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Dive Review of Quiescence Diving Services/Bayside Inn Key Largo in
The Continental USA/Key Largo

Quiescence Diving Services/Bayside Inn Key Largo, Apr, 2009,

by Patrick Wikstrom, NC, USA (Contributor Contributor 14 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 4795.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food N/A
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling 3 stars
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments Key Largo - Quiescence Diving Services & Bayside Inn

Our three days of diving Key Largo w/ Quiescence was a pleasant easy diving experience. Their shop at MM 103 on the overseas hwy has three six pack boats directly behind the shop making for easy gear loading. Boats were adequate for six folks but in the 5 to 6ft seas on the last day folks started chumming and there wasn’t enough space under cover to keep everyone out of the sea spray. Private dock has gear rinse tank, fish cleaning station, two outdoor showers, and covered picnic tables. Capt John, a life long Keys native had wonderful stories to tell of the early days in the Conch Republic and provided friendly, professional boat trips and dive briefings. Dive shop had the standard rules of no deep diving without advanced card & recent deep experience. The only deep sites they do are the Spiegel Grove, Duane, and under duress the Bibb. Deep reefs further south and other wrecks are too far for them to bother with. Shop had changed my site reservations and was offering up three days of the Spiegel Grove. We got ‘em to at least put a Duane trip back on the agenda. At 510ft long the Spiegel Grove is an interesting wreck and definitely worth a few dives. Down about seven years it has a surprising accumulation of coral and sponge growth, schools of reef fish, Angels, Spadefish, big Cobia, Barracuda, and Goliath Grouper. There are 8 mooring lines on this wreck and it can get awful crowded down there when there’s a fleet tied up. Lots of easy penetration throughout the ship with various companionways opening up multiple decks for exploration. The Duane was still in good shape since I’d last seen it seven years ago. The swirling Barracuda at the crows nest is still a picturesque vision when seen from below with the sun shining down through the water column. Vis on the wrecks was about 60ft –water temp 77 with moderate currents. Shallow reef dives Molasses, French Reef, and the like were still pretty fishy with 25’ to 30ft vis. Swaying sea fans, healthy brain coral and small stands of regenerating staghorn and elkhorn coral offered hopeful signs amongst the bleached white skeletons of past reef glory We saw a nurse shark, eagle ray, mating porcupinefish, crabs, lobster, trunkfish, grunts, goatfish, snapper, copper sweepers in the swimthroughs, and most of the rest of the Caribbean regulars.

The Bayside Inn Key Largo was a wonderful surprise. Just a couple of miles down from our diveshop this property had a nice stretch of white sand beach with two jetties for boats and swimming, a couple of hammocks, swaying palm trees, a decent pool, and a great beachside bar next door at Snooks’s Restaurant. Their happy hour offered cheap doubles from 5:00 to 7:00 followed by a wonderful sunset overlooking the bobbing sailboats in the bay. Our room was clean, freshly painted, had a big screen TV, refrigerator, coffee maker, hair dryer, clock radio, big bathroom, and all utilities functioned flawlessly. At $128 per nt including taxes this place was well worth it. Although we didn’t try it until the last night their award winning asian seafood restaurant Sushi Nami was absolutely fantastic. The menu was extensive, service superb, and the sauces served with main and side dishes were spectacular. Giant portions of really fresh sashimi and sushi were probably the best we’d ever had and reasonably priced. We’d have eaten there every night if we’d discovered it sooner.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Bahamas; Belize; Bikini Atoll; Bonaire; California; Cancun; Cayman Brac; Little Cayman; Cocos Isl; Costa Rica; Cozumel; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Florida- (springs, west coast, keys); Galapagos; Indonesia; Massachusetts; NC; Palau; Puerto Rico; Roatan; Saba; Socorro; South Africa; St. Kitts; Thailand; Truk; Turks & Caicos; TVA lakes; Yap; Yucatan Caves;
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy
Water Temp 76-78°F / 24-26°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 35-60 Ft/ 11-18 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions come up with 500 psi, no deco diving, 2nd dive 1hr max
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 2 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities 2 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities 3 stars
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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