Last year I dove with Ocean Encounters and would definitely go back with
them.

I will be in Key Largo going out with Sea Dwellers from June 19-25.  The
Local Dive shop set this trip up and from what I have heard, Sea
Dwellers is a good outfit also.

I dived the Speigel Grove with a nice, professional guy called Dave Hartman
in January, his operation is slightly grandiosely called Fantastic Endeavors
(www.fantasticendeavors.com). He used Ocean Divers' boats
(www.oceandivers.com), and they seemed to be very well-run.

I only had one day in the Keys between New Orleans and LA, but really
enjoyed the diving, which isn't world class but certainly beats Dorset. Saw
lots of big barracuda at a fascinating 'finger' reef called North North
Rocks.

Cheers, Benedict.
--
Include the co to reply to me.

Key Largo is an awesome place to dive!  I recently dove the Duane and
it's an experience I will not soon forget.  I only wish I had taken a
camera. Anyway, for great dive locations and information, check out:
http://www.divespots.com/scuba/site-key-largo/destination.info

I highly recommend Ocean Divers. The wrecks (Spiegel Grove, Duane) might
be a bit much for the newly certified, but OD has two boats and one of
them always goes to the shallower, easier to dive reefs.

Great crews and boats. Tell Tori I sent ya.

gc

The Key Largo area has a little bit of everything, from deep wrecks and
reefs, to shallow, colorful and densely populated patch reefs.  The wrecks
tend to be a bit deep for beginning divers, so I suggest you concentrate on
the reefs.  That is, after all, what first drew divers to the Keys.

Most of the operators in the Keys are good.  Available services range from
large cattle boats to smaller, more custom operations.  Which you chose
depends on your personal preferences and what is available when you plan to
go.  Making reservations in advance is a good idea if you prefer smaller
boats and more personal service.

I've used a number of services in the Key Largo area.  Spencer Slate's
Atlantis diving is interesting if Spencer is aboard.  He makes the trip.  In
my experience, they tend to go to the most frequently visited, and most
heavily impacted sites.  Their reef choices aren't really bad, but they
don't agree with my preferences.  I like bright and colorful reefs.  They
seem to focus on high fish density.  As I recall, Spencer runs larger boats
with more divers.  I've also used American Dive Center.  Their site choices
tend to be more to my liking, but, as I recall, they operate larger boats
with more divers too.  A friend, Popeye, in fact, introduced me to Silent
World.  They run a smaller boat and more custom trips.  Their close tie to
PADI "rules" put me off a bit, but to their credit, after stating the rules,
they let us dive as we chose.  We were diving the Spiegel Grove and planned
for a deeper and longer dive than they would recommend.  If they had
enforced them, their rules would have interfered.  You won't have that
problem.  I have no problem recommending them to recreational divers.

A bit further south, in Islamorada, Quiesence and Conch Republic Divers both
have a good reputation.  I've never heard anything bad about either.
Quiesence runs a smaller boat.  I've met the folks at Conch Republic and
enjoyed the experience.  If their attitude in the shop represents their
attitude on the boats, they should be a good choice.

Lee

I'd consider either Ocean Divers (big loads of 33 divers on each boat, if
that many show up) or Quiessence (6-pack boats). I wouldn't consider either
Duane/Biib or Spiegel Grove for your kid's first ocean dives.

Both ops will have a boat that is doing 2 shallow reef dives on each morning
and afternoon trip.

I was in Largo not to long ago and though the reefs are a bit torn up, the
fish life is fantastic and for some reason they are getting more pelagics
close in. We had Carribean Reef sharks and Spotted Eagle Rays on each of our
6 dives, and one Hammerhead at Winch Hole, to go along with the multitudes
of fish and critters that have always been evident in and around Molasses
and French reefs.

I think it's a great place to take your kids for their first ocean dives.

Scuba Do has a 34' boat parked just in front of the Ocean Divers boats. They
take 10 divers and only 10 divers. I frequently recommend them. They run a
very friendly operation and go out their way to make the trips great.
http://www.scuba-do.com
Shallow sites: Benwood wreck & French reef.

Scuba Do has a 34' boat parked just in front of the Ocean Divers boats. They
take 10 divers and only 10 divers. I frequently recommend them. They run a
very friendly operation and go out their way to make the trips great.
http://www.scuba-do.com
Shallow sites: Benwood wreck & French reef.

You have plenty of dive advice, but on travel you would probably do well to
take The Florida Turnpike, in which case you should bring a roll of quarters
to get through Miami.  I seem to remember about four toll booths to get
through Miami, at 75 cents each (they are 50 cents if you have a SunPass).
At Florida City, you might consider taking a left on Card Sound Rd to avoid
possible backups on US 1 if they raise the draw bridge at Jewfish Creek.  It
backs up for miles, although in all of the times I've traveled US 1 into Key
Largo it never happened....only on the way back north did I see it backed up
for about seven miles.

George