it is on my list for next Summer.
However, if you go out to the Marquesas and distant reefs, it is quite nice.
Chug
Likes it all.

Very True

Again, what are "better" photo opps? Depends on whether you like to shoot reefs or wrecks. It's really an apples v. hotdogs thing. Or vs sushi

OTOH, if you want to dive the surrounding area and not just the wreck, Key Weird's reefs are very lacking, as Chug wrote. For a total immersion experience, I personally prefer the upper Keys. You could always do a day trip to the Vandy and spend the rest of the week in Key Largo.

Yup - makes sense to me

I have never heard anyone claim that Key West has nicer reefs than Largo. The consensus seems to be that Key West's reefs are not nearly as healthy as the Key Largo area reefs. Maybe the OP's friend

However, if one is in Key West, they can take a 45 minute drive up to Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, which is amazing.

Which is located in (drum roll.....) LOOE KEY - about 25 - 30 min's north.

I think everyone should see the Vandenburg once. I like coral reefs better than wrecks so next time I am in just for reef diving.

Agree 100% - everyone should do it once (its become sorta a "notch on the belt" site) - last year the conditions were really bad when we did it - flat calm seas, no recent storms to stir things up - maybe 15' of viz - could not believe it was that poor, but many have reported such conditions; often strong current too.

Do the wreck - but spend your time diving Key Largo.

 

[aquaregia]

I liked the Vandenberg just for the dishes, but the vis was <20' and the current was substantial. I liked the Duane + Spiegel better.

 

[MSPDiver]

This summer I did both Key Largo and The Vandy. If you have a very limited time I would do Key Largo. Vandy can have big time current. So if you hit this on your limited time your going to miss out. THe Vandy though is an awesome awesome dive. The dishes are really cool.
With Key Largo, you can get wrecks and beautiful reefs. This way if you pull up to SG or Duane and it is ripping you can go to a reef and it would be an outstanding trip. Also, While not intact you could still get a wreck fix as well as reef dives by doing the City of Washington, Benwood, or Mikes Wreck. Also, Key Largo has the Creature Feature which is a very very cool and photo/video chance of a life time. My video camera almost melted I took so much hd vid. Close up shark, cuda, and grouper feeding makes for great shots.

 

[Buoyant1]

This summer I did both Key Largo and The Vandy. If you have a very limited time I would do Key Largo. Vandy can have big time current. So if you hit this on your limited time your going to miss out. THe Vandy though is an awesome awesome dive. The dishes are really cool.
With Key Largo, you can get wrecks and beautiful reefs. This way if you pull up to SG or Duane and it is ripping you can go to a reef and it would be an outstanding trip. Also, While not intact you could still get a wreck fix as well as reef dives by doing the City of Washington, Benwood, or Mikes Wreck. Also, Key Largo has the Creature Feature which is a very very cool and photo/video chance of a life time. My video camera almost melted I took so much hd vid. Close up shark, cuda, and grouper feeding makes for great shots.

First dive it wasn't so bad. but on our second, it started picking up, so we did a drift dive on it! Pretty cool to see the whole ship that way! (we spent the first part of the dive mostly inside, but when we were getting loser to our NDL's, we popped out and drifted! (that's an option!)

 

[htn123]

The Vandy is a great dive. My 2 kids and me dove it this July. Viz was awesome, hardly any current. You can see the satellite disk and swim up on it.
YouTube - Diving the USS Vandenberg July 30 2010
As far as reef goes, key Largo is excellent IMO.

 

[Mopar]

The Vandy is a great dive. My 2 kids and me dove it this July. Viz was awesome, hardly any current. You can see the satellite disk and swim up on it.
YouTube - Diving the USS Vandenberg July 30 2010
As far as reef goes, key Largo is excellent IMO.

Same for me. I also went in July (mid month) with The Ultimate Getaway. The day I was there you could float on the top and look into the blue water and see the wreck. I feel lucky now that the vis was that good. I had no idea at that time how lucky we were for having great vis.

 

[Md Spear]

I just looked at the video. that really was some great blue water vis . you certainly did hit the vandy just right

 

[Jupiter31]

Really beautiful conditions - and really not typical