Key West dive shop

[Wookie]

I had a very bad experience with Lost Reef Adventures which I have posted about elsewhere on this board. I do NOT recommend them.

I had a good experience with South Point divers although the Vandenberg was barely visible through all the silt and severely reduced visibility due to recent hurricane activity when we dived back in September 2017 but of course that's not their fault.

I question your choice of Key West for reef dives. The upper Keys are much better.

He has a condo in Key West and wants to dive while he's here. That's different than coming to Key West to dive.

 

[SEMO Scuba]

I have never dived Key West, but I have dived quite a bit in the upper Keys. I do not expect the diving to be as good at Key West, but I want to make the best of it. The condo is rented, and my non-diver wife wants to spend a week there, soooooo that is where I will be diving!

Squeeze the lemons, make lemonade.

 

[bladder]

If it was me I'd to the Vberg and the other decent wreck in the area, then hop in the car and drive the 2 hours to the upper Keys and do the wrecks there.

 

[Wookie]

The drive is 4 hours this time of year, if there isn’t a wreck that costs you a half day.

 

[SEMO Scuba]

If it was me I'd to the Vberg and the other decent wreck in the area, then hop in the car and drive the 2 hours to the upper Keys and do the wrecks there.

I've done all the wreck dives in the upper Keys. I prefer reef dives.

 

[bladder]

The drive is 4 hours this time of year, if there isn’t a wreck that costs you a half day.

I didn't realize it took that long. But then again I think you're talking during the busy times. When I've made the trip to Key West from Key Largo to catch an early boat we left at around 5 am and it took about 2 hours.

 

[AdivingBel]

I personally wouldn't drive all the way to Key Largo from Key West for reef dives. I would run up to Looe Key (Ramrod or Big Pine) and Marathon if I had a vehicle. Much nicer reef diving and only 30 - 45 miles respectively. All IMHO.

 

[Wookie]

I personally wouldn't drive all the way to Key Largo from Key West for reef dives. I would run up to Looe Key (Ramrod or Big Pine) and Marathon if I had a vehicle. Much nicer reef diving and only 30 - 45 miles respectively. All IMHO.

Personally, if I went with FINZ, I'd say "take me to where all those other boats don't go", because the other boats go where the moorings are, and the reefs are beat to hell. But get west of Sand Key just not too far and the reefs put Key Largo to shame. Or south of Sand Key is excellent hunting if you like that.

Yes, the places the buoys are that are right next to the marinas in Key West are highly abused. But there is outstanding reef diving not too far from Key West. My wife works in one of the dive shops here, and 99% of everyone want to dive the Vandenberg. So there are numerous moorings on the Vandenberg. And lots of boats and people. Some of the further reefs are excellent. But it's hard to find a ride.

 

[Steve_C]

Does anyone really want a cattle boat?

Wrong question. It is not that I like cattle boats per se but as I age I definitely prefer larger boats. Also in the Keys I am almost always a single diver and there are more choices for instabuddies if it is not a six pack. So I tend to book with boats that might be called cattle boats. But I just find a instabuddy who wants a guide, the cattle go one way and we go out on our own at my pace which is very leisurely.

 

[AdivingBel]

Personally, if I went with FINZ, I'd say "take me to where all those other boats don't go"

Just comparing it to driving all the way to Key Largo. Personally, you don't have to be glib, Eddie Haskell... Nothing wrong with a Finz specialty boat, but you're going to pay a premium. If you don't have a vehicle, it would probably balance out, but there are boats going out regularly to some very nice reefs not too far from Key West.