What might we see on a Key Largo tour.
This is probably one of the most common questions being asked when customers call up Key Largo Dive Shops.
I can’t speak for other dive shops, but I can tell you what our dive shop reply is.
First we ask if you are a certified Scuba Diver or if you will be joining the tour as a snorkel guest. This is important to find out, so we can talk about the type of tour you will be joining.
Secondly we will ask you when you plan to join us for a tour, because the fish life does actually vary season to season her in the Florida Keys.
Lastly if you are a certified scuba diver we will want to find out if you want to dive on shallow shipwrecks, shallow reefs, or on the deeper shipwrecks we offer here in the Florida Keys.
Key Largo, Florida Keys shallow reef sightings.
If you have said you are looking to snorkel Key Largo or dive as a scuba diver who wants shallow reef sites, then this is what you might expect to see.
Sea turtles tend to hang out on the shallow reefs, and mostly seen grazing near the tops of the reef. Also on top the reef you will encounter the following reef fish: Rock beauty, Angel fish, Parrotfish, Hamlet fish, Octopus, Reef squid, many Yellowhead wrasse, Creole wrasse, Blue and Brown Chromis, Scrawled filefish, Blue tang, Butterfly fish, all member of the Grunt family, all members of the Damselfish family, Bermuda Chub and Sergeant Majors.
Lower on the reef near the sand is where you might find the following: Goat fish, members of the Snapper family, Lionfish ( even though they are not suppose to be in the Atlantic at all ), Trunk fish, Southern stingrays, Spotted Drum, High hat fish, and the Moray eel family.
Will we see any Sharks?
Many snorkelers and divers request to not see sharks, and this is just not something dive shop operators can control. That is like going to a New England or Mid-West State Park, and telling the Park Ranger as you enter the park, you don’t want to see any Deer or Bears today. Think about it, it is their home. We humans are invading the home of these sea creatures whenever we enter the water they live in.
The good news is, unless you make a practice of hunting, like speargun fishing, and you are killing fish and releasing blood and fish oil and guts into the water, you are very unlikely to have any issues even if you do get to see a shark or two.
Normally they are far more scared of humans than we need be of them.
Can we pet sea turtles?
This question is asked a lot and the answer is always, No. Why not? They look so cute is normally the reply. Well, folks it’s simple. Sea turtles beaks are strong enough to break off corals, which is very similar to rock. So, if they got a hold of your finger, well you see where this is going right. Grizzly bear cubs are super cute too, but it is never a good idea in the wild woods to run at one and pet it, so please do the same with Sea Creatures.