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 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]
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 677 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 0.12 seconds