Readers of Scuba Diving magazine have named the Islamorada-Tavernier area in the Florida Keys as the premiere dive destination in North America.

The 2005 Readers' Choice Awards are published in the publication's January/February issue.

Islamorada/Tavernier also took top honors in the categories of "Top Marine Life" and "Top Snorkeling."

Marathon received the highest reader scores for "Underwater Photography" and "Beginner Diving."

Key Largo received five awards and is included among "Top Ten Dive Destinations" in North America.

"Scuba Diving is the only magazines that asks readers to rate their dive vacations for the benefit of other divers," said Buck Butler, editor of the magazine. "For this issue, the reporters in the field are our readers, diving the world and recording their observations."

Thousands of Scuba Diving subscribers and web users rated their experiences at dive destinations on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. Final scores, which are listed in the magazine, represent the percentage of fours and fives awarded. A minimum number of responses was required for a destination to be included in the ratings.