Destination ......... Rejuvenation

Juliet will dive the wrecks of the Florida Keys and explore the reefs of the Dry Tortugas National Park from February through May 2010. From June through September of 2010, Juliet will sail out of Miami, Florida to dive and sail the crystal blue waters of the Bahamas. From October through December, we will be offering both itineraries.

On Juliet we customize each trip to your interests. This allows us to achieve the perfect combination of destination, activities, and service to provide you with the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation.

Bahamas
In the Bahamas you will discover a placid, turquoise paradise stretching as far as the eye can see with unimaginable graduations of color. You will dive into diverse marine life around reef systems that are kept healthy by the continuous enrichment provided by the Gulf Stream. Topside you?l find many uninhabited low islands with beautiful beaches on which to play, explore, and relax.

For our 7 and 10 night Bahamas trip we recommend the following itinerary. On Saturday afternoon, sail from Miami to the Bimini Chain of islands where we clear Customs into the Bahamas. On your first morning aboard Juliet let the diving begin! As we sail and dive the Bimini Chain to its southern most island of Orange Cay, we stop at dive sites such as Bull Run, the Nodules Wall, and Rainbow Valley at Victory Reef, just to name a few of the abundant choices. 

From Orange Cay we continue south along the edge of the Grand Bahama Bank deep into Santaren Channel. You can visit dive sites such as Freedom Reef, Lost Pidgeon Reef, Longbow, Lost Medallion, Mad Cow Reef and Do It Again. Sorry, no algae on these site, just perfect coral and thousands of fish! These pristine sites are exclusively dove by Juliet passengers, and host an abundance of life comparable to the premier dive destinations in the world. Several pods of playful Spotted Dolphin call this area home and frequently join Juliet for extended snorkeling encounters. During settled weather, we sometimes get as close as 30 nautical miles from Cuban waters. This trip is a true adventure into a remote area of the Bahamas that few divers have  experienced.

 Florida Keys

Juliet will offer an alternate itinerary for our Miami departures in 2010. You now can dive the wrecks and reefs of the Florida Keys without the hastles of hotels, rental cars, small dive boats and expensive restaurants. Simply board Juliet in Miami or Key West and let us take care of the rest! This itinerary can be a one-way trip between Miami and Key West, or can return to the port of embarkation. The embarkation port will vary depending upon the week.

Explore the famous wreck trail of the Keys:

USS Spiegel Grove is a 510' Navy supply ship that served in Operation Dessert Storm before being decommisioned in 1989. She was sunk off Key Largo in 2002 as one on the largest military ships ever scuttled to create a dive site.

Duane and Bibb are sister ships sunk off of Key Largo. They are 327' U.S. Coast Guard cutters sunk in 1987. Large schools of Barracuda will watch with curiosity as you descend upon these wrecks.

The Eagle is a 287' frieghter sunk off Lower Matecumbe Key in 1985. While broken in two by Hurricane Georgees, she remains generally intact and has fabulous coral growth.

Thunderbolt, originally USS Randolph, was an ex-military ship used as a lightning research vessel by Florida Light and Power. In 1986, she was sunk off Marathon Key and remains upright and intact on a 120' bottom.

Adolphus Busch Sr. stands upright and intact in 110' of water off Big Pine Key. Formerly known as Ocean Alley, this 210' island freighter was purchased and sunk in 1999 by the local dive community with the assistance of Adolphus Busch IV. Watch for the 350 pound Goliath Grouper that lurks inside!

Cayman Salvager has been one of the most popular wrecks off Key West for many years. She is a 187' buoy tender that was sunk in 90 feet of water in 1985. She was intended to be sunk in 300 feet, but fortunately for us recreational divers, the cable broke before they reached their intended destination.

The highlight of this itinerary is the recently sunken USS Vandenberg off Key West. Scuttled in May of 2009 at a cost of $8.6 million, this 524' retired missile tracking ship is the second largest artificial reef in the world!

Along the way, you will have the opportunity to spearfish and lobster (when in season) on SCUBA! Of course this is restricted in some of the park areas, but we will let you know when it is allowed.

At the beginning or end of your trip, enjoy a world class port night in Key West. You can visit the Mel Fischer Museum to learn some history of the local wrecks and treasure hunters. If you are a Hemmingway fan, you will want to check out the Hemmingway House where Ernest lived during his Key West days. Join the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square where street performers gather every day just before sunset, then spend the evening at the local pubs and shops along the famous Duval Street.

 Dry Tortugas

Our second Florida Keys itinerary will embark out of Key West and return to Key West. On this itinerary, we will dive the wrecks near Key West, such as Cayman Salvager and USS Vandenberg. In addition, we will travel to the Dry Tortugas National Park. A limited number of dive operators are allowed to visit this park. Juliet Sailing and Diving was granted a permit to operate in the Dry Tortugas for 2010 and 2011.

http://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm

Visit dive sites within the park such as Texas Rock, Maze Reef, Off Ramp and Davis Rock. The remoteness of this area and the warm Gulf Stream currents have kept these reefs in pristine condition. The Windjammer Wreck, which was driven by a gale onto Loggerhead Key in 1907, hosts a wide variety of marine life and great coral growth. Be prepared for some large visitors. Goliath Grouper are abundant in the Dry Tortugas, and they are not shy!

During your surface interval tour Fort Jefferson on Garden Key. The fort is an impressive brick structure with much historic significance to our proud country.

If you like to spearfish, there are some great fishing sites on the way to and from the park. Of course this is not allowed within the park boundaries.