Your Favorite Spots in the Keys

[billinwilliamston]

I would say spend at least a couple of days in Key West. Be forewarned, it's pricey. Try to find a place somewhere in Old Town. There are many B&B's and "historic" inns. That way you can ditch the car and walk to anything you want to do from shopping (from "everything's $5" stores to stores where nothing is $5) to the beach (Fort Zack has a great beach) to touristy stuff (Ripley's, Shipwreck Museum, Truman's Little White House, etc.) to diving to drinking. There are always several places with live music going and some good dives and dive ops. As has been mentioned before, conditions in the spring are not ideal, but IMO they are a lot better than conditions in PA in March or April. Dive the Vandenberg if at all possible.

 

[kbashara]

I dove with Silent World last April in Key Largo. We had excellent weather and good to excellent viz. If you go with Silent World, don't miss out on the fresh fish tacos between AM and PM dives at the little restaurant at the marina. It's super casual-- you can sit at the bar in your bathing suit with your wetsuit tied around your waist. You probably won't need Nitrox to dive in Key Largo because most of the dives are very shallow, but it's a handy certification to have, especially when you go back to Bonaire and do repetitive shore dives or when you are doing a couple of moderately deep dives in a day (or so I have found...)

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[sportxlh]

................ You probably won't need Nitrox to dive in Key Largo because most of the dives are very shallow, but it's a handy certification to have, especially when you go back to Bonaire and do repetitive shore dives or when you are doing a couple of moderately deep dives in a day (or so I have found...)

Though if you plan to dive the big wrecks (S. Grove, Duane, Eagle, etc.), nitrox is the way to go. You'll get no bottom time on air with these wrecks, especially if you are doing a double dip on any of them (Silent World and Conch Republic Divers both schedule double dips on deep wrecks).

 

[mselenaous]

I dove with Silent World last April in Key Largo. We had excellent weather and good to excellent viz. If you go with Silent World, don't miss out on the fresh fish tacos between AM and PM dives at the little restaurant at the marina. It's super casual-- you can sit at the bar in your bathing suit with your wetsuit tied around your waist. You probably won't need Nitrox to dive in Key Largo because most of the dives are very shallow, but it's a handy certification to have, especially when you go back to Bonaire and do repetitive shore dives or when you are doing a couple of moderately deep dives in a day (or so I have found...)

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That little restaurant is Shipwrecks...yummy

Happy Diving!
Elena

 

[Allison Finch]

I am also a fan of Looe Key. I would not miss it. It is shallow, so it sometimes gets blown out by rough seas which will destroy the vis. However, on good days, the fantastic surge channels make for a great dive. Definitely check it out.