Key Largo, Water Temp Thanksgiving, Silent Wolrd.
- Thread starter MAGELLAN
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blawler1
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Continental usually runs about $70 to $100 cheaper from IAH into Ft Lauderdale than into Miami. (This is often around $200 or less from Austin) Check travelocity for the cheapest flights, because Northwest will often sell Continental seats for cheaper than Continental is selling them. Of course, theres always Southwest from Hobby to Ft Lauderdale which is usually pretty reasonable (under $300) It's a lot nicer airport and only about a 45 minute longer drive down to Key Largo (about 2 hrs total on the toll road) and its a lot safer neighorhood for driving in your rental car. The rental cars are usually pretty reasonable too, I have gotten around $105 per week for econo car. Check orbitz.com for the best deals.
As for cheap lodging, the Ramada in the marina at MM100 in Key Largo is the best deal that I have found. It is nice clean and cheap and all rooms have frigs and balconies (great for drying equipment) and free continental breakfast. As it is in the marina, several dive operators are within walking distance (Ocean Divers, Horizon, Dual Porpoise, etc.) A bonus is that they give you free tickets to the casino boat that runs from the marina. I have gotten rooms as cheap as $45 a night for labor day last year and have never paid more than $90 even on holidays. Once again, check orbitz.com early for the best deals.
My favorite operator in KL is Paradise Charters. They offer good service and always have a DM in the water. They do six packs for special trips like out to the SG or the Duane and limit their big boat to 12 divers for all other trips. They have a new location just down the street from the Ramada.
As mentioned earlier, expect the water temps to be in the range of 76 to 79 degrees. I would probably take a shorty for back up if it too cool.
As for cheap lodging, the Ramada in the marina at MM100 in Key Largo is the best deal that I have found. It is nice clean and cheap and all rooms have frigs and balconies (great for drying equipment) and free continental breakfast. As it is in the marina, several dive operators are within walking distance (Ocean Divers, Horizon, Dual Porpoise, etc.) A bonus is that they give you free tickets to the casino boat that runs from the marina. I have gotten rooms as cheap as $45 a night for labor day last year and have never paid more than $90 even on holidays. Once again, check orbitz.com early for the best deals.
My favorite operator in KL is Paradise Charters. They offer good service and always have a DM in the water. They do six packs for special trips like out to the SG or the Duane and limit their big boat to 12 divers for all other trips. They have a new location just down the street from the Ramada.
As mentioned earlier, expect the water temps to be in the range of 76 to 79 degrees. I would probably take a shorty for back up if it too cool.
OP
MAGELLAN
Contributor
Perfect!
Sounds like you've been there a time or two. What do you think about Key Largo's diving? Must be worth going back. Sounds my usual 3mm shorty will work fine, wich I usually wear just to keep from getting burnt and running into stuff.
Sounds like you've been there a time or two. What do you think about Key Largo's diving? Must be worth going back. Sounds my usual 3mm shorty will work fine, wich I usually wear just to keep from getting burnt and running into stuff.
Cinjodi
Registered
I've dived with Silent World and with Paradise Charters. And went lobstering with Rainbow Reef.
What was cool about Silent World is that we just walked into their shop on a Sunday morning to see what they had and they got us outfitted and onto a boat within 20 minutes. That boat was about to go out with only 3 divers and was heading to Careys Ft lighthouse. That was an awesome trip.
Paradise Charters did a good job with us the first time we went out with them (and only two other divers), so we used them again on a trip a year later. This time a DM went in the water with us. Major bummer. Follow-the- leader on the reef was a drag. You're looking at the group and following along instead of looking at the reef and going where it looks interesting. Like the touristy horseback riding trips where the horses go nose to tail. When someone had to go back to the boat, the rest of us where told to circle and wait right there until the DM came back. Their boat was clean, their gear was good, the sites were great. Our only disappointment was the DM.
One of my fav places to stay is Sunset Cove. Oops, now the secret is out. It's on the bay side and is so darn cute. One of those old Keys type places. Not as cheap as Ramada, but if you like to experience something a little different than you will like it. We've stayed at Gilbert's also (Tiki Bar is loud) and also at the jumping Holiday Isle(?) on Islamorada. Avoid Travel Lodge like the plague. Not only is it a dump, but they didn't honor the price we were quoted on our reservation. We stayed that night because it was too late to do anything else, but got new digs the next day.
With Rainbow Reef, we got a little bit ticked off because we had arranged for a lobstering trip 2 days in advance and got our lobster license at KMart (because they didn't have a boat license or something), and then when we show up they've put a bunch of snorkelers on the boat. They tried to make us feel guilty about going somewhere where lobstering would be good instead of somewhere the snorkelers would enjoy. They were like "well, it's up to them" and pointing to us. We had paid extra mind you for this "lobster trip" and had bought gloves and our licenses, and heck yes it was up to us. We didn't tell them to pack a lobster trip with snorkelers. So the snorkers were disappointed and we looked like bad guys.
What was cool about Silent World is that we just walked into their shop on a Sunday morning to see what they had and they got us outfitted and onto a boat within 20 minutes. That boat was about to go out with only 3 divers and was heading to Careys Ft lighthouse. That was an awesome trip.
Paradise Charters did a good job with us the first time we went out with them (and only two other divers), so we used them again on a trip a year later. This time a DM went in the water with us. Major bummer. Follow-the- leader on the reef was a drag. You're looking at the group and following along instead of looking at the reef and going where it looks interesting. Like the touristy horseback riding trips where the horses go nose to tail. When someone had to go back to the boat, the rest of us where told to circle and wait right there until the DM came back. Their boat was clean, their gear was good, the sites were great. Our only disappointment was the DM.
One of my fav places to stay is Sunset Cove. Oops, now the secret is out. It's on the bay side and is so darn cute. One of those old Keys type places. Not as cheap as Ramada, but if you like to experience something a little different than you will like it. We've stayed at Gilbert's also (Tiki Bar is loud) and also at the jumping Holiday Isle(?) on Islamorada. Avoid Travel Lodge like the plague. Not only is it a dump, but they didn't honor the price we were quoted on our reservation. We stayed that night because it was too late to do anything else, but got new digs the next day.
With Rainbow Reef, we got a little bit ticked off because we had arranged for a lobstering trip 2 days in advance and got our lobster license at KMart (because they didn't have a boat license or something), and then when we show up they've put a bunch of snorkelers on the boat. They tried to make us feel guilty about going somewhere where lobstering would be good instead of somewhere the snorkelers would enjoy. They were like "well, it's up to them" and pointing to us. We had paid extra mind you for this "lobster trip" and had bought gloves and our licenses, and heck yes it was up to us. We didn't tell them to pack a lobster trip with snorkelers. So the snorkers were disappointed and we looked like bad guys.
I'm very partial to Ocean Divers...
Thanksgiving in the Keys..water temp will be 72 to 75....Depending on cold fronts...air temps could be very summerlike or quite cool and windy... high 60's to lower 70's...
Hey while the area...check out the Cocoa Beach Art Festive...neat time on sat and sun
Thanksgiving in the Keys..water temp will be 72 to 75....Depending on cold fronts...air temps could be very summerlike or quite cool and windy... high 60's to lower 70's...
Hey while the area...check out the Cocoa Beach Art Festive...neat time on sat and sun
the Silent World/Hungry Pelican deal is hard to beat. Captain Dennis, a fellow Texan (from Houston, of all places), knows the area well, and will show you a good time. His mantra "bungee... bungee... bungee" is well known to all who've been aboard his boat.
ScoobieDooo
Guest
Lots of good places to eat and dive while in the Keys. Blue Water Divers is a good bunch of guys as is Horizon Divers as well.
I was there in January and water temps were about 72-73 degs with air temps about 74-76 degs.
I used a 3mm jumpsuit with great success, 5mm booties and no gloves or hood and was fine.
Don't forget to try the Conch Fritters when there - they are great!
I was there in January and water temps were about 72-73 degs with air temps about 74-76 degs.
I used a 3mm jumpsuit with great success, 5mm booties and no gloves or hood and was fine.
Don't forget to try the Conch Fritters when there - they are great!
Just got back from Key Largo. aug 13-18.
The water temp was 87 f. I would wear at min a dive skin if you are planning to do the Spiegle GRove. The fast current and metal of the ship can lead to tons of scrapes.. we wore nothing but swimsuits on the shallower reef dives..
WE stayed at Amoray Dive Resort, they were not cheap..
($90 per night) but their was 3 of us so the cost was 'do-able'.
They have 2 boats on site plus there is another dive operation next door...
WArning !~!!! Don't book with Admiral Dive Center...
They almost ruined our vacation...they have no boat and did'nt book any dives untill the morning of....... eventhough we had booked our dives 3 months in advance.... WARNING !!!
The water temp was 87 f. I would wear at min a dive skin if you are planning to do the Spiegle GRove. The fast current and metal of the ship can lead to tons of scrapes.. we wore nothing but swimsuits on the shallower reef dives..
WE stayed at Amoray Dive Resort, they were not cheap..
($90 per night) but their was 3 of us so the cost was 'do-able'.
They have 2 boats on site plus there is another dive operation next door...
WArning !~!!! Don't book with Admiral Dive Center...
They almost ruined our vacation...they have no boat and did'nt book any dives untill the morning of....... eventhough we had booked our dives 3 months in advance.... WARNING !!!
OP
MAGELLAN
Contributor
87, sounds pretty warm, how far down did that temp hold? How deep was the Speigal Grove? Would you consider the currents dangerous? Just full of questions here. How about other favorite dive sites, Pennekamp park for example, worth it or not? Looks like from what I've found on the internet that most of the sites are kind of medium depth. I'll be going in November, so I'm sure I'll be wearing something substantial, anything cooler that a 100 seems cold after a summer in houston.
ut:
PS just saw an article in a friend's magazine about an aircraft carrier being sunk in the keys for an artifical reef, USS Oriskany 888ft long. That would be cool! It would be the largest ship sunk for that purpose. Can't wait to see where it lands
ut: PS just saw an article in a friend's magazine about an aircraft carrier being sunk in the keys for an artifical reef, USS Oriskany 888ft long. That would be cool! It would be the largest ship sunk for that purpose. Can't wait to see where it lands
For us their was only a degree or 2 change as we descended.
The Spiegal wreck is on its side, our mooring line was at about 60 ft. We continued along the ships deck to its propeller. The wreck rests in ~130 ft of water... and the ship is 500+ ft in length.
My max depth was 98ft..with a bottom time of 32 min..guess i should have stayed longer because i came up with 1600 psi.
The barracudas on the wreck are HuGE !!
The current is swift between 0 and 50 ft..but no problem on the wreck... just follow the dive masters instructions and you will be fine
Molassas reef is about the best in Key Largo..we spotted nurse sharks and turtles but no one saw any morays.. The max depth at molassas was 30 ft... but a bottom time of almost an hour per tank improves your chances of see great sea life..
good diving...
The Spiegal wreck is on its side, our mooring line was at about 60 ft. We continued along the ships deck to its propeller. The wreck rests in ~130 ft of water... and the ship is 500+ ft in length.
My max depth was 98ft..with a bottom time of 32 min..guess i should have stayed longer because i came up with 1600 psi.
The barracudas on the wreck are HuGE !!
The current is swift between 0 and 50 ft..but no problem on the wreck... just follow the dive masters instructions and you will be fine
Molassas reef is about the best in Key Largo..we spotted nurse sharks and turtles but no one saw any morays.. The max depth at molassas was 30 ft... but a bottom time of almost an hour per tank improves your chances of see great sea life..
good diving...
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