Fury Double-Dip Snorkel Trip: 2x the Time Underwater on the Reefs of Key West

Our family is always down for snorkeling and exploring wherever we can, and that’s what makes the Double Dip Snorkeling tour with Fury Water Adventures a great addition to a trip to Key West. While the reefs north of Key West may be more well known for their diving, such as Looe Key or Molasses Reef within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the reefs off of Key West are wonderful for all levels of snorkelers. The Fury Double Dip tour is considered an “experienced” trip because it visits two reefs and you really do get some lengthy water time, but it’s great with teens and people who love the underwater world (and I think it’s pretty doable).

We’ve got all the details on what to expect and what makes the evening Double Dip Snorkeling tour with Fury Key West such a good pick. If you have any questions about this tour or just getting out on the water in Key West, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plana great visit to the Keys!

Highlights of the Fury Double Dip Snorkeling

I really do love getting to dive or snorkel multiple sites in one trip. This gives you the chance for different underwater terrain as well as potentially different conditions. You might have more turbid water in one spot than another, so getting to check out two different snorkeling options is really great. The Fury Double Dip snorkel trip from Key West is an opportunity for doing this AND getting in a beautiful sunset on the water. It’s fun and it’s a multi-faceted experience.

And once you’re done snorkeling the beverages begin too, keeping with the vibe Key West is known for. The sites you visit on the Fury Key West Double Dip snorkel trip can vary, but you’ll likely be visiting two of the following: Eastern Dry Rocks, Sand Key or Western Dry Rocks. It depends on the weather and what other boats in the area are doing, but any of these spots is good. My favorite of the three is Eastern Dry Rocks because there are some really colorful areas and usually LOTS of fish about, and the topography of the formations is interesting to dive down around and explore. There are some great ledges and crevasses to poke around and lots of wildlife to enjoy. If your Double Dip Snorkel trip doesn’t get to visit Eastern Dry Rocks, don’t worry because the other two snorkel sites are really solid for getting to see wildlife as well. I like the sandy flats around the Sand Key and the structure/rocks at Western Dry Rocks, so you have lots of chances to enjoy the fish of Key West.

Ending your night on the water with a sunset lap is a great bonus. When you go out on the Fury Double Dip Snorkel tour you leave around 5:00 pm (depending on the season) and then have a few hours sailing around and snorkeling, so when you’re done it’s time to watch the sun go down. The captain will do some smooth navigation on the way back to the Historic Seaport to ensure you get to see the sunset, and then when the green flash hits, it’s back to the dock. It’s a wonderful experience from start to finish.

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Tips for Doing a Two-Location Snorkeling Tour

When you do the Fury Key West Double Dip Snorkel, it goes out just before most people are sitting down to dinner. There isn’t any food served on the sailing, but there are NA and alcoholic beverages, so you’ll want to be sure that everyone has had a good snack before boarding the catamaran for the tour. Since the Fury catamaran goes out of the Historic Seaport, you’ll have plenty of options for grabbing a bite to eat before you get out on the water. We like the Boathouse for its happy hour deals, and their fish bites are always great. When you return from your Double Dip Snorkeling tour, you can easily grab a little more sustenance in the Historic Seaport area or back at your hotel.

When it comes to the actual Fury Double Dip Snorkeling tour, I do have some tips for making the most of your time on the water. This is considered an intermediate snorkeling tour because you visit two sites and have A LOT of time in the water. This means that you’ll be swimming a lot which can be tiring. If you’re in great shape and do this sort of thing often, you’ll be fine, but if this is a stretch for you, be sure that you pace yourself. We are usually the first in the water and the last out, but that’s not safe for some people. If you don’t have the stamina or swimming skills to spend 90 minutes actively snorkeling and moving with the waves, head back into the boat when you need to. If you cut your first water-time short, you’ll have another opportunity to be out for longer. It’s ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry, and you’ll find that open ocean swimming may tire you out faster than just being in a swimming pool.

Another great tip for having an awesome time doing the Fury Double Dip Snorkeling tour is to get below the surface of the water. Again, safety first, but if you’re a strong swimmer and you’re experienced with holding your breath and free-diving, there are some good opportunities on the reefs of Key West to get deep and see a different perspective. Whether you’re at Sand Key Reef or one of the Dry Rocks sites, you’ll be able to dive down around 25 to 30 feet. This isn’t too far, but if you’re just a regular snorkeler it seems like a lot. If you can safely and confidently free dive down, you’ll see that there are some really cool ledges and even some overhangs that feel like tunnels. We’ve seen some beautiful fish and stingrays out here with deeper dives. We even saw a shark at Sand Key Reef on one of these trips.

Being Prepared for the Double Dip Snorkel Tour

Don’t forget a towel! I know that sounds trivial but if you’re visiting Key West in the winter months, although it may seem warm and the water still feels nice, you’ll want to be able to wrap up between stops. Doing the Fury Double Dip Snorkeling means that you have two opportunities to be wet with the wind blowing as you move from place to place. In the summer it’s great and feels nice, but on a December or January snorkel trip, it’s brisk. Also, I mentioned before that there’s no food served on the Fury Double Dip Snorkeling tour, so if you want to bring some of your own snacks, you’re welcome to.

Moving on from the simple comforts, you also need to be sure, no matter the season, that you’ve applied reef-safe sunblock before you’re out on the water. If you forget, no worries, Fury (and most boat tours) have reef-safe sunblock available onboard, but just be sure that you’ve applied it at least 15 minutes before you’ll be getting in the water. I like that when I apply it to my face it helps with keeping my snorkel mask secure, as it gets in my moustache and helps create a seal. See? Bonus to using sunblock!

You don’t have to bring your own snorkeling mask and fins, but you’re welcome to if you like. I do travel with my own because I am underwater so often, but the Fury Water Adventures crew keeps theirs ready and sanitized, so you don’t have to stress about it. You do need to bring your own camera though. The crew is there for your safety and isn’t in the water with you snapping pictures. We usually bring just our smartphones in good waterproof cases (usually rated for 20 feet depth) or a GoPro on an extension pole. Either works great for capturing the wildlife and snorkeling experience. Depending on the weather, the turbidity may affect how your photos come out. This can usually be fixed with some simple editing like dropping the shadows and raising the highlights, but if the conditions aren’t great, you may just want to enjoy the snorkeling and not worry about pictures.

Parking for Fury Key West Double Dip Snorkel Tour

Parking for most of the Fury Water Adventures activities is pretty easy, as most go out from the Historic Seaport. There is a large paid parking lot here, and though it’s expensive, it’s an easy solution if you drove in. For most people staying in Key West’s historic district or marina areas, the Historic Seaport is an easy, flat walk from wherever you’re staying. If you’re at the Marker Key West or Hyatt Centric, these properties are both directly next to this marina. For visitors staying on Roosevelt Blvd, such as at the Laureate Hotel or Blue Flamingo Resort, you can either take the provided shuttles or get an Uber to the Historic Seaport. For the hotels with shuttles, they all drop off at the roundabout at this marina, so it’s very convenient.

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