Main Menu
Join Undercurrent on Facebook

The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975 | |
For Divers since 1975
The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975
"Best of the Web: scuba tips no other
source dares to publish" -- Forbes
X
 

Dive Review of HMS Minnow in
The Continental USA/Key Largo, Florida

HMS Minnow, Jul, 2009,

by David Lindaman, MO, United States ( 1 report). Report 4983.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude N/A Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments After skipping a year of diving, I was glad to get to Key Largo and get wet. I chose to dive from the HMS Minnow, which is moored at the Holiday Inn docks. Capt Jeff Jarvis runs a nice little six pack boat. I dove 5 days and the boat was never full. Capt Jarvis is a one man operation. He lets you dive your own profile and is happy to take you to the deep wrecks as long as it is arranged prior so he doesn't book a novice on the boat at the same time. The HMS Minnow leaves the dock 30 minutes before most of the big boats so you usually get first pick of the mooring balls. Capt Jarvis gives thorough briefings prior to each dive. His boat is equipped with the necessary safety gear. He is very safety conscience and will not take you out in undiveable conditions just to get his payment. If it isn’t safe, the boat doesn’t go and you don’t pay. He will work hard to find you a dive site with good conditions, twice we arrived at the planned site only to find vis and current were not good. Capt Jarvis contacted other dive operators on the marine radio and went to several other dive sites to ensure we had a safe and fun experience. I have dove with other operators in Key Largo, and many are good, but I find the HMS Minnow to be the best little six pack on the island. It is the perfect platform for new divers, expert divers and diving families; all for no more cost than the large boats.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 51-100 dives
Where else diving [Unspecified]
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy, surge
Water Temp 82-84°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 40-60 Ft/ 12-18 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Back on the boat in an hour or at 500 psi
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

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

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]
Was this report helpful to you?
Leave a comment (Subscribers only -- 200 words max)
Subscribers can comment here
 

Subscribe Now
Subscribers can post comments, ask the reviewer questions, as well as getting immediate and complete access to ALL 695 dive reviews of The Continental USA and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

 

Want to assemble your own collection of The Continental USA reports in one place?
Use the Mini Chapbook Facility to create your personalized collection.

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.

Undercurrent Home


Get more dive info like these and other important scuba updates sent monthly to your email.
And a FREE Recent Issue of Undercurrent

Free Undercurrent Issue
Get a free
monthly email and
a sample issue!


Find in  

| Home | Online Members Area | My Account | Login | Join |
| Travel Index | Dive Resort & Liveaboard Reviews | Featured Reports | Recent Issues | Back Issues |
| Dive Gear Index | Health/Safety Index | Environment & Misc. Index | Seasonal Planner | Blogs | Free Articles | Book Picks | News |
| Special Offers | RSS | FAQ | About Us | Contact Us | Links |

Copyright © 1996-2024 Undercurrent (www.undercurrent.org)
3020 Bridgeway, Ste 102, Sausalito, Ca 94965
All rights reserved.

Page computed and displayed in 0.1 seconds