Looking for some Keys advice

[CosmoKramerOfTheDeep]

My girlfriend and I are trying to figure out a quick trip to the Keys, specifically Islamorada. She's a non-diver but has friends in the area that we would stay with for perhaps 2-3 days . .

As far as a time frame goes, it's still a bit up in the air, will be sometime in July, I'd be willing to consider including the 28th-29th in order to have a stab at mini-season. Is there any chance of getting a boat on those days this close to season?

Another concern, all of my diving experience has been with a pretty tight knit group of my father and his other police co-workers and this would be my first venture off without them. . . . will a boat attempt to pair you up with someone or am I going to have to beg for a buddy the weeks leading up? I'm a pretty new diver but I do feel comfortable and have done several boat / drift dives with no real incidents or apprehension.

Any advice/suggestions would be much appreciated, the shop that looked most intriguing to me was the Holiday Isle one due to rates

Thanks in advance. ..

 

[Onewolf]

I'd be willing to consider including the 28th-29th in order to have a stab at mini-season.

I schedule my Keys vacations to avoid the mini season. We'll be on Marathon July 17-25. Mini season in the Keys = total FUBAR. If you can get on a boat you should have no trouble getting paired up with an insta-buddy.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Mini season is a great time to stay out of the ocean.

 

[MSPDiver]

I am no expert. But if you are not into cathing bugs I would not go during mini season. From what I hear it is a total mad house. Also if you end up with a buddy who is hunting bugs then there is a very good chance you will be finding yourself alone. Also, I have read on this board many of times about expert, very epierenced divers making foolish mistakes or taking great chances to catch the bugs in that short window of time. Just my 2 cents.

 

[waverrunner]

We too are going sometime in July, don't know when yet. We were looking for some recommendations. We are group of 4 (2 couples) with several years experience yet not lots of money. So we were hoping to mix a couple of boat dives with some shore diving. We have our own gear. We could bring tanks from home or rent local. We do not need exciting diving all the time. A nice 10-20 ft reef so we could do some macro exploring would fit nicely. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[tripntx]

Key Dives and Silient World are both excellent operators to dive with. Key Dives has a DM perform excort duties on all dives.

 

[waverrunner]

what about locations for shore dives?

 

[DebbyDiver]

The Florida Keys have no shore diving. The only place in the continental USA where you can shore dive to a coral reef is Broward County. Come on up and visit and beach dive with us!