Key Largo Florida Snorkeling

[vjb.knife1]

Back from day two on the reef and I am doubting that I will get much decent footage from the GoPro. The dive sites, weather, currents, reef conditions and pretty much everything sucked hard. My Wife did not even go out the second day and I don't blame her. Probably 1/3 of the people on the boat got back in in less than 5 minutes in the water today. Some European came out without renting or bringing fins, big mistake. I even thought that it was too rough for snorkeling. My Son and I stayed out there for 40 minutes and bagged it. Snorkeling is supposed to be relaxing and fun not a SEAL team mission. I guess it will never be like I remember it from years ago and it certainly does not compare to my years living in Hawaii. Sorry but I will likely not return here again. I actually felt like it was irresponsible for the boat crew to take the trip in such conditions.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I actually felt like it was irresponsible for the boat crew to take the trip in such conditions.

Did the office staff provide you with any warning that it may not be ideal conditions?

In my years experience as a captain running dive boats in Key Largo people were always, ALWAYS more concerned about the rain than the wind.

What shop took you out? What was the direction and speed of the wind?

 

[Jaan]

Snorkeling is supposed to be relaxing and fun not a SEAL team mission.

I like that line, haha, but sorry that you didn't have good conditions. It has indeed been challenging. We were also taken out in the middle keys some years back when the visibility was like 3-5ft and it made no sense to dive. Our boat actually ran out of gas .. which made us think they must be hard up and anxious to make a few bucks. (that was shortly after a hurricane there, so we didn't mind supporting them but ...)

 

[LightBrownPillow]

Sorry you're having bad luck with the conditions. I was down there diving in January and likewise had had rotten visibility on 2/3 days we got in the water, and the good day was maybe 40 feet visibility at best. Multiple people I spoke with there said winter is always a bit unpredictable for diving.

 

[Johnoly]

not a SEAL team mission.

Like you've read online,,,,It's been an El Nino weather pattern. All of us are trying to time the tiny 6hr weather breaks to get out on the water. This whole winter has been worse than other years. They even cancelled the Astronaut splash down Monday and pushed it from the gulf to across the Atlantic.
You should dive in the summer here, it's SWEET & warm !!

 

[arkstorm]

I wouldn't judge a dive destination based on an experience had in poor conditions.

Every destination can have a bad weather window.

I am heading down to Key Largo for Easter weekend and am looking forward to it.

Any recommendations for a dive operator would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Litefoot]

A SEAL team mission might be easier on your stomach than floating around like a cork in high seas. I’ve seen both the good and the bad of being on the water in the Keys. The memories of the “good” keeps drawing me back.

 

[boulderjohn]

I am a snowbird who comes to South Florida for a couple months each winter. I have been doing this for 13 years. This is by far the worst I have experienced. I did not attempt to dive the first week or so I was here because I was recovering from surgery. Since then the wind wind wind wind wind has kept me from even trying. There have been a few days where it would have been more than OK, but they came on days when I had other plans. Not only have I not been diving in the month I have been here, but my wife and I have only gone to sit on the beach 3-4 times, and we live one block away. I went into the water on one of those days because I had to pee, but the waves bounced me around so much my bladder wouldn't function. My wife has yet to get in the water.

We went to Key Largo and signed up for a dive/snorkel trip. We stopped by the shop the day before our scheduled trip, and they had canceled for the day and were doubtful about our scheduled trip. It did not matter, because I had some conch fritters for lunch that finished me off for diving. The boat did go out that day without us, but I couldn't believe it. The marine forecast did not look good. My wife (snorkeler) was happy I got sick, because she did not want to go out during a booming gale.

We played golf today, at a course right near the beach. It was at least a two club wind throughout the round--golfers will know what that means.

 

[vjb.knife1]

I mostly felt bad for my Wife and Son as well as the other people on the trip, because they had a bad snorkel trip. When I was working as a Commercial Diver in the early 1970's I worked in conditions a lot worse this and I was in Heavy gear. Even some of the working dives in Hawaii were in storm conditions from 2018 - 2023, were not a problem. But I guess my point is that taking people out on days like this is going to sour some of them to the sport.
I went to the Florida Institute of Technology in Jensen Beach in 1972-3 and the diving was pretty good back then. at that time I also dove in the Bahamas a few times and it was very nice there.