Looking for Recommendations for Key Largo dive op

[living4experiences]

I don't know if it was mentioned earlier in these posts, but to dive these 100+ feet wrecks, you have to have your AOW. IMO, unless a wreck is above 70-80 ft, I find deep wrecks boring and you spend most of the dive descending and ascending with very little bottom time, plus you've lost all your colors. Deeper doesn't necessarily mean it's a better dive and it is a heavy load of nitrogen, which means a l-o-n-g surface interval.

I'm heading down to Key Largo, too, and I've had difficulty finding a smaller capacity boat operation that provides free guides. To my surprise, in-water guides in Florida is not the norm. Horizon charges $40 for a guide for one person or $25 per person for more than one. As a single diver, I want a guide in the water and Rainbow Reef provides free guides. Their web site states they have several boats, all of which cater to larger groups or smaller capacity. They've got packages structured so that the more you dive, the cheaper it gets, including the cost of nitrox. You don't have to prepay for a package and then worry about using up the package. You pay for what you dive at the end of your trip.

As a side note, a few years ago, I went diving with Ocean Divers in Key Largo. From Rainbow Reef's web site, Ocean Divers has now merged with Rainbow Reef. I had a great dive experience with Ocean Divers, and hopefully, that crew is still part of the merged operation.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I don't know if it was mentioned earlier in these posts, but to dive these 100+ feet wrecks, you have to have your AOW. IMO, unless a wreck is above 70-80 ft, I find deep wrecks boring and you spend most of the dive descending and ascending with very little bottom time, plus you've lost all your colors. Deeper doesn't necessarily mean it's a better dive and it is a heavy load of nitrogen, which means a l-o-n-g surface interval.

I'm heading down to Key Largo, too, and I've had difficulty finding a smaller capacity boat operation that provides free guides. To my surprise, in-water guides in Florida is not the norm. Horizon charges $40 for a guide for one person or $25 per person for more than one. As a single diver, I want a guide in the water and Rainbow Reef provides free guides. Their web site states they have several boats, all of which cater to larger groups or smaller capacity. They've got packages structured so that the more you dive, the cheaper it gets, including the cost of nitrox. You don't have to prepay for a package and then worry about using up the package. You pay for what you dive at the end of your trip.

As a side note, a few years ago, I went diving with Ocean Divers in Key Largo. From Rainbow Reef's web site, Ocean Divers has now merged with Rainbow Reef. I had a great dive experience with Ocean Divers, and hopefully, that crew is still part of the merged operation.

This is one of those things where an individual has to decide if the juice is worth the squeeze. I would probably not want to do more than 2-3 days of deep wreck dives on my next trip down, for the same reason that you cited...there’s not a whole lot of bottom time on a recreational deep dive.

That’s who I went out with. I thought they ran a good operation. Good crew, the included guide was nice, and their prices are great.

My trip planning sucked. If I’d planned my trip better, I could have saved a few bucks. Ex. RR has deals where you get a bit of a discount on a room if you book through them. I knew that in advance, but I essentially winged it for that trip.

 

[rsingler]

RR is the 800# gorilla in Key Largo. Don't get me wrong, they run good (large) boats, and the deals can be good. But they've gotten a tad disorganized, and you can have much more personal service with Horizon or Quiescence.

 

[jgaryclark]

Do Horizon and Quiescence have smaller boats exclusively?

 

[jgaryclark]

Also, on these larger “cattle” boats, do they let you dive your computer or are you required to stay with and ascend as a group?

 

[living4experiences]

Also, on these larger “cattle” boats, do they let you dive your computer or are you required to stay with and ascend as a group?

Probably best to call the dive op directly for that question. It can vary. Sometimes you don't have to ascend as a group, so you can dive your computer, but as a courtesy to others waiting on the boat, they may limit the dive to 60 minutes (or some other number). If everyone is required to ascend together, you may also consider hiring a private guide, then you can dive however long you like up to their max "courtesy" time limit.

 

[jgaryclark]

I'm taking my brother with me who is newly certified and, unfortunately, is sometimes prone to seasickness. Having never been to Key Largo before, I'm not sure how long the boat rides are out to the reef. Out of Quiesence, Horizon and Rainbow Reef, is one a significantly shorter trip than the others?
Thanks!

 

[rsingler]

Quiescence runs 6-pax boats only, so there's significantly more motion. The other two shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

The boat rides are not long out of Key Largo, but they’re long enough to get you seasick if that’s a problem for you.

As he knows it’s a problem for him, I’d recommend that he take something regardless of which dive op you pick. Ex. Dramamine Less Drowsy. Take as directed.

I got seasick (extremely nauseous, but didn’t blow chunks) even on the larger RR boat, as my dumbass couldn’t locate the Dramamine in my bag until the next day.

If he does get sick...he needs to gear up and jump in regardless of how bad he feels. I felt better the moment I hit the water.

I recommend that he buy two containers of Dramamine. One to put in his bag and one to put in yours to prevent the possibility of a stupid situation like I experienced. I knew I had it, tore the bag apart looking for it, but couldn’t find it.

 

[Jeff88]

I don't know if it was mentioned earlier in these posts, but to dive these 100+ feet wrecks, you have to have your AOW. IMO, unless a wreck is above 70-80 ft, I find deep wrecks boring and you spend most of the dive descending and ascending with very little bottom time, plus you've lost all your colors. Deeper doesn't necessarily mean it's a better dive and it is a heavy load of nitrogen, which means a l-o-n-g surface interval.

I'm heading down to Key Largo, too, and I've had difficulty finding a smaller capacity boat operation that provides free guides. To my surprise, in-water guides in Florida is not the norm. Horizon charges $40 for a guide for one person or $25 per person for more than one. As a single diver, I want a guide in the water and Rainbow Reef provides free guides. Their web site states they have several boats, all of which cater to larger groups or smaller capacity. They've got packages structured so that the more you dive, the cheaper it gets, including the cost of nitrox. You don't have to prepay for a package and then worry about using up the package. You pay for what you dive at the end of your trip.

As a side note, a few years ago, I went diving with Ocean Divers in Key Largo. From Rainbow Reef's web site, Ocean Divers has now merged with Rainbow Reef. I had a great dive experience with Ocean Divers, and hopefully, that crew is still part of the merged operation.

In my searching. I have found that Key Largo Dive Center and Sail Fish Diving both do 6 diver max boats and include a DM in the water with you.