Looking for a Good Dive Destination in So FL or Keys for Last Half of July?

[knucklebusted]

My wife is on me to plan a trip but I've been so busy I haven't had time to look at anything. Our daughter is living in JAX now so she'd like to visit her while we're out. I'd love to get some diving in with a good operator some where, probably south Florida but any place with an excellent site to dive isn't out of the question.

My daughter is also certified and we are generally comfortable in the water, dove Key Largo, Mexican cenotes, Cozumel, Great Barrier Reef and Hawaii. Would prefer to avoid a cattle boat and will probably want to rent everything as I hate traveling with lots of luggage and gear.

Looking for suggestions.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

You're picking a good time of year to dive in S. Florida. Just know though that the last Wed & Thurs of the month is mini lobster season and you probably will have a hard time finding a boat those two days, and if going to the keys, a place to stay..
Plenty of nice reefs in the Palm Beach and Broward areas, including beach diving for some fun on the more frugal scale.

The mini lobster season is always the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. This year the mini season falls on July 29th and 30th.

 

[seadweller]

July is a great time to visit Key Largo , the water and air are warm , and the visibility
averages 40' - 50' . I agree with avoiding Lobster mini-season , stay clear !

 

[gr8jab]

Join me at Rainbow Reef in Key Largo! July 20-24. I'm getting my AOW. It sounds like you are an odd number, and I might want a dive buddy after my class is over. It would be cool to make some friends before arriving.

I don't know if Rainbow Reef is a cattle boat, but it certainly isn't boutique diving.

 

[sportxlh]

Palm Beach County, Broward or the upper Keys would be perfect. Jupiter is the shortest drive from Jax and the Keys is the longest. Palm Beach County diving is mostly moderately deep to deep diving. Broward is shallow to deep and the Keys are best know for the shallow reefs, but the big wrecks are deep as are a handful of reefs.

Most of the south Florida dive boats tend to the large size. But if you really only want a six pack, check out Underwater Explorers in Boynton and Quiescence in Key Largo.

In Jupiter, I really like Jupiter Dive Center, but in July, their boats will be crowded.

Regarding gr8jab's suggestion: Rainbow Reef is a cattle boat, but the boats are huge and very comfortable, even when filled to the gills. Same is true of Conch Republic's big boat.

 

[reefman]

I agree with a few of the previous posters. your schedule permitting, I'd avoid diving in the keys(or anywhere else in south florida) this coming july 29th and 30th (wed and thurs), lobster mini season, like the plague. I suspect most rooms in Monroe county are already booked for that time period and outside of ocean divers, quiescence, sea dwellers and rainbow reef the balance of upper keys dive operators run lobster hunting trips those 2 days,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


reefman
key largo

 

[knucklebusted]

Join me at Rainbow Reef in Key Largo! July 20-24. I'm getting my AOW. It sounds like you are an odd number, and I might want a dive buddy after my class is over. It would be cool to make some friends before arriving.

I don't know if Rainbow Reef is a cattle boat, but it certainly isn't boutique diving.

I've actually dove with Rainbow Reef several years ago, August of 2011, on a trip to Key Largo. It wasn't bad and there were only 5-6 in my group each day but it was a little more hectic with several groups on the boat. Not bad, just average. We stayed at the Holiday Inn next door to the dock so it was a short walk and easy ride to most of the dive sites. We hit French Trench, Benwood Wreck and Molasses Reef (Winch Hole and Aquarium) on two days of diving. If you are just getting your AOW, you should enjoy it.

Only 926 miles from Bowling Green, KY to Jupiter, FL. Stops in Chattanooga, TN to pick up my daughter then on to JAX for a day or so the on to Jupiter, FL. Might be a long drive back!

Just got a flyer in email for Horizon Divers (same dock/canal as Rainbow Reef) for 3 night, 4th night free at the Marriott Courtyard.

Looks like my dates are July 18-25. I'll keep it in mind.

 

[drrich2]

Hey, just realized you're in Bowling Green. I'm in Hopkinsville. I assume you're probably familiar with Pennyroyal Blue Springs Resort (the area training quarry).

Anyway, if you're interested in diving Jupiter, it's a very different experience from Key Largo. My trip report from Sept. last year. I timed my trip with the goliath grouper aggregation; otherwise I might've considered the spring for the lemon shark migration. You'll have to check and see if you're too early for the goliath aggregation. Could still be fun diving, but again, it's a lot different than Key Largo.

I'd like to go back sometime and maybe try diving with Emerald Dive Charters for the shark feeding diving, but bringing in sharks, sometimes large, with the operator hand-feeding them is controversial and not everyone's cup of tea.

You posted:

My daughter is also certified and we are generally comfortable in the water, dove Key Largo, Mexican cenotes, Cozumel, Great Barrier Reef and Hawaii.

What kind of diving do you guys like best? Lush reef? Big animals? Shallow? Low current or drift diving? Are you looking for what you've enjoyed before, or 'something different?'

Richard.

 

[knucklebusted]

I have never dove in Kentucky. Got certified in Maui on a trip a decade ago.

I'm open to about anything. I've dove all tropical locations to date with my only fresh water dive being the Mexican cenotes last year. I wind up making a few dives a year and just enjoy being underwater. Reefs, wrecks, drift or whatever. As long as the water is warm and clear, I'm not too hard to please.

Sharks might be cool though with two recent attacks along the Carolina coast, might be a tough sell to my daughter. Wife is a non-diver so a beach or other surface amenities is a requirement. From Jax we could even blow over to the Bahamas pretty easily. Just have to remember to pack my passport.

Hey, just realized you're in Bowling Green. I'm in Hopkinsville. I assume you're probably familiar with Pennyroyal Blue Springs Resort (the area training quarry).

Anyway, if you're interested in diving Jupiter, it's a very different experience from Key Largo. My trip report from Sept. last year. I timed my trip with the goliath grouper aggregation; otherwise I might've considered the spring for the lemon shark migration. You'll have to check and see if you're too early for the goliath aggregation. Could still be fun diving, but again, it's a lot different than Key Largo.

I'd like to go back sometime and maybe try diving with Emerald Dive Charters for the shark feeding diving, but bringing in sharks, sometimes large, with the operator hand-feeding them is controversial and not everyone's cup of tea.

You posted:



What kind of diving do you guys like best? Lush reef? Big animals? Shallow? Low current or drift diving? Are you looking for what you've enjoyed before, or 'something different?'

Richard.

 

[drrich2]

For training, courses or just to stay in practice, check out Pennyroyal Blue Springs Resort. They've got a Facebook Page, too. Here's my Trip Advisor review of the quarry. People also dive Dale Hollow Lake. Down in TN, there's Martha's Quarry.

Richard.