Upper Keys

The Elbow
Depth: 10-35 feet. Skill Level: Novice.
Sometimes called Wreck Reef, these well-defined spur-and-groove coral formations have been snaring ships for hundreds of years. In addition to angelfish, grunts and snapper, divers like the ghostly remains of the City of Washington wreck.

Key Largo Dry Rocks
Depth: 10-25 feet. Skill Level: Novice.
Hundreds of divers pay homage to this site every year at the famous Christ of the Abyss statue. Besides the statue, there are notable brain coral formations and the usual collection of grunts, snapper, Bermuda chub and barracuda. This reef is popular for both scuba diving and snorkeling thanks to the shallow depths and the unique Christ statue.

The Duane and Bibb
Depth: 70-150 feet. Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
Sunk as artificial reefs in 1987, both of these retired U.S. Coast Guard cutters have encrusted nicely under the flow of Gulf Stream water, a mixed blessing that brings with it large amberjack, cobia and crystalline visibility, but also occasionally stiff currents. The Duane sits upright with her upper decks accessible to intermediate divers at about 70 feet. The Bibb rests on her starboard side with her upper rail at about 95 feet and should be left to advanced divers.

Spiegel Grove
Depth: 60-130 feet. Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
The Spiegel Grove, after eight years of planning, has finally earned the title of largest ship ever sunk to become an artificial reef. Its original stark battleship gray paint job has surrendered to a furry coat of red algae, and the process of reef-ication is progressing rapidly. Barracuda, jacks and silversides are already making this wreck their home base. Though some feel that measures should be taken to right her, she will probably forever lie on her starboard side. Penetration is strongly discouraged by dive operators. Though not yet cloaked by the same vibrant sponge and coral coat that the Duane and Bibb wear, a dive on the Grove is a study in size--you small, wreck big. Really, really big. A trip to the bow affords you a dreamlike view of a wreck that appears to cruise sideways out of the inky darkness. The giant anti-aircraft guns spring like goalposts from mid-decks, the gaping maw of the well-deck ramp is breathtakingly enormous and the twin screws make excellent photo backdrops.

French Reef
Depth: 25-100 feet. Skill Level: Novice to Intermediate.
The reef is filled with mini-caves, swim-throughs and overhangs that make navigation a bit tricky, but you won't mind getting lost among them. The holes shelter moray eels, big snapper and beefy grouper. Seasonal concentrations of glassy minnows within the caves are a big treat.

Molasses Reef
Depth: 15-55 feet. Skill Level: Novice.
Look for parades of grouper, snapper, angelfish and barracuda strutting through the sand channels with hometown pride, while pelagics like sharks, rays and turtles occasionally drop in for a visit.

Eagle Wreck
Depth: 75-120 feet. Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
Covered with deep-water gorgonians, black lace corals and diffuse ivory coral, this 287-foot freighter was sunk in 1985 as an artificial reef and lies on her starboard rail. The forward cargo holds can be safely penetrated by all divers, but only properly trained and equipped wreck divers should attempt to penetrate the stern. A passing storm broke the Eagle into two sections, exposing more areas for jewfish and eels to hide.

Middle Keys

Sombrero Reef
Depth: 35 feet. Skill Level: Novice.
This fringing reef system kisses the water's surface and sends fingers of coral shooting out for a half-mile. Dive sites here are noted for Volkswagen-sized mounds of brain coral and modest coral archways filled by schooling grunts. Scan the crevices with a light to find the hiding spots of octopus, lobster and crabs.

Delta Shoal
Depth: 35 feet. Skill Level: Novice.
Located a mile east of Sombrero Reef, these fingers of coral are separated by broad sand channels and covered with an abundance of soft corals and brilliant tropicals.

R/V Thunderbolt
Depth: 118 feet. Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
This 185-foot WWII cable layer attracts wreck divers who explore her large cable spool and open hatchways that are safe for light penetration. A favorite stop is the forward hold, decorated in fire coral to ensure visiting divers practice proper buoyancy control, and now the living room of a 150-pound jewfish. The rest of the wreck is home to a five-foot barracuda and schooling jacks.

Lower Keys

Looe Key
Depth: 35 feet. Skill Level: Novice.
From the shores of Ramrod and Big Pine Keys, coral fingers stretch out to the deep. The healthiest and tallest ridges in the islands, these fingers of coral are orderly supermarket aisles of brain, star and plate coral topped by seafans, sponges and sea rods. Looking for their next meal among the coral channels are wrasse, parrotfish, grouper, barracuda, snapper, neon gobies, nurse sharks and moray eels. While only five square nautical miles, Looe Key offers a wide diversity of ecosystems, from a rubble ridge to seagrass to patch reef to a pristine fringing reef and mini-wall.

Joe's Tug
Depth: 65 feet. Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
Sunk intentionally as a dive attraction a decade ago, Joe's Tug lost her wheelhouse during Hurricane George but compensates by having a massive coral field all around. Her holds are now home to tomtate grunts, a resident jewfish and a massive green moray normally found in the keel section of the wreck.

Eastern Dry Rocks/Rock Key
Depth: 65 feet. Skill Level: Beginner.
These three bank reefs are popular with the snorkeling and diving Key West crowd. Sand Key, the largest of the three, is topped by an old, red iron lighthouse and lays claim to being the most visited of the Key West reefs. Rock Key and Eastern Dry Rocks are shallow ridges of coral with sand-filled canyons.

Cayman Salvage Master
Depth: 70-95 feet. Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
This boat once rescued foundering vessels before she herself dipped under the waves. Placed in her current position off Key West in 1987 and lightly encrusted, she sits upright with a slight list to port. She's home to a jewfish, sergeant majors, morays and spotfin butterflyfish. Her top deck is at 70 feet and is subject to light current.