Ocean Divers Key Largo 7/17 - 7/22

[LRDWILDER]

So my buddy and I decided that we would go with our LDS PG Dive to Key Largo for the long weekend dive trip with Ocean Divers and staying at Marina Del Mar. The LDS charged $550.

First we all were left to our flights which suited us just fine. The LDS also offered a number of rental cars for the 15 people on the trip. My friend and I decided that we would rent our own car as not to have to depend or set schedules with others. We flew into Miami and rented an SUV for around $300.

We set off and did the hour drive to Key Largo and Marina Del Mar. Arrived at Marina Del Mar with no problems and checked into our room with no problems. My buddy and I shared a 3 person effeicency with another diver on the trip. There were two pulldown beds and one cot....We got there first so we took the beds. Overall the rooms were clean enough, very well air conditioned and fit the bill for a decent dive weekend. Always made up when we came back and no lost gear or property. A nice sliding glass door onto the walkway with chairs to sit and smoke and have a beer!

Ocean Divers the next morning. Went up and signed releases and paid the extra $10 for the Wreck Medal required to dive on the wrecks.....Personally I'm not sure that this isn't just another scam but we were required to pay it so we did! Planned on doing two AM dives 1 on Speigel Grove, one on Shallow Reef. Then two afternoon dives both reef.

My buddy and I dove Nitrox 32% for every dive our LDS was paying 1/2 for it in exchange for us not taking a rental car. A fair enough deal I supose, it worked out to about $35 for the Nitox by the end of the trip. The OD fills were not done very safely I felt and really weren't all that great. First, they were always filled in front of us, always hot filled and always done in less than 5 minutes! They filled 80cf lp steel tanks. After fill the guy put the guage on and without looking once always said 2600 psi, next he did the 02 anal in front of us, it was always 31. something...never a clean 32 always off a bit. I know thats the way with Nitrox but still not cool. Had to ask for labels to put on the tanks to identify the mix's and who's they belonged too. Not cool!

We then carried the tanks on board while crew watched us, not exactly the way I would do it when I was DMing. We'd set up, and the Cpt started up the boat, and the DM did give a very good saftey briefing of the boat and saftey features. They own two boats very similar in nature. Both in good shape and quick in the water. A fairly staple diving platform overall. BUT way too crowded for my liking. The LDS had told us in the begining that they had chartered the boat, not true. Rather they had reserved the spots on boat. So what went from a 15-20 person trip was crammed with 32+ divers! They did have enough weight for everyone on the boat, but the wrong breakdowns! Almost all 5#, 6# 4# very few 2# 3# 1#, which in such warm water is really what was needed. We each dove with about 8# and by the end of the trip ditched the weights as the tanks are 6# anway! They had water on board for everyone, an o2 kit and first aid kit. They did have a marine head nice for those emergencies! Two ladders and bungee tank holders.

We arrived at the Grove under IDEAL conditions. No current, no swell or waves and the water almost like glass...Something I've never seen in my last 6 dive on the Grove. They hooked up to moring ball port side amidships. Put a leader line to the moring and my friend and I splashed first! Good viz of about 50-60' no current at depth and about 82 deg at 80'. We went straight to the supper structure and all the 3 upper deck swim throughs. Saw some great things too many to mention. The resident Goliath Grouper was haning out Starboard side near the gun turrets watching everything! A nice easy ascent and good saftey stop!

Then we went to French Reef for 2,3,4. Dives. Basically for the rest of the trip we were condemed to The Wreck of the Benwood for 4 dives and French Reef for 4 more! It sucked. So sick of French Reef.

The idea was for us to dive Duane and Grove at least twice more, they haven't been to Duane in last three weeks they said because of current. They don't even go to the Bibb anymore they said. They wouldn't go to the Eagle at all and always brought us to the Benwood each time and called that a wreck.....Ok Ok it is a wreck, but a very sad and small one that I have done now way too much.

We did make it to the Grove 1 more time.....The problem was that they had 36 people on board! WOW....AND there was a slight current 3 knts on the line...Not really bad...BUT they allowed an instructor with two young ladies who were doing there deep cert to splash first...What a mistake.....the instructor gets to the line with his students and goes down..We splash second and head for the line. These ladies are taking forever to get down the line...Will not let us pass them, and each time we try the flip over and basically kick us...It took 9 minutes to get down...Meanwhile there instructor took off and was waiting for them on the deck. It caused a huge back up on the line and everyone was getting pissed. Once on the wreck we then only had about 25 minutes or so at depth.....Really then when we went to head back to the boat on the moring line, the girls were doing an extended saftey stop breathing from a stage bottle( I think one ran out of air!) This time I said screw it....put on the jon line and stayed as far away as possible.

There were other times we attempted to dive the Grove with full boats and there were 4 other boats attached to morings and the Cpt said the current was too much and again back to French or the Benwood! I am convinced it was more because of the lack of exp of good divers. They basically take almost anyone, they "ask" if you have your AOW...never asked to see a log book or anything more than a C-Card. I showed my DM card, but my friend wanted to see if they would ask and just showed them his OW card, they never actually wanted to see anything.

Overall very disappointing trip, wanted to do wrecks and ended up on reefs....better than not diving at all, but not what was expected. Did 11 dives in 4 days.

One other things, some decent food around the area, Largo Cafe for Italian was decent, Coconuts at Marina Del Mar is very overpriced and quite rude. The Fish House was really good and so was Waffle House ( I know its just we don't have them in Mass!!! LOL)

Hope this helps!

[diverrex]

Maybe it's the time of year. I dove with Ocean Divers in March and there was always less than 10 divers on the boat. Then it's a nice big boat for 10. I can image how crowded with 36! Benwood is ok a few times but I agree it would get (relatively) boring after many more. Seems like you have as much of a complaint against the LDS's planning as you do against Ocean Divers.

[LRDWILDER]

Well its difficult to blame either place......it is sort of a combination between the two...The LDS definately led us down the garden path, and OD definately had some things I found to be a little sketchy.

[waytooslow]

wow glad you posted this thanks