Fl Keys

[ReelDive]

Just got back had a great time dove the Spiegal Grove with Sea Dwellers It looks really neat upright.viz was 40+ and no current. We got lucky. 80ft to the deck 130+ to the sand but all the kool stuff is on top anyway.

Need some numbers for dive sites where I can use my own boat. Also the location of some of the public ramps would be great.

[Putershark]

Here is the link to the Florida Public Reef Locator http://marinefisheries.org/ar/reef_locator.asp
Just choose your county of choice and hit enter... Some of these I dumped into Excel and resorted for faster viewing and one I rebuilt was for Monroe County (The Keys) if you would like to have a copy it is attached to this note.

The State also has Boating Guides (Chart Type) for some parts of the Sate that you can order for free and they some ramp location information and you can order them off of this page
http://www.floridamarine.org/products/products.asp along with some other free DVD's and such on the same page

Enjoy!
Dave

[Genelie]

Oh am I jealous,....I plan on a vacation next year, not sure if it will be the keys or back to Mexico.....I leaning on the keys.....because it is here, no passports needed.

[ReelDive]

Thanks Putershark Didn't know about this resource. Most of the Panama City/ Bay County (artificial) reefs are listed on the MyFWC.com sight.

[ReelDive]

Was hopeing for natural reefs as I'm pretty much a photo bug. Not that I have any thing against spearfishing---- I even own a spear gun----The rubber is pretty much sun-rotted from being left on the boat though!

[AstroDiver]

ReelDive
We used the FREE boatramp on Islamorada at the Indian Fill Key. It's not really a ramp like we are use to but it worked great......and it was FREE.

If you like taking UW photos, you might want to check out some of the forums at www.scubaboard.com on the subject.

I want to find out where the anchor buoys are attached on the Speigel Grove so next time I go down there, we can wait and get one that is located where we get on the ship at a shallower point. We got stuck on the bow at 92 feet and used up our air too fast. There wasn't anything to see there either.

French Reef was great with swim throughs and bunches of Cleaner Shrimp in there too. Lots of critters. We dove with Amoray Divers in Key Largo for the Speigel Grove and French Reef.
Other days we did Alligator Canyon, Davis, Croker and Hen & Chickens Reefs from my boat.

Later...leave nothing but bubbles.....

[AstroDiver]

....and also ReelDive, if you want to see some of my UW photos, go to www.pbase.com/astrodiver to see some of my Bonaire shots.

[ReelDive]

Bonaire is on our wish list. Is as gtreat as the dive mag,s make it out to be??

[AstroDiver]

You bet!
I wore a 1mm full wetsuit the whole time. I get cold easy and didn't want chill my body's core.
All the shore diving you can stand. I would walk 3-7 steps into the water and then fall down. [my balance isn't what it use to be] If you can go off a dock, that's better.
I took my best shots where the bottom was flat. With macro, it would be real hard for me to shoot on the wall, as it's at a steep slope with a lot of vertical growing soft stuff to run in to. The water was 85*F in early October with the air temps about the same.
Get on www.BonaireTalk.com and read. Also, check out the Reef Cam. Remember, Bonaire is one hour ahead of EST, so it maybe dark when you view it.
We stayed at the Sand Dollar Condos. We did a trip with the Atlanta Reef Dwellers Scuba Club. www.atlantareefdwellers.org
If you are into Geocaching, there are a bunch there.