south florida snorlkling

[2004jeepoutlander]

next week we will be goong to florida. viera/cocoa beach/melbourne area. but we will be going to the upper keys and miami for 2 days. What are the best places to see some nice reefs and fish in the miami and key largo area.

 

[cwegescheide]

John Pennecamp state park. A little past the Key Largo Marriott. They have a couple charters that take people out to the reefs there. Just went there over Memorial day weekend. Its pretty nice. Much better than Key West I can tell you that. Lots of beautiful fish and soft corals, sea fans and some elkhorn hard corals. I havent been snorkeling too long but I liked it.

 

[2004jeepoutlander]

how far is loe key from miami?

 

[TriniReefer]

Curious

Curious

Hey where in the cocoa beach/melbourne/viera area are you going scuba diving?Very curious what is there to look at there?I live near viera and cocoa beach and been curious what scuba divers look for.

 

[thor32766]

yeah pennecamp is amazing, its what you picture reefs to look like. They protect it to no end and you can tell.

 

[2004jeepoutlander]

im no going snorkelying in coca im stsaying there but we are going to south florida for 2 days.

 

[2004jeepoutlander]

Yea i was thinking of penne kamp and loe key.

Trini reefer.Im not going snorkelying in coca im stsaying there but we are going to south florida for 2 days. btw the shuttle launches on saturday right?

 

[DirtySouth056]

Loe key I believe is near Big Pine, which is a few hour drive from Key Largo, its not the distance as much as the 35-45 speed limit. hope this map helps. There are hundreds of dive shops along the road in the keys, as US1 is the main road. Pennecamp would be your best bet!

Sorry for size of pic.

 

[2004jeepoutlander]

wow very helpful. thanks im thinking either pennekamp or looe key now thanks just got figure out if its worth the extra drive to looe key.

 

[thor32766]

yeah pennecamp is the best for what your looking for!

 

[Steve M UK]

It's not worth the extra drive - the John Pennekamp State Park has the best coral and fish in my opinion.

 

[2004jeepoutlander]

well it loos like we wont be able to drive as far as the keys the farthest we would be able to go is miami maybe . is there anyplace to go beside bath tub reef in west palm beach?

 

[cwegescheide]

Key Largo is really only about another 45 minutes or so from Miami.

 

[thor32766]

yeah key largo isnt far from there, but if its not possible you dont have much choice unless your wanting to rent a boat or taking a charter, all the really nice real reefs are quite a bit off shore. There is some great reefs off Ft. Lauderdale, so thats not all the way down south. But again you would need a boat.

 

[conchead]

the best dive in the keys for snorkling is sombraro reef out of Marathon, the reefs in the upper keys are getting alot of runoff from the glades and aren't looking as good, just my 2 cents.

 

[hockeyjimm]

There's a small but nice reef right off of the beach South of Melbourne in Vero!
Vero Beach Dive