Key Largo graduation gift

[DivemasterDennis]

I am getting ready to book a dive trip with my nephew as a high school graduation gift. It will be his first ocean dives after exploring the low viz cold water of Colorado lakes and reservoirs. I am taking him to Key Largo to dive in Pennecamp. The plan is to stay and dive with Amy Slate's. I have done that on three prior occasions and we got along fine. It is also very economical. However, I haven't been there for a couple of years. Is there anyone on the board who has recent experience with them to share? Thanks.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Superlyte27]

I think there are better operations (for the types of diving I do), but nothing wrong with Amy's. What kind of dives do you intend on doing? Are you at all very good with a boat?

I've found that with two paying divers, it's break even to rent a boat. With renting a boat, you can go where you want, dive what you want, and dive as much as you want. So, instead of 2 dives each for $85 bucks each, you can dive all day long. Of course if you don't own tanks, or can't rent tanks, then there's an issue.

The last time I was in Key Largo, I rented a 24' Boat for 3 people. I stuck 6 sets of doubles in it. I spent a couple of hours on the Spiegel Grove then spent the rest of the day on various reefs. To do two trips on a charter would have cost $85 x 6 = 510.00, instead it cost $300 and we didn't have to deal with idiots on the charter. And we got to pick where we wanted to dive.

I was a captain in Key Largo for a bit, so this really didn't matter to me, but the boat rental came with a simple to use GPS with maps and charted courses to every dive site. Just follow the little blue line, and you end up right where you need to. Piece of cake, my wife could even do it

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Interesting idea about renting a boat, but for this outing, with a newer diver along, we will be content to hitch a ride. Dives will be recreational, low stress, take a few pictures and enjoy the scenery dives. In the future, I like the idea of a rental though.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Reck Diver]

Don't cheap out on a graduation gift. Go down to Hawks Cay. In addition to the resort hotel, they have 2-3 bedroom townhouses. You can dive with ops right at the resort, or you are an easy drive to Key Largo.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

For what you are planning, any Key Largo dive op will be good and almost all dive ops have a connection to a variety of local hotels at a variety of good prices. Nothing wrong with Amy Slates AFAIK. You can also check Rainbow Reef, who is a menber here, or Conch Republic, also a member here. My "go to" shop in Key Largo is Quiesence Divers, which runs only 6 pack boats that have plenty of room.

Hawks Cay is one of my favorite places to stay, but it is not economical by any means. Hawks Cay also is a little far from Pennekamp, maybe 30 minutes.

Don't see any reason to depart from your original plan if you liked Amy Slate's on three prior trips.