Who to dive with in the Keys?

[IntotheAbyss]

Looks like i will be going to the keys from 3/12-3/18 and staying at an uncle's place in Marathon. Looking forward to my first ever Key's diving experience. Any suggestions or information as to who to use or can't miss highlights?

 

[zaberman1]

What type of diving do you want to do?

The thunderbolt is a pretty popular and nice wreck down there...

 

[Blue Sparkle]

If you're looking to dive around Marathon, I've dived with Abyss in Marathon twice; once in 2008 and once a couple of months ago. I'm not a very experienced diver, so I don't have a lot of dive ops to compare them to, but on the other hand I'm fairly picky about service and boat stuff.

I found them to be really squared away in their operations, and also very friendly and helpful. On one of my trips the conditions weren't great, and they took some time to try to find the best spot - including contacting other boats in the area and moving once after the DM hopped over the side and checked the conditions. As it turned out, nothing helped that day, but they did try.

The boat is a 6-pack. The Captain works it from up on the fly-bridge, so you have an inside (open at the aft end but with a roof and three walls) seating area for 6 people, plus other seating in the open cockpit aft. Dives were for about an hour or until 500 psi. Procedures were all well and clearly explained topside, but then you could go your own way once you were in the water (unless you hired a guide, which I did in 2008 when I was rusty and did not have a buddy).

They're up on the north (east) end of town, on the ocean side. The boat is right on the premises with a nice, quiet palapa area to sit while waiting for the boat. They set the tanks up on the dock and then had us fit our gear to them, after which they loaded them onto the boat. That seemed kind of nice, vs. staggering around trying to do it aboard (seas were a bit rough that day). They also had separate rinse tanks for "face" gear (regs and etc.) and the rest of the gear, with different sanitizers in it. Made me feel a little bit better than usual about my rental reg.

I'd characterize the overall feel as a bit more mature vs. being with the cool kids (that said, the DM was probably 22, but I'm talking about the general impression).

When I was there in 2008 I was with a group of friends that included 3 divers and 2 snorkelers and they accommodated us nicely, making it easy for us to spend time together and yet still get in enjoyable dives/snorkels.

B.

 

[IntotheAbyss]

I am really just looking for some simple dives. Only have about 20 or so to my name however a few came in some decently tough condition (current hard enough to to stand me up while hanging onto rocks for dear life...). Really just want something that will be leisurely but provide that amazing "wow" factor I am sure the Keys are capable of.

Oh.. The diver operator doesn't have to be on Marathon. I will go anywhere in the Keys to Dive; really am wanting the best experience I can get!

 

[lrterry]

Here are some we have tried in Key Largo:

Diving Key Largo, SEA DWELLERS DIVE CENTER, a PADI Scuba Resort Facility - Welcome

Dive Key Largo, Florida Keys with Rainbow Reef Dive Center;scuba diving:diving, Florida keys, florida diving

:: Scuba-Do Dive Company :: [ The Boat ] Scuba Diving in Key Largo, the Florida Keys

DIVE KEY LARGO WITH OCEAN DIVERS - SCUBA diving, snorkeling, PADI diver training, IDC & CDC - Instructor & Career Development Center

 

[pamawi]

I like Rainbow Reef in Key Largo because they always put a guide in the water. Most of the diveops down there don't do that unless you pay extra. Also they send out both a deep boat and a shallow boat twice a day. The deep boat does a deep dive (ie wreck) for the first dive and then a shallow reef dive for the second dive. The shallow dive does 2 shallow dives. The reefs are great at about 30-45 feet so you don't have to go deep if you don't care to. They have nice Newton dive boats, although some might call it a cattle boat, it was never overcrowded the week I was there in June. They are mm 100 right on the main road so you can figure out how far that is from your place in Marathon.

 

[lrterry]

I like Rainbow Reef in Key Largo because they always put a guide in the water. Most of the diveops down there don't do that unless you pay extra. Also they send out both a deep boat and a shallow boat twice a day. The deep boat does a deep dive (ie wreck) for the first dive and then a shallow reef dive for the second dive. The shallow dive does 2 shallow dives. The reefs are great at about 30-45 feet so you don't have to go deep if you don't care to. They have nice Newton dive boats, although some might call it a cattle boat, it was never overcrowded the week I was there in June. They are mm 100 right on the main road so you can figure out how far that is from your place in Marathon.

We dove with them and sea dwellers last year, both good ops. I like staying at the Holiday Inn, just walk right out to the boat. Man this thread is making me want to head down A1A so bad!:crash:

 

[mk706]

I dove with Silent World (Key Largo) in October. Great group who went to the right sites based on conditions. I cannot wait to head back down.

 

[korbx5]

We dove with Captain Hook's last spring. They were very friendly and helpful. Most of the dives were in shallow water and very easy. There was more surge as they were shallow dives, so there was some work. They have a couple of boats that go out and have both morning and afternoon dives. We dove 4 out of 5 days. On one outing, as the boat was pulling out they had a problem with the engine and we were unable to go out. They did everything possible to try and fix the problem and when it was apparent that it couldn't be safely fixed they made sure everyone was compensated in some manner-reimbursement, afternoon dives, what ever made the customers happy.
There was another dive op just south of Capt. Hook's that does refills. I went there to get tanks refilled for some dives on a boat we rented. They weren't friendly at all. Almost seemed as though it was a bother to them to make money off me. Had I been diving through them they might have been more cordial. That was a good measuring stick for me. Don't know the name of the dive op but they had a big mural painted on the side of the building. Just an observation
If I go back to Marathon, I'll be diving with Capt. Hook's again.
While you're down there, try to get by to see the turtle hospital. Really cool. We were there in April and later in the summer the Today Show did a live broadcast as they released a turtle back to the ocean. The turtle had actually checked himself in earlier in the year.

 

[lotsofgadgets]

I have had very good experiences with Horizon Divers in Key Largo. They are very professional and friendly.

Captain Slate's Atlantis Dive Center, also in Key Largo, is also a good operator, but his boats are slower.