The Best Weather For Scuba Diving And Snorkeling In Key Largo
Youre coming to Key Largo with high hopes, right!? Exploring our amazing coral reefs and wrecks. Saying hello to coolest sea creatures. Enjoying the sun, the sea and the sky of the Florida Keys.
Basically, making happy memories that will last a long time.
At Lucky Fish Scuba, our private scuba, snorkeling and eco tours are designed to deliver those memories, with our amazing boat, fun crew, and all the snacks!
One key ingredient for a magical day on the water in the Florida Keys is the weather.
The best kind of weather for scuba diving and snorkeling on the reefs off Key Largo is calm and clear. A little breeze is great in the summer to keep us cool. Sunny skies light up the coral and all the creatures and spotlight the famous underwater statue of the Christ of the Abyss.
Our catamaran-shaped boat is designed for stability and handles waves very well for a vessel its size.*
Good times
Heres how we keep track of the weather, and the guidelines we use when planning trips from day to day.
Where we look for Key Largo diving and snorkeling weather conditions:
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Largo
No diving trip to the Keys would be complete without a day exploring the waters of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, where divers can experience the colorful, living coral reef and see the famous Christ of the Abyss, an 8.5-foot-tall replica of the bronze cast of Jesus Christ in the Mediterranean sea, submerged offshore in about 25 feet of water. Scuba diving tours and rentals are available directly through the park.
Best Reef Dives In Key Largo
The many reefs of Key Largo are as varied as the people that live on the island. Each one seems to have a unique personality and offer its own hidden treasures . Tropical fish are in abundance as many of these reefs have been marine sanctuaries for over twenty years. As anywhere else, there are areas where the coral is struggling.
The Coral Restoration Foundation has spent a lot of time and effort in planting at many of these reefs and educating our visitors about the importance of caring for our ocean.
This combined with the fact most dive crews are now providing reef safe sunscreen on their boats and making an active effort to discourage the use of toxic sunscreens by customers has definitely had a positive impact on the ecosystem. New growth is being observed in many areas and those reefs that were negatively effected by Irma, bounced back very quickly.
When it comes to varieties of fish, Key Largo is a fish nerds dream with over 15 different species of parrotfish alone. Sharks, turtles, and southern rays are year round residents and eagle rays spend late spring through fall cruising the reefs. Even occasional hammerheads have been spotted.
French Reef is known for having a plethora of swim throughs. Most dive operators stick to the shallow portions of this reef which are around 45 ft deep at the most. This is also one of those reefs where a guide is highly recommended.
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The Sea Dwellers Advantage:
Dive Key Largo
- Its your vacation dive at your own pace. We dont rush your trip, you get over an hour at each dive location.
- Custom-design your schedule around Key Largos largest menu of options in North America for diving and training.
Weve Never Forgotten that Key Largo Scuba Diving is Fun!
- At Sea Dwellers we never forget that you are here to have fun, so you can maximize your vacation enjoyment.
Boats
- We dont pack boats to their limit plenty of elbow room No cattle boats. Florida Keys diving should be relaxing and fun!
- Friendly, expert dive masters and crew provide personal attention. Most of our employees have been working with us for many years or more!
Convenience
- Our Full-Service Dive Center is just across the highway from the Resort, and your boats are in the Dive Resort Marina, just steps from your room!
With your Sea Dweller Staff, safety is born of skill, local knowledge and professional training
- Your safety is our number one concern.
- Our divemasters, captains and crew are among the best on the island, and they arent newbies to our Center.
- Attentive service from well-trained crews.
- Full safety equipment on every boat.
Uss Spiegel Grove Wreck
A Florida Keys diving trip wouldnt be complete without stopping by the USS Spiegel Grove wreck. This impressive ship sits 6 miles off the shore of Key Largo. Measuring a whopping length of more than 500ft , many experienced divers say it is nearly impossible to truly experience this dive site in one dive, or even two. Once in active duty, this decommissioned landing ship dock Navy vessel offers extraordinary immersive diving opportunities for advanced divers. Beginning at a comfortable minimum depth of 60ft , divers can explore various light to light passageways to depths of 100ft or more. It is important to note not all areas of this wreck are safely accessible, even with advanced certifications. That said, there is more than enough impressive area to explore safely.
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Volunteering At Coral Restoration Foundation
The Coral Restoration Foundation is the largest coral restoration organization in the world, restoring Floridas reef for many years. The organization invented the coral tree, an effective technology thats proven to be one of the best ways to grow significant amounts of corals in a short time. Scuba divers interested in making a difference can volunteer for CRF where theyll learn how to cultivate corals, select them from the coral nursery, and bring them to their designated reef.
Places To Stay In Key Largo
Key Largo offers many options for accommodations, ranging from the posh Key Largo resorts to a modest Florida camping site. If youre diving in Key Largo, you can rough it and camp in John Pennekamp State Park, next to some of Key Largo beaches.
You can also choose some of the national Key Largo hotels, such as the Holiday Inn Express, the Marriott, the inexpensive Bayside Inn, and the Courtyard by Marriott Key Largo.
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Best Dive Shops In Key Largo Florida Keys
Florida diving trips are always on the brain for lots of our Girls that Scuba members. Weve already covered the best dive site in Key Largo, but it would be rude not to answer the people who are crying out to knowthe best dive operators in Key Largo.
Whether youre travelling with family, taking a giant stride into technical diving, or youre after an intimate small group to dive with in Key Largo, weve got you covered. Read on to find out everything you need to know on the best dive operations in the Florida Keys!
Best Dive Shops In Key Largo For Small Groups
If its a small group youre after for your Key Largo dive packages, look no further than Quiescence Diving Services, who also offer snorkelling trips for non-divers. They pride themselves on taking divers to off the beaten track sites, and being a go-to shop for equipment servicing in the Florida Keys.
For a truly personalised small group choice, check out Lucky Fish Scuba Key Largo. Owned by one of our very own Girls that Scuba Facebook group members, theyre always especially excited to host GTS guests! Whilst we havent dived there personally , we love their flexibility in bookings and ability to create a schedule which suits your diving needs. Their well-equipped boat can host up to four divers and two non-diving guests, so your snorkelling pals or family members can tag along too.
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John Pennekamp State Park
This state park is a great location for Key Largo snorkeling.
Suffice it to say, camping in the heat when you have to do a couple of days diving in Key Largo is not a great idea. We ended up spending our third night with a friend who, sanely, spent her night at the Holiday Inn Express.
But, of course, you can always come back to do your water activities here. John Pennekamp State Park has one of the best sites to do snorkeling in the Keys.
Scuba Diving In Florida Must See: The Spiegel Grove
Arguably the most famous and one of the best places to scuba dive in Florida, only one word can be used to describe the Spiegel Grove as Immense. The ship is enormous, measuring an impressive 152m/500ft long. She is an utterly vast wreck that needs to be dived more than once to do her justice.
The Spiegel Grove was sunk in 2002, approximately 6mi/9.6km off the coast of Key Largo. She lies on the seabed at a depth of 100ft/30m, while the top deck starts at a much shallower depth of 60ft/18m. due to the depth of the dive, it is ideally suited for advanced/experienced divers, and since most of the dive is conducted below 60ft/18m diving, the Spiegel Grove is the perfect Nitrox dive.
Over the years, the wreck has become home to a wide range of fish, and slowly and surely, she is becoming covered in sponges and corals. Diving the wreck, you can regularly encounter parrotfish, silversides, jacks, and barracudas.
One thing to remember about the Spiegel Grove is that not all areas of the wreck are safe to explore. Due to the danger, deeper penetration into the wreck is not recommended even for divers with advanced diving certification.
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Key Largo Diving Best 2021 Guide
Key Largo, Fl is known as the scuba diving capital of the world for good reason. The United States has approximately a third of the worlds scuba divers that all have easy access to this amazing scuba destination, but that is not what makes Key Largo diving special.
Key Largo is part of the third largest barrier reef system in the world and the largest reef system in the United States. It also contains several wrecks to visit, including the third largest artificial reef in the world, the USS Spiegel Grove.
It is no wonder that people from all over the world come to visit. Use this site to learn more about diving in the Keys, but remember the busy season in Key Largo is between November and March. Keep that in mind when planning your next scuba vacation.
The average high temperature is just above 80 degrees with the lows settling in around 70. Between April and November temperatures in the mid to high 80s or low 90s are common and lows tend to be close to 75 degrees give or take. The coldest months are December through March, but even then you are likely to hit 80 degrees on some days with lows in the mid 60s. Dont forget hurricane season runs from June through November.
Dont worry, we have it all organized for you to go directly to what you are looking for. So, go ahead and read on and feel free to share this page with your friends and family. Happy Diving!
A reef Shark we saw while diving near the Christ of the Abyss statue in Key Largo, Fl.
What Are The Best Places For Scuba Diving In Key Largo
Mers preferred diving spot is the USS Spiegel Grove. It is a huge ship that spans 510 feet from head to stern and 84 feet across the beam. The wreck has seven mooring balls on it. Divers reach the superstructure at around 65 feet below, where it is submerged in 135 feet of water.
Between 85 and 90 feet is the main deck. As a result, the plunge is progressed, and the current could be powerful. There are several swim-through tunnels, but its risky to enter the wreck. The Spiegel is located approximately 5 nautical miles offshore and is where almost all commercial charters depart from. In one of the internal swim-throughs, look for the Spiegel Beagle insignia, which is painted on the floor and features Snoopy on an alligator.
Looking for a shipwreck in shallow water? Take a look at the Benwood. One night in 1942, both the merchant marine ship and the other ship were blacked out in order to evade German U-boat detection. In water that is between 25 and 45 feet deep, The Benwood is situated between French Reef and Dixie Shoals.
The Christ monument is a must-see location and is regularly captured by both amateur and professional photographers. The dive is shallow and is part of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This is ideal if you are traveling with non-divers, but it makes for a very busy site most days. Additionally common are night dives, particularly in August and September around the full moon when the coral spawns.
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The Diving Capital Of The World
The waters of Key Largo are perfect for all water activities explore the winding creeks by kayak, set off on a sunset cruise or take to the skies on a thrilling paragliding adventure. However, the treasure of Key Largo lies under the oceans surface, amidst the fragile, colorful coral reefs, unique shipwrecks and diverse marine life with over 500 different species of fish, from the impressive schools of blue-striped Grunts to toothy green Moray Eels. It is here you will discover some of the best diving in the world and get a true sense of why Key Largo is known as The Diving Capital of the World.
Key Largo Diving Centers
Coming Soon! We have not used every dive operation, but we have used several. For the most part, the people have all been fantastic. The main differences will be the dive sites that are visited,the size and number of boats and dives scheduled per day and sometimes the skill level of the other divers on the boat. We will break down our observations while diving in Key Largo.
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Best Dive Resorts In Key Largo
As well as being fantastic for families, Pirates Cove also tops our list as one of the best resorts in Key Largo. We know lots of divers enjoy having all elements of their trip in close, walkable proximity, and resort-based dive shops really excel in this area. As we mentioned, being on the site of a large resort means that you have everything your family could need right on the doorstep of your accommodation.
Another dive resort which comes highly recommended within the GTS group is Amoray Resort. Known for their friendly and accommodating dive crew, Amoray has recently undergone a refurbishment and offers a relaxing environment as the base of your diving holiday. Like most resort dive settings, they offer great combined packages for your accommodation and diving, as well as options for completing courses during your stay.
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
What are people saying about scuba diving near Key Largo, FL 33037?
This is a review for scuba diving near Key Largo, FL 33037:
“I went to sail fish based on the location near where I was staying and the great reviews. I had never tried scuba diving before and while generally up for new things was a little nervous. Chris set me up with an intro type course. Both Chris and Mike were warm and welcoming. Mike, who taught me, was incredibly patient and an excellent instructor. Looking forward to my next outing with Sail Fish!”
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Scuba Dive Florida Like You Never Have Before
Whether you are visiting the Florida keys on vacation or a local looking for some time in the water, scuba diving in Key Largo with Silent World is an amazing adventure that you cant pass up! Located about 60 miles south of Miami, Key Largo lives up to its name of the Diving Capital of the World, as it is a bucket-list item for thousands of scuba divers. While scuba diving in the Florida Keys, you can explore the only living coral reef in North America and a wreck site in the pristine waters of Key Largo. Connect with nature and feel your stress melt away during your four-hour trip.
Best Dive Shops For Dive Equipment Sales In Florida
You never know when you might need to pick up a new piece of dive equipment on a trip, so its important to know the best place to buy scuba gear if youre in the Florida Keys. Divers Direct Key Largo comes highly recommended by the divers in our community. Boasting the widest variety of equipment in the area, and also offering air fills and equipment servicing, its an obvious choice for your dive gear needs. Bonus – it sits on the doorstep of many of the hotels in the area for super easy access!
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Usns General Hoyt S Vandenberg
At 522 feet long, the United States Navy Ship General Hoyt S. Vandenberg is the second-largest ship ever intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef. The 13,000-ton Vandenberg lies seven miles south of Key West at a depth of 165 feet, drawing divers from around the world to explore the seemingly endless spaces within the ship, including 11 elevator and cargo hold shafts and 18 stairwells. Adventure Watersport Charters and Lost Reef Adventures are among dive shops that offer trips to the Vandenburg site.