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Bob,
I can’t look that far in advance, but I take my boat down to the Keys pretty often. I’d be very interested in staying down in Big Pine and exploring that part of the Keys. Most of my diving is done off Islamorada but I have trailered the boat as far S as Key West. Also done Looe Key and a couple of mystery spots that the guy who was with me knew about.
The boat accomodates four divers (see my pics) in reasonable comfort and I have v. experienced dive buddies who can join us for a day or two. Let’s stay in touch and see if the schedules work out.
I like to shoot fish so let me know if that is an issue.
Patrick
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No real shore diving in the Key’s other than Emerald Lagoon in Key Largo.
Beware of Looe Key Reef Resort, there diveboat does three dives about 200’ apart, limits time and the crew only seems interested in selling chicken dogs and other food. Snorkelers hang on ladders so you can’t get back on. When you get back to the dock the nazi makes everyone stand in line so she can inspect your gear to make sure it’s not her rental gear. Prices I was charged for dives was always higher than posted and dispite what sign said air was not included if you bring your own tanks plus I was charged for two fills I didn’t get but your results may vary.
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Hey Lat, somehow I get the impression that your experience at Looe Key Resort was, shall we say, less than satisfactory? hehehe
Seriously though, just two weeks ago, two members of a dive club that I belong to told me that "those guys have a bad attitude"! It was a real bummer because they turned around - without diving - and drove right back to Miami. I was considering staying there anyway, but your comment definitively puts an end to that idea.
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That sounds great grouperman I will keep in touch and let you know anytime i am heading down the keys. I have no problem with spearfishing i tried it once on a 4 day outing off the dry tortugas I wasn’t very good at it but it was fun trying to shoot fish. I did get a couple of hog fish and shot an amberjack that got off the spear. I saw your pics nice boat! I will say where my house is in big pine there are two bridges to go under to get to my 60ft concrete seawall the smallest is 10ft at mean high tide but from the pics it looks as if your boat would go under it no problem at all and we can park the trailer in my yard out front. My house is pretty close to picnic island where everyone who owns a boat seems to go and have a few beers after diving or fishing! Never dove with looe key but did dive with innerspace and pennekampe. The best thing about looe key is the happy hour half priced domestics and 1/2 price appetizers! I don’t get to go diving nearly enough but soon enough i will be in big pine full time and plan on doing a lot more diving! My place has 3 beds and a couch so 4 can stay with no problem and I have an air mattress just in case its needed.
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Well Bob, I can see we’re going to be doing a bit of diving off Big Pine.
I’ll see if I can get some ’off the beaten track’ spots from an old friend who used to live down there. This guy took us to a ’seamount’ somewhere off Ramrod Key that rose from 85’ in the sand to 18’ at the top. There were schools of snook at the bottom, grouper and snappers in the caves along the sides, and loads of tropicals on the top.
I think the T top needs less than 7’ clearance, so the bridges should not be an issue. Oh, and it would be nice to have some freshly speared grouper grilling while taking advantage of the happy hour half priced domestics, hehehe Let me know when you’re headed down and we’ll plan accordingly.
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I had good experience with looe key resort & have nothing bad to say about them & would do it again if i did not have my own boat. Remind me when it gets closer & I will see about coming down I spend about 2 weeks a year on big pine or I should say the waters around big pine so I know it pretty well lol you can never know it well enough as the waters are always a changing!
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It would be great to join the group ! Please let me know if there’s room for one more !
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plane tickets are purchased rental car is reserved I will definitely
(hopefully depending on the weather) going to be doing some diving in
the keys this September.
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