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GENERAL
INFORMATION
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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| Do you offer
shore diving?
The
living reef requires a specific depth of water to thrive.
In the keys, that depth is only available about 5 miles
offshore. For this reason, a boat is required to visit the
reefs.
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| Are you near
the beach? / Where is the beach?
The
barrier reef system protects the "islands" from waves,
so we do not have the shore erosion which creates beaches. Some
hotels bring in truckloads of sand to create beaches, but in the
upper keys "natural" sandy beaches are rare. We are
located on Port Largo Canal, giving us direct access, and
shorter travel time, to the ocean and the reefs for diving. The
shoreline is solid "rock", as the Keys are actually
the "old" reef.
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| Do you dive
in Pennekamp Park?
Technically,
no. Dives are conducted in the Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary. The major reefs are from 3.5 to 5 miles offshore, in
"federal" waters. The Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary includes all of the world famous dive sites such as
the Christ Statue and Molasses Reef. Years ago, most boats
visiting the reefs were docked at Pennekamp Park so many assume
that the famous reefs are "in" the park. The
"state" waters only extend 3 miles from shore.
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| Does a
divemaster lead the divers?
Normally,
our crew does not make the dives. Most sites are relatively
shallow, and by law you're required to stay within 100
feet of the dive flag (flown on the dive boat). If you want
a guided dive we can provide an instructor or divemaster.
The cost is $50. Since this requires a member of
our staff, we ask for 2 weeks advance reservation.
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| What
will the weather be like when I am there?
Generally,
our weather is great. About 90% of the time, it's sunny and
warm. Because the factors which influence the weather are
literally "fluid" - Florida Bay and the Gulf Stream -
it is not possible to predict exactly when the "bad
"10% will be.
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| Will I see
sharks?
Due to the misguided efforts of some local
"heroes", many
sharks are caught and killed in the name of "sport" or
for
the supposed goal of "public safety". Like every fish
on
the reef, sharks play a vital role in the reef ecosystem.
Destroying them is
detrimental to the "health" of the
entire system. Not long ago, it was fairly common to
see tiger sharks, hammerheads, and other species.
Today, sighting one of these is an "event".
The
sharks you may see are nurse sharks. They are harmless unless
provoked. Unfortunately, some divers
are inconsiderate and do pester them. For that reason,
they will often leave the area when divers approach.
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| What about
barracudas? Will they hurt me?
Barracudas
are common on the living reef. When you
don't see them, it's a sign that the reef is not
"healthy".
Where you do see them, it means there is enough "food"
to support them. Like sharks, they are often killed in
the name of sport, or in the misguided belief that doing
so is some sort of "public service". What it actually
does
is upset the natural balance which keeps the reef alive.
By nature, barracudas are curious. Sometimes, they will
follow a diver around the reef. Some of us consider this
a good thing, since it means we are "fitting in".
Unfortunately, there have been a few cases where
barracudas have injured divers. The fish are usually
provoked in some way, (either antagonized or baited
with food) and the so-called "attack" is almost always
misreported, since very few of the "victims" will
admit
fault. There have also been cases where fishermen
were bitten by barracudas they brought on board a boat. Some of
these cases are sensationalized by the news
media, but the bottom line is almost always the same:
the fish is acting defensively. |
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If
you have additional questions, or
comments, feel free to write us at:
info@oceandivers.com
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