"Florida Keys" Florida Keys by CEP1863

It had always been an ambition of mine to dive in the Keys and so in August 2005 I set off on a trip to do just that. After hiring a car in Miami I headed off due west with my only plan in mind to start at Key West and gradually work my way back towards Miami.

Having never been to the Keys before, I was not sure what to expect and not far into my journey I did begin to wonder how much diving I would do when I came upon the following warning so how true was the rumour that the crocodiles had indeed eaten all the sharks?

Have you seen any crocodiles around here?

I used a company called Reef Raiders. There are plenty of dive outfits to choose from but what I liked about these guys was the service and the fact that they were not too busy. The dives I did were all fairly shallow 12 - 15m but the reef life was good and there was plenty to see and enjoy

Tursi

Diving in Key West over, I headed for the Dolphin Research Centre on Grassy Key to swim with the dolphins. There are plenty of outfits to choose from along the length of the Keys but my reason for choosing this centre was that they are a not-for-profit education and research facility. They have a vast number of packages available and I chose the Dolphin Encounter as it meant that I actually got into the water and interacted with the dolphin, Tursi, a daughter of one of the original flipper dolphins.

• Pros:Great tempo to life
• Cons:Very expensive