All dives here in the Florida Keys are within the boundaries of the NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It includes the Florida Reef, the only barrier coral reef in North America and the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world.
Key Largo dubs itself the “Dive Capital of the World“, and yes, it is home to some of the most renown dive sites in the Florida Keys. It is also where John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is located, the country’s first undersea park. It includes approximately 70 nautical square miles of adjacent Atlantic Ocean waters.
Not only are there dozens over dozens of beautiful reef sites teeaming with marine life available for exploration, but there are also many shipwreck dive sites along the coast of the Florida Keys. Five of which are located in the Upper Keys of Key Largo and Islamorada alone, with one of them being the world famous Spiegel Grove wreck.
The dive sites are all offshore and can only be reached by boat, meaning there is no shore diving available in the entire Florida Keys. Dive boat trips depart twice daily, in the mornings and in the afternoons. On all dive trips you can do two dives on different dive sites, with the exception of night dives which are only one location trips.
The reefs are mostly shallow (25 to 40 feet), so they are ideal for beginners and all divers that want to enjoy lots of light on the reef and not worry about bottom time or air consumption. We see big nurse sharks, reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles, goliath groupers, barracudas and uncountable varieties of colourful fish here. There are intermediate depth reef dives available upon request, depending on availability and weather/sea conditions.
The deep wrecks (Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb and Eagle) are at a larger depth (75-100 feet), and they are sensational dive spots, as they have been specially prepared and secured for scuba diving.
From beginner to expert, all scuba divers will find ideal dive sites here in the Florida Keys. If you are in the Key Largo and Islamorada area you have access to 50 plus different dive sites alone. Here is overview of just a few of our more regular dive sites, but there are so many more! Scuba-Fun has partnered with dive boat charters all along the Florida Keys to Key West to be able to show you the best variety of dive sites there is.
Molasses Reef
Depth Range: Shallow to 40 feet
Experience Level: Novice to Intermediate
Reigns as the world’s most popular dive site. The reef comprises a classic spur and groove system which begins near the surface and falls off gradually to a depth of 55 ft, so it is great for snorkelers and divers alike.
You can easily spend an entire week checking out this one reef. Visibility tends to be the best here because the gulfstream dips in close to this reef. The population of reef creatures is always changing and includes frequent visits by many different pelagic species. It is not uncommon to see nurse sharks, eagle rays, southern stingrays, reef sharks, barracuda, as well as a wide variety of other fish.
French Reef
Depth Range: Shallow to 100 feet
Experience Level: Novice to Advanced
An exceptionally beautiful site, the ever popular reef is crammed full of caves, canyons, ledges, tunnels and swim-throughs. Glassy sweepers and moray eels are not uncommon around and in these caves. This dive site is also famous for its impressive limestone cliffs. The shallow areas of the reef are covered by beautiful golden brown Elkhorn coral, which reach up to the water’s surface. At 30 to 40 feet (9 to 12 meters) old mounds and boulders of brain coral and star coral become more abundant. Yellowtails, grunts, parrotfish, jacks, pork fish, and damselfish are virtually everywhere. Even larger solitary fish such as Snook and Permit are often encountered on this reef.
Christ of the Abyss Statue
Depth: 25 feet
Experience Level: Snorkeler or Novice
The Christ Statue was cast in Italy and donated to the Underwater Society of America by Egidi Cressi, an Italian industrialist and diving equipment manufacturer. It is a 9 foot tall bronze duplicate of the Christ of the Abyss’ statue, which stands in 50 feet of water off Genoa, Italy. Set in a beautiful reef area known for its outstanding brain corals, the figure of Christ stands silhouetted against the blue waters of the ocean, His arms upraised to the surface.
The Benwood
Depth Range: 50 feet offshore, 20 feet inshore
Experience Level: Novice to Intermediate
An English built cargo vessel lost to the sea in a tragic chain of events in 1942. The Benwood rests on a level expanse of sand. Its fractured stern lies at a depth of 25 feet, while its bow points offshore at a depth of 45 feet. The bow is the most intact feature of the wreck, and the hull stretches the original length with portions of the outer wall still present. This is a great open wreck with lots of “nooks and crannies” to poke your head in and discover what hides in the dark. Eels, shrimp, lobster, and numerous fish await.
USS Spiegel Grove
Depth Range: 65-130 feet
Experience Level: Advanced to Expert
This world-famous artificial reef was until recently the biggest wreck in the world, sunk especially for divers. The wreck is upright, 510 feet long and 84 feet wide. Most of the openings have been widened and secured with lines, so that advanced divers can easily do a variety of exciting swim-throughs with daylight. For “pros”, the wreck offers lots of additional possibilities.
USCG Duane & Bibb
Depth Range: 65-130 feet
Experience Level: Advanced to Expert
Twin 327′ coast guard cutters were sunk in 1987 as the first of Key Largo’s artificial reefs. The Duane is in 120 ft of water and sits straight up. She is 327 ft long and is covered with life. The 20+ years she has sat on the bottom has allowed her to transform into a spectacular habitat for many species. Masses of barracudas hover from her crow’s nest at 60ft, as if they are standing at attention. As divers get closer to the deck at 90ft the vibrant colors of algae, coral, and sponge become evident. Large goliath groupers, turtles, eels, and game fish swim around making this an exciting deep dive. Bull sharks are often spotted in the distance by divers. The Bibb is the sister ship of the Duane, and the structure is the same. The interesting difference is that she lies on her side in 130ft of water. You will reach the hull structure at 60 ft. This is a very different dive when it comes to perspective.
