Key Largo, “Dive Capital of the World”, offers the best Florida Keys Dive Sites.
All Florida Keys dive sites are within the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary, home to the Florida Reef—the only barrier coral reef in North America and the third-largest in the world.
Key Largo, known as the “Dive Capital of the World,” features some of the top Florida Keys dive sites and is home to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first undersea park in the U.S., covering about 70 nautical square miles of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Florida Keys dive sites offer numerous stunning reef locations filled with marine life, along with many shipwreck dive sites. In the Upper Keys, particularly Key Largo and Islamorada, five notable wrecks exist, including the famous Spiegel Grove.
All Florida Keys dive sites are offshore and accessible only by boat, with no shore diving available. Dive trips run twice daily, in the mornings and afternoons.
The reefs are shallow (25 to 40 feet), making them perfect for beginners and divers who want plenty of ambient light without worrying about bottom time or air consumption. Common sights include nurse sharks, reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles, goliath groupers, barracuda, and many colorful fish. Intermediate-depth dives are available upon request, depending on conditions.
The deep wrecks (Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb, and Eagle) are sensational dive spots at 75-100 feet, specially prepared for scuba diving.
From beginner to expert, all scuba divers will find their ideal Florida Keys dive sites. If you are in the Key Largo and Islamorada area you have access to 50 plus different dive sites alone. Here is an 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.
Molasses Reef: Most Dived Reef of all Florida Keys Dive Sites
Depth Range: Shallow to 40 feet
Experience Level: Novice to Intermediate
Molasses Reef reigns as the world’s most popular dive site. The reef comprises a classic spur and groove system that 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.
Architecturally Interesting: French Reef
Depth Range: Shallow to 100 feet
Experience Level: Novice to Advanced
An exceptionally beautiful site, this ever-popular reef is 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 reaches up to the water’s surface. At 30 to 40 feet old mounds and boulders of brain coral and star coral become more abundant. Yellowtails, grunts, parrotfish, jacks, porkfish, and damselfish are virtually everywhere. Even larger solitary fish such as Snook and Permit are often encountered on this reef.
The Most Iconic of all Florida Keys Dive Sites: The “Christ of the Abyss Statue”
Depth: 25 feet
Experience Level: Snorkeler or Novice
The Christ of the Deep Statue was cast in Italy and donated to the Underwater Society of America by Egidi Cressi, an Italian industrialist and diving equipment manufacturer. This statue is a 9-foot-tall bronze replica of the original Christ of the Abyss, which is situated 50 feet underwater off the coast of Genoa, Italy. The statue is placed in a stunning reef area renowned for its magnificent brain corals. It stands majestically against the vibrant blue waters of the ocean, with its arms raised towards the surface. It is the third of its kind.
The Benwood, a “Real” Shipwreck on Key Largo’s Doorstep
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.
Wold-Famous USS Spiegel Grove
Depth Range: 65-130 feet
Experience Level: Advanced to Expert
The USS Spiegel Grove is renowned as one of the most famous artificial reefs in the world and holds a significant place in the diving community as the largest shipwreck ever submerged. This impressive vessel was intentionally sunk to create an underwater sanctuary for divers, teeming with marine life.
The wreck stands upright and measures an astonishing 510 feet in length and 84 feet in width, making it an imposing sight beneath the waves. Many openings in the ship have been thoughtfully enlarged and secured with lines, providing advanced divers with an exciting opportunity to explore a variety of intricate swim-through passages illuminated by natural light.
Navigating through this majestic wreck is both exhilarating and unforgettable, inviting trained divers to discover its wonders.
Sister-Ships 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 30+ 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 90 ft, 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, adding an extra thrill to the underwater experience.
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.
