Dive Review of
Ocean Divers, Sea Dwellers, Conch Republic Divers/Bayside Resort in
The Continental USA

Southern California, Western Pacific, Caribbean,

Dive Conditions

Time (60 min) Wrecks (fat logbook or guide)  

[None]  

Overall Rating

Key Largo: Bayside Resort: Ocean Divers, Sea Dwellers, and Conch Republic
Divers, September 30-October 10, 2006, Jay & Sheila Harmer
(jbsaharmer@prodigy.net), Burbank, CA Experience: >1000,  275 dives. vis
25-55 Feet, water 84 Fahrenheit, Currents 1-2 knots, except on wrecks.  All
these operators all have good boats w/t marine heads, fresh water showers,
oxygen, etc. and all provided full fills.  Ocean Divers had the friendliest
crew w/t complementary fruit drinks, and used steel tanks, Conch Republic
the best diver briefings, in fact sometimes to long and detailed, with Sea
Dwellers, the best overall.  We dove the reefs of Penekamp Park that are
all about 30-45 minutes from the dock to the moorings. All these operators
limited the reef dives 60 minuets with the bottom at 20-35 feet.  All good
dives but I was surprised the general lack of marine life in an area that
has been protected so long.  We were “weathered out” two days due to wind
and chop.  In addition, we dove three times on the Spiegel Grove, a
purposely-sunk U.S. warship that had been extensively prepped for diver
safety, at 70-110 ft and could have gone deeper.  These dive sites took
about an hour to reach and always had some current in the 2-4 kts. range
and once with a sharp thermo cline to 72 F. 

Bayside Resort was clean, well managed, reasonably priced, & diver
tolerant with tile floors & plenty of towels.  Not much room for gear
to dry but the outside railings were acceptable.  It has easy parking,
small pool to swim or test gear, small sand patio area and dock for sunset
celebrations and a good central location with several dive operators,
grocery, drugstore, laundry, & ATM all within four-block distance. 
Nice music & entertainment provided by waterfront restaurant next door.
 

Surprises:  To dive the wrecks (Grove, Duane, Bibb) you need a fat logbook
>100 dives (indicating a dive of 80ft or greater in the last 60 days) or
advanced diver certificates. If you do not meet the above requirements, you
must arrange for a guide at extra cost.  In addition, we were suppressed at
the $10 charge for a medallion permit to dive the wrecks.  While we believe
that dive operators and the wreck association have every right to set
unique conditions for their diving operations we wish these restrictions
were stated in their advertisements.  
 

Questions?
Send an email to the author of this report

What others have to say about Undercurrent
And get immediate access to ALL 415 dive reviews of The Continental USA
and all other dive destinations immediately!