Dive Review of
Rainbowreef/Ramada Inn in
The Continental USA/Islamorada, Florida Keys

Bermuda, Morehead City, NC., Bahamas, Mexico, Ft. Lauderdale.

Dive Conditions

1hr time limit, 500psi, no wet suit needed in summer months.   

Boat provided a camera bucket, no dry table or recharging station. 
Understandable- day charter.    

Overall Rating

This is my third annual trip to the keys.  I must say I love it.  Good
weather, good food, diving is above par and destination is still in USA. 
This is my second year with Rainbowreef dive center.  They have a location
in Key Largo and Islamorada.  DJ runs a good business and nice website
(rainbowreef.us).  One of the only shops in town that provide a guide free
of charge.  Guide allows my group to concentrate on photos not navigation. 
Capt. Dan was a good host.  We had a group of six and had chartered our own
boat (Tropical Explorer) for 6 dives.  Islamorda diving is all shallow.  If
you hit 40 feet you brought a shovel.  Shallow dives allowed for bottom
times to exceed 1hr.  Capt. Dan and DM were cool since it was our own boat.
 Saw more sharks, eels, and turtles then ever before.  We also saw twin
squids, twin Ramora, sea spiders, scorpian fish, giant grouper, sting rays,
southern sting rays, barcuda, and all the small reef fish you can name.  My
group saw more then six or seven nurse sharks, a reef shark, and a bull
shark.  Green and spotted eels and hawksbill turtles.  One juveinle turtle
let us photo him for more then 5 minutes.  Sites included Hamerhead, Davis,
Patch A, The Aquarium. Bigfoot, Camile/Rocky2, and Hens and Chickens.  WE
stayed at the Ramada Inn in Key Largo (set uo through Rainbowreef). 
Typical hotel with ok free continental breakfast.  Pool and hot tub at the
Holiday Inn (next door) are nice and available to Ramada guests.  Company
is laid back and sponsors an internship program.  Air fills were 3000 psi
most of the time.  Boat offers bottled water and cookies during SI.  Boat
is equipted with O2, life jackets, marine radio, and coast guard approved. 
Cell Phones work from dive site as well.  Food in the area is great not
overpriced.  Try Hobos and Chilly Willies- good sandwiches and wings.  I
prefer the summer months as opposed to the winter months in reference to
diving.  Can easily get blown out in the winter months. Vis. averaged 50-60
feet but on Hens and Chicken dropped to about 20 feet.  Hens would be a
really cool dive if it would have been better vis.     

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