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Dive Review of HMS Minnow/Ocean Point Suites in
The Continental USA/Key Largo, Florida Keys

HMS Minnow/Ocean Point Suites, Jul, 2002,

by David W. Lindaman, MO, USA . Report 45.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments The HMS Minnow is a “six pack” operation owned by Jeff Jarvis and his wife Betty and is docked at the Key Largo Holiday Inn. Jeff is the captain and Betty serves as the First Mate, so this is definitely an owner operated business. If you are looking for a small dive boat, offering personalized service, you should try HMS Minnow. Jeff gives you thorough briefings and answers any and all questions you might have. Jeff does not put a dive master in the water with you; he treats you like responsible, adult divers and lets you do your own thing. Jeff’s only dive profile restriction is that you be back on the boat with 500 psi. For an additional cost, Jeff will supply a local guide or instructor if you make prior arrangements with him. This was my third dive trip on the HMS Minnow. As has been their past practice, Jeff and Betty went out of their way to make this an exceptional trip. Seas were rough the first two days, Jeff made many radio calls and physically checked conditions at several locations in an attempt to find the best dive locations given the poor weather. The seas were just as rough the second day. After the first two dives on the second day Jeff could see we were beat and even though we had reserved his boat for the afternoon, he suggested we cancel and recuperate for tomorrows diving when the weather was forecasted to improve. We eagerly agreed and he did not charge us for the cancellation even though he had turned people away in order to accommodate our reservation. When we returned to the dock from the second morning’s diving, I observed two people approach Jeff and ask him if he had any openings for the afternoon. Even though his boat was available, and several other dive boats docked in the same area were actively signing up divers for that afternoon, Jeff told these people that the conditions were too bad to do any quality diving. He could have easily taken them out and profited from their misery. By monitoring conditions and being flexible, Jeff was able to put us on the USS Spiegel Grove, twice with no current, 90’ of vis, and not another dive boat in sight. When one person in our group had a high pressure hose fail, Jeff helped out by loaning him his personal reg. set. I will definitely return to dive with the HMS Minnow again. You can contact Jeff at www.hmsminnow.com, or (800)366-9301, or (305)451-7834.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 26-50 dives
Where else diving [Unspecified]
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy
Water Temp 80-82°F / 27-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 30-90 Ft/ 9-27 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Back on the boat with 500 PSI
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

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