Dive Review of Conch Republic Divers/Bay Side Inn in
The Continental USA/Key Largo

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Conch Republic Divers/Bay Side Inn, Feb, 2013, by Terence Taylor, MD, US ( Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 6920.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food	N/A
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The focus of the trip was wrecks- the Spiegel Grove, Duane, Eagle and a few others. Typically we dove a wreck first in the morning, and a shallow wreck or reef in the late morning or early afternoon. The first several dives were fairly difficult, with 6 foot seas, strong current and low visibility- not the place for a novice. We were fairly horizontal on the downline and one diver lost their mask on the safety stop due to her snorkel. The crew was fabulous, laying out proper lines, making the dive as reasonable as possible (the day before I arrived and the several days following our departure dives were cancelled). The third and fourth days, the seas calmed to 3 to 4 feet, and the visibility improved to 30-35 feet. The last morning of the 5th day the seas calmed, and we had 65 foot visibility on the Eagle. I will say that in the more challenging conditions, beginning divers should not make these dives. When it calmed Friday and Saturday morning, as it evidently does during season, these would be excellent dives for all divers. Reefs were nothing stellar but interesting, with some macro opportunities and considerable schools of Grunts other similar fish, a turtle or 2 and a couple of Nurse sharks. Several of the divers partook in lobster hunting- they found a couple, but it evidently was a little early in the season to find a lot of them. The DM did take some time on the dock and showed us how to properly prepare the lobsters including deveining. Since it was at the fringe of the season, which starts Valentines Day, the operation worked with other dive ops in the area that had only a diver or two to get enough to have the boat go out. One day they had 2 or 3 divers with contradictory agenda (which we were able to influence). They called all of us several times, and developed a 3 dive agenda that started at 10:00am that accommodated everyones priorities. I doubt this would happen with full boats in the middle of the season, but was impressed that they were sensitive to our diving goals while we were there. I brought all of my own equipment including tanks, and they happy hauled my equipment around with the others and very reasonably dropped the trip price- something I have not always experienced in the past. I did 9 dives in 4 trips, and the price ran about $365 including 28% nitrox fills (6 fills). I was throughly impressed by Conch Republic, and hats off to an operation that made it enjoyable on land and at sea. While I have not dove other operations in the area, I will be staying with CR in the future. As to the hotel, my only comment is the price was a little cheaper than the other hotels. We have already booked for next February, and the Marriott, this far in advance, is only $10 per night more. Both my wife and I found the beds uncomfortable, the rooms were large enough but needed some maintenance, it included a small refrigerator and microwave, the breakfast included plastic wrapped bagels, danish, cereal, coffee and juice- I don't ask for much more, but it was rather sparse. The pool has to be the smallest pool I have seen, although it was clean and wet, and there was a small beach facing west. The best part of the resort is that it was next to Snooker's, a very pleasant outdoor restaurant/bar with excellent Happy hour prices on drinks and appetizers and offered 10 percent off if you stayed at the note. The Hotel is about 9 miles from the dive operation and is located with walking distances to many business such as supermarkets, drug stores, dive shops, restaurants, etc (mile marker 98). It is one of the hotels recommended on the dive operations website, and I would recommend passing on this location.
Websites	Conch Republic Divers
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Cozmel, Riviera Maya, Curacao, Cayman Brac, Bahamas, Florida, MD, MA
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, cloudy	Seas	choppy, currents
Water Temp	75-78°F / 24-26°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	15-65 Ft/ 5-20 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	500 psi on board. Depth was limited by MODs, but specific nitrox %s were available to accommodate each wreck.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	This trip was focused on wrecks, so the "Subject Matter" reflects that these are excellent wrecks to photograph, especially when the visability is better. The Republic Diver, a 38' boat, is not set up for photographers- no photo table but did have a photo rinse tub, which they made quite clear to keep your mask out of. I take a collapsable cooler that I carry my outfit in. Since the boats only had 5-11 divers, there was plenty of room on the front shelf for dry items and my camera. We were just at the fringe of the season- with a full boat divers would be problematic. The crew knew how to handle cameras and were fairly knowledgeable about them. There were no photo supplies in the dive shop, but Diver's Direct is across the street from the hotel, which had some supplies.

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Dive Review of Conch Republic Divers/Bay Side Inn in The Continental USA/Key Largo

Conch Republic Divers/Bay Side Inn, Feb, 2013,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Conch Republic Divers/Bay Side Inn in
The Continental USA/Key Largo