Key West Information

• Key West is the southernmost city in the United States and one of the hottest vacation destinations in the country. Located 90 miles from Cuba and 180 miles to Miami with only 10 square miles in area there is more fun packed in this small island than you will ever think is possible. In 1938 the Overseas Highway was built in order to connect the Florida Keys to the Florida mainland.
• The local Airport is located about 180 miles southwest of Miami International Airport and only 12 minutes from our store, the largest scuba gear shop in the South Florida Keys(Map it). Many flights are routed through the Miami International Airport but nevertheless some airline carriers like Continental, Delta Connection/Com Air, United Express, and US Airways are some airlines that offer direct service to the Key West Airport. Check your airline carrier for more information.
• The population of this southernmost city is 25,478. Elevation is at 25ft. Average rainfall is about 40 inches. Average Winter Temperature is 69 degrees. Average Summer Temperature is 84 degrees, great to enjoy our amazing dive sites.

Key West Area Attractions

• Places To Stay- From luxury hotels to quaint bed and breakfasts, there is a hotel to fit your vacation plans and budget. Many of these are located near our dive shops in Key West, FL. If you are looking for a luxury hotel try the Pier House Resort and Caribbean Spa or the Hyatt, all these been only minutes away from our Dive Shops. If you are looking for smaller accommodations try the Marquesa Hotel or the Victorian Island City House, both of these are also a few minutes away from our dive shop. Contact your local travel agent for more information on hotels in the Florida Keys.
• Places To Play- Key West is known for the famous Duval Street which is located within walking distance from our dive shops. Lined with boutiques, excellent restaurants, and other entertainment venues it is a popular spot among travelers. This place is also rich in history from Ernest Hemingway’s former home to Harry S. Truman’s Little White House there is something to explore and learn more about. Many other activities include Trolley Tours, Ghost Tours, Glassbottom Boat Tours, Sunset Cruises, and many other water sports activities. There are so many options you will need a vacation to recover from your Keys vacation.
• Places To Eat- Seafood is the primary food choice down in Key West due to the abundant amount of fresh seafood that is caught by commercial fishing fleets on a daily basis. Recommended seafood restaurants would be A&B Lobster House, Green Turtle Inn, or Marker 88. If seafood is not your thing there are many other options. If Europe based culinary dishes are of interest to you, then check out restaurants like Café Des Artistes, Alice’s at La Te Da, and Café Marquis. Try Caribe Soul for their Caribbean based dishes.

Key West Scuba Diving

After visiting the best of all scuba diving shops in the Florida Keys, why not go for a dive! Check out these great spots.

• Looe Key (East, West and Deep)- )- The East section of this Key has a depth range of 10-35ft. The West section of this site has a depth range of surface – 35ft. The Deep Section of the Key has a depth range of 40-80ft. This area is easy to navigate as the ridges and channels are still present. Use caution as strong currents are common at this reef location. Due to the fact that this is a Sanctuary Preservation Area, this means no fishing or lobstering in this area. Since lobstering is not allowed in this area you will see an abundant amount of spiny lobsters. In the deeper parts of this site you may be lucky and catch a glimpse of a reef shark, jewfish, and spotted eagle rays. More common sights would be barracuda, jacks, yellow-headed jawfish, parrotfish, surgeonfish, loggerhead turtles and many more.
• Sand Key- According to locals Sand Key changes with the weather patterns. You will get a different dive on any given day. Expect to see grouper, barracuda, and loggerhead turtles. Elkhorn and fire coral are also abundant. Beware of fire coral as this may cause burning and itching if you come in contact with fire coral.
• Cayman Salvager- depth is about 90ft. This 187 ft tender was used as a Coast Guard vessel but was later used for freighting. The US Government seized this vessel because she was carrying Cuban refugees. After being seized, she unexpectedly sank. The plan was to raise the Cayman Salvager and sink again elsewhere to create an artificial reef in 300 ft of water. However, the Cayman Salvager again prematurely sank in it’s final resting place which is about 90ft. Many tropical fish, bar jacks, and silversides have made this wreck their home. It has also been reported of a 200 lb jewfish and a 6ft green moray eel sighting.
• Sambo Reefs-depth range of 10 – 40ft. The Sambo Reefs have 3 different areas: Eastern, Middle, and Western. This is another Sanctuary Preservation Area so lobstering and fishing are prohibited. The Sambo Reef line is well know for its diverse marine life. The Western Sambo average depth is 25ft. Divers can expect to see branching coral, elkhorn, staghorn, and many tropical fish.