Among the things I like about Key Largo SCUBA diving is its diversity of diving opportunities. In fact, they don't call Key Largo the SCUBA Diving Capital of the World for nothing.
The Long, Long Reef
First of all, the Florida Keys is only place in the continental USA where you can dive on a living coral barrier reef. Running anywhere from one to eight miles offshore on the Atlantic side, the Florida Keys reef tract extends from Key Biscayne up near Miami all the way to the Dry Tortugas, some 70 miles west of Key West. That's around 221 miles
There's something for everyone
Whether you're a novice diver or a salty old pro, Key Largo has something for you.
Novice diving
New divers will especially appreciate the many shallow reefs and the several shallow wrecks (including the Benwood at about 40 feet and the City of Washington at about 25) of Key Largo's waters. A shallow reef or wreck dive is a great place to practice newly acquired skills in a relatively safe environment.
And, if you're a formerly experienced diver who hasn't “gotten wet” in a long while, a shallow dive can be a good chance to re-orient yourself to the open-water world of SCUBA.
Advanced diving
If you're an advanced diver and have “the lust for deep rust,” you're in luck. Key Largo offers quite a few challenging wreck dives, including the now-famous Spiegel Grove, a 510-foot Navy ship scuttled in 2002. She sits upright on the bottom at a depth of 134 feet, but her highest point is around 60 feet under the surface.
Besides the Spiegel Grove, there are the Bibb and the Duane, twin 327-foot Coast Guard Cutters, resting on the bottom at 135 feet and 125 feet respectively. These were sunk in 1987 off Key Largo near Molasses Reef to provide more artificial reefs
Average water temperature in Key Largo
Average water temperatures (all temps in Fahrenheit) around Key Largo can vary from around 69 degrees in January, 79 degrees in April, 87 degrees in July, and 82 in October.
Best ways to dive in Key Largo
There are many ways to go diving in key largo. You can Take your own boat. Rent a boat. Or go on a guided tour.