Scuba Divers? Florida Keys Info?

[jamoore]

Any other divers on board? Where, what type of diving?

Getting ready to plan a winter trip to the Florida Keys for some diving. Been many times but always had a bigger crew going. This year just 2 of us going. Looking for any suggestions on where to stay. Looking for something clean and reasonable in the upper keys. We will be diving Tavernier Key and the Key Largo area mainly. Any suggestions or experiences?

Also, in the past we dove a lot with Tavernier Diving, always had good experiences even after they changed owners. Any one dive with others there, good, bad, experinces.

Really looking foreward to diving the new wreck there, the USS Speigel Grove.

Joey

[stvhelm]

I just got my scuba certification this past summer. I have'nt been to any real nice places yet. I only went local. the visibility here is only around 10ft on a good day. Ive been thinking about a trip down south to do some diving where the visbility is forever. I get sport diver magazine and there are so many places to go down there. The under water pictures are incredible. I wish I could help you but it looks like youve been diving alot more than me. maybe you can recommend some places for me.

[jamoore]

Thanks for the reply Helmut! I really like to dive shipwrecks especially ones with a little history. I am in Virginia near the coast and we have a lot of wrecks offshore. Problem is it is pretty shallow so you have to go 30 miles or so offshore before you get 100' + . There are wrecks in closer but they have been dynamited and wire dragged because they were obstructions to navigation. Nothing but twisted scrap. Visibility is also not the greatest here as well.

I have done quite a bit of diving in North Carolina as well. They have a ton of wrecks there. Visibility is much better there and the water is warmer (Gulf Stream comes in closer there). Nags Head/Cape Hatteras has some decent diving. Only a few dive operators there. Morehead City is further South but also has a ton of stuff to dive there as well. Bigger dive operations there as well. There are 2 German U-Boats off Carolina. One near Nags Head and the other off Morehead. They are really cool to dive. Lots of other wrecks as well.

The Florida Keys are probably the best places to dive in the US. Some really good wrecks although most were sunk as dive sites. They are big and intact. They have a brand new site there. The USS Speigel Grove which is 500+ feet. I really want to dive that one. It came from the James River Reserve Fleet here in Newport News. I can see the fleet from my office window. I ride around the ships in my boats all the time and have been waiting for the Speigel Grove to get to Florida for 5 or 6 years. There are tons of dive shops and charters in the Keys also. Upper Keys are better in my opinion.

You guys have loads of wrecks up your way as well. Never been there but have read about them. Conditions seem to suck though. Deep dives, cold water, and crappy visibility. Definite technical dives.

I am no expert by any means but have been diving for a few years. I am Master Diver certified and also Cave certified. Have a few friends who are instructors as well. If you ever need any info for places I have been just hollar. Always glad to share info. If you ever head South to dive give me a shout as well. Maybe we can hook up on a dive trip.

Joey

[H2Onut]

Key largo and Islemorada, Loo key are the Hot spots, key Largo is J Pennekamp preserve. Some good wrecks also. The Bibb , The Duane. Current can be a REAL issue though. The Eagle is also a nice dive but cvan be in some current. Alot of real nice reef dives.

Any diving in the Keys is Great.....

Captain Slate is reputable, as is Tavenier Dive Center.

PS DO A NIGHT DIVE...Un freakin real what you will see.

[jamoore]

Have done all the popular wrecks in the keys. Duane,Bibb, Eagle,t-Bolt, Joe's Tug, Cayman Salvor, Benwood, ? The Duane is my favorite of these. You are right about the current but they have them all set up well.

Never done the Speigel Grove and also never got to the Busch. Tried to do the Busch two years in a row and got blown out each time. Shop cancelled out due to conditions. Not many choices on shops for trips to the Busch. By chance have you done the Busch and if so is it worth trying to do? Lost a day of diving last two trips trying to do it.

I gave Capt. Slate an e-mail to chek their prices/package deals. Always liked Tanernier, very laid back, They are charging $15 extra a trip to run to the Grove. Apparently you also have to buy a medallion to dive the Grove as well. Getting pretty pricey!

Usually we have a pretty big group going and we chip in and rent a place. Makes it reasonable. This year only two of us going so we need a hotel/motel type deal. Looking for a clean reasonable place if you have any recommendations. Doesn't need to be 5 star, just clean. Only sleeping there, don't need a resort, we are here to dive.

Joey

[Scott]

NAUI open water I and II. Last dive, Floridas' "Blue Grotto" first dive, Bermuda wreck dive....damn if I can remember the name of the wreck...it's the wreck they used for the filming of the movie "The Deep". They dumped a bunch of glass bottles around it to film the movie, it's one of the few wrecks that a rec. diver is allowed to bring things up from.
I haven't been down for years, I had a blood clot next to my heart a few years ago, in the hosp. for a while, they never really discovered the reason for the clot. I got to say, I've been scared as hell to go back down since then. With the proper sit time there should never really be a problem, I guess I'm just paranoid.

[jamoore]

Hey Scott: I have been to the Blue Grotto a few times. How about the Devil's Den across the road? Ever been there? It is cool also. Will probably stop there again on the drive to the Key's.

Sounds scary about the clot. Doesn't sound dive related though but I am no Doc. I try to dive very safe, use Nitrox a lot but on air tables, good safety margin. Always, always ascend SUPER slow. Add a few minutes to your safety stop. The older I get the more cautious I get. Read too many stories of divers taking a hit well within the acceptable profile and they don't know why. Oh Yeah, always stay very hydrated. I pee 2 or 3 times a dive in my suit.

Joey:D :rolleyes:

[Scott]

Scary for sure. I woke up, left arm was stiff, had a hard time bringing it up to wash in the shower that a.m. By noon a big black and blue bruise began to show up, got bigger through the day went to the hosp at about 3 pm, admitted at once. The docs did ask if I had ever been dehydrated, I said no, but you just brought up the hydration issue? I took the NAUI course because of their more stringent safey / dive tables. I got to thumb through my old textbooks but I don't remember hydration being discussed. Makes sence since yer breathing dry air. Even so it was months after my last dive which was the Grotto. I never tied the clot to diving at the time. It was later on that I began to say no to trips. The local dive shop does the Jersey coast for lobster, Would be a hoot!
The grotto was a blast! DEEP dive! We did a drift dive somewhere in Fla. I'll have to check my log to find out where! Also did one w/ the Manatees at my parents place. Drift dive was sweet, crystal clear water just bubbling up through suggar white sand, what a sight!

[airide18]

Ive got a advanced open water and a cavern classes.Ive dove the T-bolt and the uss speigal gorve.That is one bigg as boat th uss speigal grove but beuty underwater.The t-bolt is cool to but you have to hit it at the right time,the current is extremly strong though there at times.