Suggestions for 3 day Florida Keys trip

[SandyRobinson]

Islamorado to Key Largo

 

[fdarden]

One other point BE CERTAIN that you have had a dive in the last two, preferably one years. The vast majority of dive charters (at least the ones I called) will expect it. If not, plan for a one day refresher before being permitted to dive. As usual, YMMV but that was what I was faced with. This is not a bad policy. We had taken a hiatus from the sport, and a refresher was a good idea. I would have hated to travel from afar to discover this though.

 

[OceansBlue]

First & foremost, I would recommend Key Largo as others have. Secondly, if you'll be in the Lower Keys, I would recommend Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary.

 

[Rich Keller]

I've been diving the Keys since 1974 and I've done them all from Key Largo to Key West.

In my opinion you will get your money and your times worth in Key Largo.

As it has already been mentioned above, the dive options are greatest in Key Largo.

My favorite place to stay while in Key Largo is Amy Slates Amoray Dive Resort.


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Can you recommend any good shore dive sites? I will be in the keys with a few people who only snorkel so shore sites would be good for all of us. I would also like to know of any local dive shops that rent 30 or 40 cu/ft tanks.

 

[Reef_Haven]

Can you recommend any good shore dive sites? I will be in the keys with a few people who only snorkel so shore sites would be good for all of us. I would also like to know of any local dive shops that rent 30 or 40 cu/ft tanks.

The reefs are mostly 3 - 6 miles off shore. There really isn't any good shore diving available.
Good news is there are plenty of boats that will take both snorkelers and divers to the same same site. Alot of the reefs are only 5 - 20 ft deep.
Sounds like you'ld like to do a bit of monkey diving, I don't think any dive boats will allow that. Your best option would be to rent a small boat. Then you can dive and snorkel as you please.

 

[DMDavid]

richkeller: As stated above there is no really shore diving in the Keys, or at least nothing worth seeing in the muck surrounding most of the keys.
John Pennekamp State Park offers plenty of snorkel and dive trips and so does Amy Slates Dive Resort.
Amy Slates also has some of the smaller scuba tanks (63cf).
If you really want to do a shore dive/snorkel then you'll need to go up to Ft.Lauderdale or Palm Beach.

 

[sportxlh]

There are many great dive sites in Key Largo and Islamorada: in fact, I am doing what you are..... a three day break.... and diving with Conch Republic all three days next Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We have a mix of deeper wrecks (Duane and Eagle) mixed in with shallow reefs.

 

[Rich Keller]

The reefs are mostly 3 - 6 miles off shore. There really isn't any good shore diving available.
Good news is there are plenty of boats that will take both snorkelers and divers to the same same site. Alot of the reefs are only 5 - 20 ft deep.
Sounds like you'ld like to do a bit of monkey diving, I don't think any dive boats will allow that. Your best option would be to rent a small boat. Then you can dive and snorkel as you please.

What is "monkey diving"? I never heard that term before.

 

[Rich Keller]

richkeller: As stated above there is no really shore diving in the Keys, or at least nothing worth seeing in the muck surrounding most of the keys.
John Pennekamp State Park offers plenty of snorkel and dive trips and so does Amy Slates Dive Resort.
Amy Slates also has some of the smaller scuba tanks (63cf).
If you really want to do a shore dive/snorkel then you'll need to go up to Ft.Lauderdale or Palm Beach.

Kayak diving is also something I am looking into. Any suggestions for sites within 3-5 miles of a place I could put a kayak in the water? That info would just be for me not the people I will be on this trip with. For them the least challenging site with about 20-30 feet visibility would be fine.

 

[DMDavid]

Kayak diving is also something I am looking into. Any suggestions for sites within 3-5 miles of a place I could put a kayak in the water? That info would just be for me not the people I will be on this trip with. For them the least challenging site with about 20-30 feet visibility would be fine.

John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo has some pretty cool mangrove trails for kayaks and it has a snorkel area but no reefs close to shore.


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