Dive Review of John Pennekemp State Park Dive Center/private condo in
The Continental USA/Key LArgo Florida

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John Pennekemp State Park Dive Center/private condo, Jun, 2006, by Linda + Steve Tolf, MA, USA ( Reviewer 3 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 3068.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	We have been diving with the crew at Pennekemp State Park for three years and always have a wonderful dive experience.Captains John and Jim have lived in the area for many years and are extremely knowledgeable about the Florida Keys reefs and their inhabitants.They do a thorough safety and dive briefing and conduct several roll calls each trip.The large 50 foot aluminum catamaran features easy front entry and two side ladders for exiting the water. This is a great boat for a group or family with mixed dive experience.Each trip features 2 dives with a meximum bottom time of one hour.Surface intervals are 5 or 10 minutes. As is the norm in the Keys,there is no divemaster in the water but private tours can be arranged.Diving in the Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary is very easy and relaxing. Depth rarely exceed 40 feet and although the coral has taken a beating in the last few years due to hurricanes and disease there is prolific fish life! During one memorable dive we spotted a southern sting ray,nurse and reef sharks, a green turtle, schools of large barracuda and a 6 foot goliath grouper!Eagle rays, moray eels, large angels and all phases of parrotfish are seen as well as jacks, spadefish,and spotted drums. The Pennekemp Dive Center also offers scuba classes.We have taken the AOW certification as well as specialty courses here and were extremely pleased.Instructors Tom and Pete are very professional and knowledgeable.They truly love diving and their passion for the protection of the reefs and its inhabitants is quite evident.We always look forward to diving with the Pennekemp crew on our visits to Key Largo.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Cozumel, Maui, Aruba, Cancun, Grand Cayman
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather		Seas	calm, choppy
Water Temp	80-84°F / 27-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	1
Water Visibility	50-80 Ft/ 15-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	One hour dive or return to boat at 500 PSI.Come up at least once during the dive to check on location of boat.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	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
Large Pelagics
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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Dive Review of John Pennekemp State Park Dive Center/private condo in The Continental USA/Key LArgo Florida

John Pennekemp State Park Dive Center/private condo, Jun, 2006,

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 John Pennekemp State Park Dive Center/private condo in
The Continental USA/Key LArgo Florida