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Dive Review of HMS Minnow Dive Charters/Key West Inn in
The Continental USA/Key Largo

HMS Minnow Dive Charters/Key West Inn, Feb, 2010,

by Richard Visser, MI, US ( 2 reports). Report 5366.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 3 stars Food N/A
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Second time diving with Captain Jeff....first time was in 2003. Friendly retired cop. He runs a nice, small operation. Nice, fast, 6 pack covered boat. For our 3 days of diving, my wife and I were the only two divers on the boat. We left for the dive sites by 8AM, before the cattle boats had departed. Jeff gives a briefing on the geography of each dive site, and then turns you loose for as long as you want the dive to last. We arrived at Snappers Ledge by 8:15 and saw massive schools of fish to the extent that in places the reef was actually obscured. On this one dive we saw several lobsters, a large green Moray, 3 different types of filefish, as well as the vast variety of Caribbean reef fish. After 55 minutes underwater, we were heading back to the boat when my wife beckoned me to her, and pointed out a 6-7 foot nurse shark sleeping peacefully under a coral ledge. We got as close as 3-4 feet away before it casually swam away, revealing not one, but two Highhats that were also lounging under this ledge. Sheesh! We've traveled all over the world, but I had forgotten how good Pennekamp diving can be....especially when you are the first ones to the dive site. Jeff has an arrangement with the Key West Inn where rooms are available for $99/night. It's a renovated, older hotel. Rooms are clean, and staff is friendly. All rooms are townhouses with 2 stories...ideal for families. Mom and dad get the upstairs bedroom, up to 3 kids can sleep down. 2 bathrooms, 2 tv's, kitchen. They are on the same channel that Jeff has his boat. Doc's Diner is a must. Huge sandwich platters for only $7.50. The cuban sandwich had meat piled almost an inch high, with a humongous batch of fries and some coleslaw. I had enough left over to take home for supper.
Websites HMS Minnow Dive Charters   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Palau, Fiji, Caymans, Bonaire, Curacao, Belize, Guanaja, San Salvador, Provo, etc.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas choppy, surge
Water Temp -°F / -°C Wetsuit Thickness 5
Water Visibility 40-50 Ft/ 12-15 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

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

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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