Need dive advice Ft Laud -> Key West

[mnestroy]

In late October I'll be going to Boca Raton to visit family.

We also plan to spend 2 nights in Key West.

So i've never been scuba diving in FL, the only place Ive been is here in Illinois (nothing to brag about, and darn cold!)

I'd rather see fish and coral, sunk boats don't do much for me

So any advice would be greately appericated on any sites near Boca Raton/Ft Laud and also in the Keys.

Thanks!

 

[Grunt]

Jupiter Drift Diving is awesome.

I can get you operator info if interested.

Looe Key is an underwater marine sanctuary...some depths are rather shallow, but makes for a nice long dive, good for pictures too.

I typically dived alot around marathon/big pine....some other spots in mid lower keys. Depends on the operator you go with.

Key west if you go that far has some good diving.

Ft Laud has some good diving also, more wrecks though.

 

[floridafishgal]

Boca actually has great diving at both the 30 and 60 ft reefs. There are also some ledges and just all around cool reefs.

Force E website might give you an idea of some of the dive sites: http://www.force-e.com/index.shtml

Dixie Divers in in Deerfield and lists some of the local sites as well:
http://dixiediver.com/shopping/

If you want to do an easy beach dive you can go off the south side of the Commercial Pier in Ft Laud.

I guess the point is that there is really great diving off Boca, Deerfield, Pompano, Ft Lauderdale, etc! Pretty much wherever. I have used south florida diving headquarters alot but they are more Pompano Beach based. (http://www.southfloridadiving.com/)

Have fun. : )

 

[tankdvr]

Ya, who needs wrecks when you can dive the 727 at mermet .

I was diving in Pompano a few years back. We used South Florida Dive Headquarters and we were very happy with the trip. I think we did 8 or 10 dives while we were there and they were all pretty good. I'd try to book trips on their smaller boat, and avoid any dives that are combined with snorkelers. The dives were the snorkelers were still good, but you stay so shallow that you can stay under for well over an hour. That earns you some ugly looks from the snorkelers when you get back on the boat and they've been out of the water for 30 minutes or so.

Also, if you dive there, tell Captain Dick (yes, that's his name) that the guy that got him caught in the horrible storm says hello.

 

[casademurphy]

Rainbow Reef is a great company that I go diving with every time I go home.

http://www.rainbowreef.us/

The people are great! It's in Key Largo. Lot's of cool stuff to see, including Oscar, the 600 lb grouper!!