Florida Road Trip - WPB and The Keys

With a slight easing of the Corvid-19 Lockdown I was able to jump off for a 3 week road trip to South Florida. West Palm Beach is just 3 hours out of Orlando, and has fantastic diving. I followed up WPB with island hoping the Keys – diving throughout.

I expected to be in the South Pacific or SEA around this time – but the World-wide lockdown of 2020 has blocked travel. So its old-school time – a Florida Road Trip.

I got in 20 dives - at a leisurely pace. Practiced my photography, enjoyed Classic Florida. Wow, I love that Florida is my home. The Keys are a nice backyard!

WPB diving offers plenty of plenty. A shock to many divers that have never explored here. The drift dives in the Atlantic Gulf Stream can be technical … just enough for a fun challenge… They offer tons of Sealife; Goliath Grouper, Shark, Turtle, Moray. And the Wrecks are an added bonus – with several interesting ones to explore. The coral is mostly small’ish soft coral and sponge, fans – but clearly thriving.

The Herron Bridge shore diving was another WPB surprise. I’ve known about this dive site ‘forever’ – but never dove it. I’ve been to WPB many times, just not for shore diving. Well !!! amazingly – the shallow Bridge dive, in 10-12ft. of water holds hundreds of Macro photography subjects – with lots of light. Unfortunately - It can be a bit crowded with divers – not cool. But just pick your moments,,and find Frog Fish, Seahorse, Crab, Lobster, Tropical Fish, more…and. more. Even an Eagle Ray. Shocking to find all this here. Bring you Camera! It might be a cool night dive – I need to try it when the Pandemic Gods permit.

My Blackwater night dive is another highlight of WPB. Diving in 710ft of water, in the Gulf Stream late at night, pitch-black. I drift at 40ft of depth, for 5 miles along the Florida coast. About 3 miles off WPB. Wow… another world comes alive. Jellyfish by the hundreds. Zooplankton, Hydrozoa – another photography practice session.

Leptothecata (Crystal Jelly), Ctenophone (Comb Jelly), Siphononsphore (Hydra) are everywhere – exotic life, symbiotic cleaner shrimp and Damselfish living under the Jellies. A magic light show.

The day-time Wreck drift diving of WBP is excellent. Jump from wreck to wreck, following the current. I could do that dive 10x. Pura Vida Dive Center is a great local shop, and their boat/crew are first rate. Vis as often outstanding at 60-80+ft. (But some dives it can drop to 30.). Summer is here, water is warm. But sometimes the rain can limit viz. – a little luck a perfect dive is due.

After diving WPB, enjoying my West Palm Beach Gardens hotel and WPBG’s ‘Downtown’ Restaurants – it was time for The Keys.

First stop was Tavernier Key, I dove out of the Tavernier Marina with Conch Republic Divers. The owner – Captain Gary was fantastic (helped with perfect accommodations) ! I was able to dive a few deep-water wrecks here. The Eagle – off Matecumbe Key, and the Spiegel Grove off Key Largo. Both where hugely fun !!! about 110-120 ft. Unfortunately, No-Deco diving with my group. So, short bottom times. Still, great exploration and challenges. The current was up in each case, but the visibility was OK – about 40ft.

Pushing onto Ramrod Key – I stopped and dove Looe Key Marine Sanctuary. I used a basic operator/hotel (Looe Key Resort and Dive Center). The reef is very shallow, and easy to dive. My daytime dive there was outstanding. The reef was colorful and healthy, lots of Sealife and great photographs. Looe Key’s reef looked as healthy as I’ve ever seen a Florida Reef. The night dive as a little disappointing – I think we got-in too early. And as-required – while in this part of the Keys; I stopped at No-Name Pub – and said Hi to a few Key deer.

Onto Key West. I dove the Vandenburg with SouthPoint here. Another big wreck. A troop carrier from WWII – at 140ft. in depth. Similar to the Coolidge in Vanuatu - just shallower, and cleaned-up for easy recreational wreck diving. Great viz, no current for my dives there. Fun wreck dive. Wish I could do some Deco-diving on this wreck – plenty to explore. It may require your own boat to Deco here - I couldn't find any shops that would take me on a deeper-longer dive of the Vandenburg (they are afraid of the insurance risk)

I stayed in a Bahama Qtr. Guest house in KW and rented a bike – perfect. Old-time memories of my hundreds of visits here. I was always visiting KW in another life. Captain Don often had his boat here, I had friends living here – It was my backyard. Lots of stuff closed just-now from the Corvid-19 panic. Captain Tony’s, Green Parrot – closed. But still, the vibe is amazing. I love this place. I’ll always come back.

After KW, I looped north heading back to Orlando. Stopping on Ramrod Key for more diving, and in WPB for more diving yet.

I loved my Florida Road Trip. If the world does not open international travel over the next few months …. I may take another summer Florida Road Trip. No excuse not to walk-about in your backyard.