Key Largo Dive & Snorkel Sites
Sail Fish Scuba Dive Shop – Florida Keys
The diving capital of the World, Key Largo and the Upper Keys most centrally located dive shop, Sail Fish Scuba has the best access to the over 60 marked dive/snorkel sites. Plus we are currently searching for new deeper reef sites, and possible wreck sites.
We visit all dive sites from North of Elbow Reef, off Key Largo mile marker 107, the entire way down to Snapper Reef off Tavernier Key mile marker 90 ~ which is more than any other dive shop in the Florida Keys.
At Sail Fish Scuba, our first booking on any giving trip, of any given day gets to pick 1 of the 2 sites ( weather permitting ) that our tour will go to for that trip! Yep, we love your opinion that much! So if you want to have some say in where you will be diving each day, give our shop a call plenty in advance of your dive vacation to the Fl. Keys and let us know what all you would like to dive!
Our sites range from shallow ( Macro Photography Dream Sites ) snorkeling sites with max depth 15 feet deep filled with Corals, reef fish, Nudibranchs, Pelagic Tunicates, Sand Dollars, Sea Anemones, Shrimps, Flatworms, Sea Slugs, and much more ~ To the deepest of the shipwrecks in the Florida Keys, The Bibb with max depth 138 feet deep.
USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32)
Everyone’s favorite deep wreck dive in Key Largo is by far the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32)shipwreck. 17 May 2002 USS Spiegel Grove was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. She lay on her side for a few years until Hurricane Dennis with an act of nature righted her during the storm. She has since been sitting perfectly upright and proud for all to see. Max depth under the stern at props is 144 feet. Shallowest depth at superstructure is 62 feet. Total length from bow to stern 510 feet. Due to the massive size of this wreck, it is best to plan a series of 4 dives to view entire wreck. Many shops including Sail Fish Scuba offer “double dip dives” so you can get to see a lot of the wreck on one two tank boat trip to this wreck.
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USCG Cutter Duane Wreck (WPG33)
USCG Cutter Duane (WPG33) shipwreck is 327 foot long and was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef on November 26, 1987. The wreck sits in 125 feet of water with a top depth of 60 feet at the Crow’s Nest. The majority of your dive will be done at 105 feet deep touring the main deck.As this wreck sits extremely near the Gulf Stream, it is prone to currents that can make it un-diveable. If you do get to dive it, you will fall in love with all the massive coral growth and schools of fish that now call it home.Some fish to expect to see, Great barracuda, Atlantic spadefish, yellow tail snapper, goliath grouper, nurse shark, reef shark, and even bull shark call this wreck their home.This dive is best done on enriched air Nitrox for the maximum bottom time!
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US Coast Guard Cutter Bibb (WPG 31)
USCG Cutter BIBB Wreck was built in 1937. On November 28, 1987 the327 foot long Bibb was sank as a recreational diving site off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Maximum depth next to props in the sand is 138 feet deep. minimum depth 70 feet where mooring line is tied to the port side midship. Highly advise doing this dive with NITROX 30% for your best bottom time.Bibb wreck lays on her starboard side and entertains 2 resident bull sharks and tons of Atlantic spadefish and great barracuda. Due to the positioning being close to the Gulf Stream, expect current when doing this dive.* Super training location for Sail Fish Scuba TDI advanced nitrox & decompression procedure dives. See instruction page for more details on these classes.
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Benwood Wreck
The Benwood Wreck has a max depth at the wreck of 52 feet This is one of the favorites of our staff to dive because every time you dive it, you just never know what interesting sea creatures you will get to see at this wreck. Some of the “once in a while” visitors are: Manta Rays, Spotted Eagle Rays, Huge Loggerhead Turtles, Free swimming giant green Moray Eels, Huge Tarpon, Huge Snook, Goliath Grouper the size of VW Beetle car, Massive schools of Atlantic Spadefish, Reef sharks, Bull sharks, Nurse sharks, once a small Whale Shark, honestly every single time you dive this shipwreck you will see something different hanging out there!
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Hannah M. Bell Wreck
The Hannah M. Bell British-built steel steamship was Mexico-bound with a load of coal from Newport News, VA. when she ran aground on 4 April 1911 in foul weather.Like so many before her, the extensive patch of reef known as Elbow reef which sits just west of a deep channel, took her by surprise during a storm and caused the sinking.This massive shipwreck which lays in just 30 feet of water only about 100 yards South of the famous City of Washington shipwreck was only locally known as “Mike’s Wreck” up until 2012 when a group of researcher finally did extensive studies and beyond a doubt figured out her true identity.She is still a substantial ship with some 15 foot tall portions of the hull still intact, and massive deck beams and hull plating rising from the reef and ocean floor.
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City of Washington
The City of Washington wreck lays in 25 to 32 feet of water 5.25 nautical miles East of the North End of Key Largo. The remains of the City of Washington lie on the far North end of the Elbow Reef System. On July 10, 1917 the tugboat Luchenbach #4 towing the City of Washington and the Seneca ran aground on this reef site. The Luchenbach #4 and the Seneca were soon refloated, but the City of Washington broke up and was a total loss within a few minutes of sinking.Wreck Site: City of Washington site is 325 feet long and contains mostly the lower bilge section of the steel hull. The hull structure can be followed for most of the contour, although several huge gaps are present. The site extends approx. 140 feet wide and debris of the ship can be found off the main site in the sand beds and near by coral reef sections.
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Pickle Barrel Wreck & Reef
Stories go, that years ago cement was being shipped in old pickle barrels on a barge that accidentally ran aground on the reef where this old shipwreck & cement barrels still lay to this day.
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Wellwood Wreck and Reef
Wellwood Wreck and Restoration Area Reef is the most Northern corner of the World famous Molasses Barrier Reef system in Key Largo, Florida Keys.
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Anchor Chain Reef
Anchor Chain Reef dive and snorkel site in Key Largo, Florida Keys is part of the Elbow Reef barrier reef system of North America.
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Benwood Wall
Wall Diving in Key Largo is not done by many dive shops, but we love the wall dive in front of the Benwood shipwreck. It is thriving coral covered and a thrilling site to explore.
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Hamburger Corals Reef
Hamburger shaped corals can be found at this reef. Bun on top and bottom and the center looks just like a ground burger with lettuce sticking out, no joke!
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North Dry Rocks Reef ~ AKA Minnow Caves Reef
North Dry Rocks Reef is a small patch reef site just North of the Key Largo Dry Rocks Reef, which is home to the famous Christ of the Abyss statue. North Dry Rocks Reef is also known as Minnow Caves. It got this nick name Minnow Caves due to the cavernous coral cave at the one end of the patch reef.
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Christ of the Abyss
One of the most popular sites in Key Largo, located in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in the reef named Key Largo Dry Rocks. Max depth 32 feet. Great location for all levels of divers and snorkelers alike. Amazing corals and lots of schools of fish!
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Horseshoe Reef
This patch reef lies just North of the famous Key Largo Dry Rocks, home to the Christ of the Abyss site. Horseshoe Reef has an amazing patch of Elkhorn coral and to the west is a mysterious huge anchor ( if you can find it ). Amazing site for divers & snorkelers alike. Max depth 26 feet. If you know where to find them, there are 2 different swim-throughs. Tons of fish at this site, great location to complete your Fish ID specialty – check out our instruction page for this wonderful class taught at an amazingly low price!
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Barracuda Alley
If you want to get your heart pumping being surrounded by more great barracuda than you could possibly count, then request this dive/snorkel site when booking your next tour with us. Request to pair this site with Banana Reef & you will have a 2 location match you’ll talk about and show your disc of the days photos from for years to come! Max depth for this dive is only 22 feet deep, and right under the boat and around the base of the mooring is a sea-grass bed with a max depth of only about 10 feet and this is where these huge fish love to hang out everyday of the year!
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Anemone Garden Reef
On the backside of Key Largo Dry Rocks reef is a beautiful shallow reef site called Anemone Garden, and you quickly see why it gets its name. The boulder reef is covered in colorful anemones.
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Key Largo’s Last FORD Model T Dive Site
Key Largo diving offers many unique sites, but none as cool as the FORD Model T car! Very few know even where this site is, much less how to find this cool old car sitting at the bottom of the ocean is 21 feet deep water, except our Owner Jen Kerr.
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Little Grecian Reef
Little Grecian Reef snorkel/dive site is just a little ways off the main Grecian Rocks Reef line. This patch does not have a mooring ball, so prudent anchoring needs come into play when visiting this site.
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Grecian Proper Reef
On the East side of the Main Grecian Rocks Reef line, is 1 single mooring ball. This is Grecian Proper. Frequently see southern stingrays and nurse sharks at this site.
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Jules Lagoon
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Sand Island Reef
This site we discovered recently is So Beautiful & the Elkhorn corals did not get any damage from Hurricane Irma at all! Sand Island Reef got its name because (so folklore claims) back before Hurricane Donna 1960, there was actually 1 lone Coconut Tree growing on a tiny sandy island at this very location.
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Sand Bottom Caves at French Reef
Sand Bottom Caves at French Reef is not actually cave diving, it’s just cavernous swim through areas under the living coral reef. French Reef has many mooring ball sites, and the favorite of everyone is Sand Bottom Caves. This site gets its name from the numerous areas where the living coral reef is washed out under the bottom allowing divers to explore the cave like areas.
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Molasses Reef
A favorite among divers and snorkelers visiting Key Largo, Florida. All alongside it there are many remains of ships that wrecked against this dangerous coral barrier reef. This reef is located 6 miles off the coast line of Key Largo. Expect to see French grunts, blue-striped grunts, white grunts, trumpetfish, gray angelfish, French angelfish, queen angelfish, yellow tail snapper, chubs, tangs, scrawled filefish, trunkfish, scrawled cowfish, sergeant major, yellowtail damselfish, butterflyfish, Atlantic spadefish, porkfish, bar jack, yellow goatfish, porcupinefish, blue chromis, grouper, great barracuda, every type of parrotfish, and so many more we can’t even name them all! Everyone describes their time at Molasses Reef as like being in an aquarium.
There are so many mooring balls at this site, it would take you at least six two tank trips to see the entire reef system! Request a ” double dip ” when booking and you won’t be sorry!
There are a few memorials placed to former Scuba Instructors whose ashes were placed here over the years. Shallowest 23 feet deep Max depth 43 feet. Some huge sponge formations, often see Nurse sharks & Reef sharks. Lots of Blade Coral, Branching Coral, Elkhorn corals, and staghorn corals. Slow down and you may find a few large colorful Giant anemones among the living coral reef and crawling in the sandy areas a few Florida Horse Conch, Florida Fighting Conch, and maybe a Queen Conch. Please remember all Conch are protected in Florida, so look but don’t touch or take.
As with all dive sites at Molasses Reef, you may come across some signs of old shipwrecks
Hole in the Wall Reef at Molasses
Hole In The Wall Reef is a site at Molasses Reef that has exactly what it’s name says, A large Hole In The Reef Wall that is big enough for any scuba diver to swim thru. We love taking your photo as you are swimming through, and it makes a nice pic to get all your social media friends super jealous!
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Winch Hole
Winch Hole dive site at Key Largo’s Molasses barrier reef is home to a huge winch over 10 feet long laying in a sandy spot with a depth of 32 feet deep.
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Wellwood Wreckage Area Molasses Reef
Wellwood Wreckage Area Molasses Reef is the shallower North West End of the World Famous Molasses Reef. It is named this due to the M/V Wellwood a 400 foot long freighter who ran aground here in 1984.
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North Star At Molasses Reef
At this site divers and snorkelers alike will be delighted by seeing nurse sharks, bull sharks, black tip reef sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, just to name a few of the sharks you may get to see and swim with while scuba diving or snorkeling at this Florida Keys dive site.
This site is part of the Molasses Barrier Reef, and is littered with remains of shipwrecks of the past who did not navigate the shallow waterways very well. Many call this Pirate’s Reef, due to all the old ship wreckage at this site. You may find the old very huge sail boat mate, and structure, as well as many many other parts of old sailing boats
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Spanish Anchor Reef – South End of Molasses
At the far South end of Molasses Reef, just at the base of mooring ball number 21 you will find the massive old Spanish Anchor. If you are scuba diving, you will need ascend a bit to get a nice from above view, to make out the Anchor as it is completely coral encrusted.
This end of Molasses Reef tends to get a bit of current, sometimes even making it not dive-able. You might see sea turtles, loggerhead turtles, Reef Sharks, Bull Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks, all sorts of corals and reef fish.