Best Snorkeling in the Keys
 

My husband and I are spending 4 nights in Key West and 3 nights in Key Largo over Thanksgiving. What is the best snorkeling in the keys areas? We are considering either a day trip to the Dry Tortugas or Looe Key or Pennekamp State Park.

Out of these three area's which would you say has the best snorkeling. Also, if we were to take the trip to the Dry Tortugas would you take a boat or spend the extra money on the sea plane?

I thought Looe key was wonderful. This is not a spot that you can get out and walk around, like all the other keys. It is a submerged reef. The boats anchor at the spot and you jump overboard. You will leave from Big Pine Key north of Key West.

The trip to the Tortugas will be costlier and take longer. I didn't think the snorkeling was that phenomenal but others have said I didn't go far enough out on the coral. So maybe someone else should give you their perspective.

Check out the prices and the times. It will take awhile to get to both spots. The seaplane is fun, there aren't too many chances to do that.

We're going in December, and I checked out three possibilities:

1.) Take a snorkel excursion on the Fury catamaran out to the reefs. (I've done this before and it was lots of fun.)

2.) Take a day trip via seaplane or ferry to the Dry Tortugas (I think this is the one we're going to do this time.)

3.) Rent a car, pack a picnic lunch and gear and drive up to Bahia Honda Park (mile marker 37) for the day. They boat you to Looe Key for snorkeling.

I think the Fury only takes you to reefs off Key West, which are no longer any good. Bahia Honda Park does have a boat for snorkeling but you might prefer a closer boat (to Key West) on Big Pine Key. All the dive shops have boats that go out to the reef.

Yipes, Postal. What happened to the reefs? Too many cruise shippers stomping on them?

I have done a lot of snorkeling and was impressed, but that's been 7 or 8 years ago. A shame to hear there's a problem, but I'm not surprised. The reefs worldwide are under attack from various quarters...

Seven days and just time for one snorkel trip? I would take the trip out of Pennekamp and one of the KW trips. Between Looe and Pennekamp, Looe is better. I haven't been to Dry Tortogas (yet!) so can't speak to that. For me (thin blooded person that I am), the water is getting chilly. Consider bringing/renting a wet suit.

Well, yes, the locals claim the reefs are dead and dying because of the cruise ships. I don't know if that's the truth or not, but I do know that the snorkeling and diving off Key West (like Sand Key, the Sambos, Rock Key, etc.) was pristine before the cruise ships and now it's pitiful.

For someone who has only snorkeled once or twice, it might still be nice. However, Looe Key and Pennekamp are the sure things in the Keys, as far as I'm concerned. I'll also scuba off Marathon; don't know about the snorkeling.

There is a bacteria that is causing bleaching of the reefs. They think it comes from run-off from the Everglades onshore. Also possible that it comes from pumping wastewater into deep underground aquafers. Florida has a very precarious fragile environment and one screw-up can result in another. The upside is that the environment seems to be very resilient and can comeback after immense damage. Unfortunately the efforts to help the Everglades are progressing very slow and will continue to progress slowly until Florida has environmentalists in power.

Thanks so much for all the advice. It's so sad to hear that the reefs are getting destroyed.

My Sister In Law is meeting us for the last three days of our trip and she isn't really into water activities so that means the snorkeling has to be done in the first four days so I don't really have a full seven days to snorkel or else, I would snorkel more than one day for sure. We've snorkeled many times so, we're definetly not beginners.

Sombrero Reef in Marathon is wonderful!! It's more suited for snorkeling than diving.