8 Reasons to go Scuba Diving in Islamorada, Florida Keys

Why would you want to scuba dive in Islamorada Florida? Because it’s one of the best (and lesser known) places to go Scuba diving in the Florida Key’s! Islamorada is only an hour and a half from Miami and is full of FL Keys charm, with slightly less crowds and a variety of dive sites. Islamorada is worth a Florida Key’s scuba diving trip because you can experience historic shipwrecks, tropical fish filled reefs, as well as specialty shark and coral restoration dives!

Article Summary

1. Types of SCUBA dives in Islamorada, FL
2. The Best Islamorada Dive Shops
3. Where is Islamorada?
4. 4.Islamorada is A Diver’s and Snorkeler’s Shipwreck Destination
5. Islamorada Hotels
6. Great Places to Eat in Islamorada
7. Things To Do in Islamorada (and nearby)
8. Islamorada has Old Florida Charm You Don’t Want to Miss

1. Types of SCUBA Dives in Islamorada, FL

Islamorada has an incredible variety of scuba dives – you can check on the scuba shop website (I have two fantastic ones recommended in the next section) or call and talk to someone – especially if you are looking for a specific type of dive experience. Remember they are always subject to weather changes.

Dive shops in Islamorada list scuba diving packages and costs on their websites, and they provide this information via phone or email upon request. Scuba dive shops in the Fl Key’s want your business and are usually quick to respond..

Ask if a divemaster will guide the dive or is it self-guided?

“Specialty” dives worth the money in Islamorada

Both dive options are great, it depends on what you prefer.

I Care Coral Dives is one of the local coral organizations that you can go on coral restoration dives with. I highly recommend this!

Plus, you are helping to support local coral conservation!

Conch Wall Dive – This is a little-known and unique dive for the Keys.

I had no idea this “wall” even existed until this year, or that there was even wall diving in Florida.

Florida lacks dramatic elevation changes, both above and beneath the water’s surface.

I would call this more of a “steep slope” than a “wall. So don’t have false expectations of this dive.

However, I loved it and Conch Wall still has a unique topography for the area.

Picture a sledding hill instead of a dramatic drop-off to avoid disappointment.

A diver on our boat was very vocal about calling it a “wall” dive, which he felt was misleading. However, he also said he liked the dive.

The dive starts in about 45 feet of water and slopes down to about 100 feet to the ocean floor.

This is a drift dive with the boat dropping you off, a divemaster guiding the way and the boat picking you up where you surface at the end of your dive.

You must have an orange safety sausage to inflate at the end of the dive.

This way the boat can easily spot you. If you don’t already own one you can buy it at any dive shop.

What makes this dive even more interesting is that it is located next to the Aquarius reef base.

Aquarius is the only underwater research habitat in the U.S.

Besides research, NASA also trains astronauts here.

It’s against the law for dive boats to come near the base.

Our dive team accidentally drifted into a restricted area of Aquarius Base because of strong currents. The captain wasn’t pleased, but we had a great view of the base!

Spearfishing and Lobstering Dives

Beginner to advanced Florida Keys scuba shops will be happy to assist you in booking a spearfishing or lobstering (in season) dive.

If you are a spearfishing beginner, ask the shop about taking an introductory lesson.

If you are lobstering for the first time the boat will usually have equipment you can borrow, buy or rent. They will go over the strict rules and show you “how to” catch a lobster on the boat. It’s great fun! This is how I unexpectedly learned how to lobster and now I go lobstering several times a year.

BUT watch your air! Beginners get so caught up in catching a lobster they don’t realize you go through your air faster.

Shark Encounter Dives

A shark encounter dive is a thrilling experience that is definitely worth the money. I was terrified of sharks, but after my first shark encounter I was hooked! It is still one of my favorite types of dives.

Choosing a reputable dive shop with a strong emphasis on safety is the most important part of shark diving.

There is something life changing about looking one of these magnificent creatures in the eye. An important question to ask is what kinds of sharks you will see on the dive. Nurse sharks are the most common in the FL Keys and are very docile, Other species of sharks can vary seasonally.

In addition, ask if you need to wear any special clothing and if your type of camera equipment is allowed. Sharks can see the color yellow (hence the joke “yum yum yellow”) and it should be avoided.

Scuba Shops typically have specific days/times when they conduct shark encounters.

SCUBA Diving Reefs in Islamorada, FL

Upper Keys Reefs are shallow, averaging around 30-50 feet in depth.

You can easily dive them on air or nitrox.

There is an abundance of tropical fish, sea turtles, Conch snails and nurse sharks living on and around these reefs.

Pickles Reef got its name due to the pickle barrels found at this sight. A cargo ship sank here in the 1800s and pickles were part of the cargo.

Horseshoe Reef, no surprise, is shaped like a horseshoe. It is a beautiful reef full of sponges, fan corals and tropical fish. Bring your camera or GoPro!

Molasses Reef gets its name from an 1800s cargo ship. The British ship was carrying molasses and wrecked, spilling the molasses on the reef and into the surrounding water.  

Betty’s Reef is a favorite spot to dive because of the interesting, jagged reef rocks. Lots of fun exploring this rocky area. A flashlight is helpful if you like searching in the rocks for marine critters.

Alligator Reef is easy to find because a 130-foot lighthouse marks the spot of an 1822 shipwreck. The USS Alligator (Navy schooner) crashed there while chasing after pirates. This site is shallow and is a very busy spot. It is popular with both dive and snorkel boats. For this reason it is not my favorite reef in the area, but the exciting history of the reef makes up for it.

Shipwrecks in Islamorada, FL

The Keys are my favorite place in Florida to dive shipwrecks.

Most are in 100-130 feet of water, and currents can be strong. These sites get replaced with reef dives if the water is too rough to get to the wreck.

I recommend wearing gloves for going up and down the mooring lines and using nitrox instead of air.

Visibility is usually good to excellent.

The Spiegel Grove Shipwreck

This is my absolute favorite shipwreck! A 1955 Naval ship was purposely sunk in 2002 as an artificial reef.

The wreck is covered in tropical reef life! It is full of corals, sponges, fish, sharks, rays, barracuda, goliath grouper etc. It’s a living aquarium and you never know what you will see.

In addition there are several decks, rooms and staircases to explore around the ship. It has a ghostly feel.

An important reminder – going deep into the interior of the ship is dangerous and requires a wreck specialty certification (like cave diving).

I only go into the outside rooms with wide openings to enter and exit, and never more than a few feet inside.

Spiegel Grove is in 100 feet of water. The bottom of this ship sits at 130 feet on the ocean floor.

Sometimes the waves are rough, and shipwreck dives can be canceled because of bad weather. It’s best to plan to shipwreck dive early in your trip. If it’s cancelled, you have the chance to go out the next day.

The most important thing to remember is which mooring line from the boat you came down.  

The wreck is 510 feet long. There are 8 different mooring lines for dive boats.

More than once divers from another boat have ended up on my boat because they came up the wrong mooring line.

I recommend wearing gloves for going down the mooring line (especially helpful in strong currents).

The Duane Shipwreck

Duane is a retired Coast Guard boat.

Built in 1936 at a Naval yard in Philadelphia, the Duane was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef in 1987.

The hull is covered with sea fans, sponges, and coral, with an abundance of tropical fish swimming around.

What I like best about diving the Duane is the structure of the boat. It is fun to explore.

It’s a maze of decks with a tall radar tower (home to a goliath grouper last time I was there), and you can peer into the wheelhouse.

The shipwreck sits in 100+ feet of water and dives can be canceled due to strong currents.

Duane is much smaller than the Spiegel Grove, and the entire exterior of the ship can be explored in one dive.

The Eagle Shipwreck

Fabricated in Holland, in 1962.

This international freighter was damaged by several major fires before it was retired in 1985, with the last fire taking place near Miami.

Eagle was sunk as an artificial reef in the late 1980’s.

The name “The Eagle” comes from the owner of the Eagle Tire Company. The owner bought the ship with the purpose of creating an artificial reef in the Florida Keys.

The freighter is 280 long and in 120 feet of water. Hurricane Georges broke it it half and turned the boat on its side in 1998.

The Eagle is a popular dive site to see sharks, goliath grouper and barracuda.

2. The Best Islamorada SCUBA Dive shops

Conch Republic Divers – they have two boats, one larger and one smaller and they take into account the experience of their divers. I have been on both and absolutely enjoyed my dives.

I loved the variety of dives they offered and that they went to the less touristy reefs.

On my last trip (over three different days) we did a night dive, dove two wrecks, several reefs and a wall. I didn’t even know that existed in the Keys (Florida is relatively flat). On the other hand, I wouldn’t exactly call it a wall. It is more like a slope, but it goes to about 100”. I loved the dive. Not to mention, it’s very close to the NASA Aquarius base, so we also got a great view of that.

Islamorada Dive Center is another shop I recommend. I have gone out with them on their SCUBA diving boat several times and it has been a great experience. This is a great shop to participate in a coral restoration dive with the ICARE team.

3. Where is Islamorada?

Islamorada is about 13 miles – 20 minutes south of Key Largo (depending on how many boats are being towed in front of you on the road).

Driving south from Key Largo you will first pass the postage stamp town of Tavernier.

Tavernier is often grouped in with Islamorada and considered part of the Islamorada area.

35 miles to the south of Islamorada is Marathon – which is the center of the Florida Keys.

Is Islamorada in the “Upper” or “Lower” Keys?

If you are going to spend time in the Keys, you need to know this bit of local information.

The Florida Keys are separated into the “Upper” and “Lower” and locally are referred to this way.

Key Largo and Key West are the two main attractions, and the city of Marathon is located in the center of the Keys between the two. 

More recently, the Marathon area has been referred to as the “Middle Keys”.

It takes about two hours (depending on traffic) to get to Key West from Key Largo.

Islamorada is in the “Upper Keys” along with Tavernier and Key Largo.

This Upper and Lower Keys division has to do with geology, rather than city locations – but this is a story for another blog post!

The drive between Key Largo and Key West is one of the most breathtaking, historic and scenic drives in the world!

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Throughout the FL Keys, you’ll encounter many small, charismatic, and unique spots.

Beware!!!  Each Key will tell you they have the “the best Florida Keys scuba diving” (or snorkeling) compared to all the other Keys.

This is not true. Over the past ten years, my SCUBA diving adventures throughout the Florida Keys have revealed fantastic sites for both diving and snorkeling.

4.Islamorada is A Diver’s and Snorkeler’s Shipwreck Destination

Islamorada attracts SCUBA divers and snorkelers with its well-known shipwrecks

Both historical and made-made shipwrecks (referred to as artificial reefs). So many that the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has a designated Shipwreck Trail.

Most people know about pirates inhabiting the Florida Keys.

Not a lot of people know about the history of shipwrecks and the job of salvaging cargo from them.

Salvaging by local “wreckers” was big business during the 1800s and early 1900s in the Florida Keys, especially around Islamorada.

Islamorada is “next to” Key Largo but less touristy (for the Keys) and has more of the small town “old Florida vibe”.

5. Islamorada Hotels

Sunset Inn is my first choice to stay in the area. Sunset Inn is an affordable, cute clean boutique hotel where you can walk to Lorelei’s for dinner and Mike’s for breakfast.

Creekside Inn Another great choice – clean, affordable with nice water views. The fact that you can walk across the street to Conch Republic Divers is a bonus.

6. Best Places to Eat in the Upper Florida Keys

Lorelei’s – An authentic “Key’s Restaurant/Bar” on the bayside frequented by locals and tourists. It has good food, a great atmosphere and live music on the weekends.

Mangrove Mikes Café – well-known local breakfast and lunch café, open 6 am – 2 pm

Publix Super Market at Tradewinds Plaza – No joke, the deli has great sandwiches – is always a fast, cheap and easy go-to spot for me.

Pinecrest Bakery – I love this place. This Key Largo bakery has great Cuban sandwiches, guava pastries and café con leche, and it’s open 24 hours (unheard of in the Keys!).

Blond Giraffe – Cheesy tourist fun! You can find delicious key lime pie throughout the Keys. This place has a delightful secret garden full of thousands of heart shaped locks – you must see it.

I love the key lime iced tea and orange chocolates, but most people go for the key lime pie.

6. Things to Do in Islamorada (or nearby)

The History of Diving  Museum commits to the preservation and education of divers in South Florida and the Keys.

Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary is an “off the beaten track” place that not a lot of people know about. It’s a beautiful little park on the bay that has over 60 rescued birds throughout. It’s free (but they ask for a $10 donation) and open every day from sunrise to sunset.

Theater of the Sea operational and family-owned since the 1940s, resides in what was once a rock quarry for Henry Flagler’s Railroad, established in the early 1900s.

Divers Direct in Key Largo. A favorite SCUBA shop that gets way too much of my money.

7. Islamorada Has Old Florida Charm You Don’t Want to Miss

This charming small-town is the perfect Florida Key’s Scuba Diving experience I look for. Islamorada is like the cool, laid-back cousin of the Florida Keys family.

There are reputable and safe Scuba dive shops, and a great variety of scuba dive sites including reef, shipwreck and specialty dives.

Islamorada offers affordable hotels, excellent local restaurants, and a variety of post-diving activities

Located between Key Largo and Marathon, Islamorada is a string of islands connected by a bunch of bridges. Key Largo is fine, but Islamorada is the less crowded, less known and the more authentic place to be.

It’s safe and family friendly. The biggest problem in the Keys is traffic and finding parking.

Islamorada is my favorite spot in the Upper Florida Keys, and I dive there at least once a year.