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Dive Review of Islamorada Dive Center/Marriott Key Largo in
The Continental USA/Islamorada, Florida

Islamorada Dive Center/Marriott Key Largo, Aug, 2013,

by Mary McCombie, CT, US (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 25 reports with 17 Helpful votes). Report 7084.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 3 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Islamorada Dive Center is unusual for a Keys operation because they are all about service--carrying your gear, storing and washing it, setting up your tanks--while also providing divemasters in the water as well as experienced crew on the boat. I particularly appreciated manager Eric Billips's perfect willingness to let us use his private steel tanks, since we are both WIMPs (Warm Intelligent Marine Professionals) who wear 7mm suits. A fat steel 100 Nitrox limited bottom time only by conditions. The diving in the Keys can be a real vomit comet if you are motion sensitive (like me) and you need to be prepared to ascend the ladder with vigor as the boat bucks. The dive center, like many others, supports REEF and we went on two lionfish termination dives; though we were terrible at it, the dive guides were patient in teaching and we learned a lot. This was by far the classiest dive operation we have used in the Keys, and that includes pricey Cheeca Divers. I salute Islamorada Dive Center.
The Marriott Key Largo is a big resort, not as nice as their urban hotels, but the beds are darn comfortable and the rooms are clean.
Websites Islamorada Dive Center   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving pretty much everywhere warm water
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy, surge, currents
Water Temp 83-85°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 5-40 Ft/ 2-12 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Common sense and conditions, with a time limit suggested.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
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 N/A

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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