Florida Scuba Diving Resorts
What do you call seven eagle rays gliding over the reef
like slow-motion Stealth bombers? A squadron? Perhaps a fleet? While unsure of
the correct terminology, I knew the exhilarating encounter with these rays on my
last dive in the Florida Keys was no fluke. In fact, I've seen eagle rays on
several recent dives here.
From the creation of the nation's first underwater park (the John Pennekamp
Coral Reef State Park) in the 1960s to the national marine sanctuary that
encompasses the entire Keys today, a lot of effort has gone into preserving the
region's cherished coral reefs. But divers can be most thankful for the
Sanctuary Preservation Areas. Nineteen of these no-take areas were set up around
the Keys' most popular reefs in July 1997. The result has been a dramatic
increase in fish populations.
Best Bets Underwater
Since 1852 the historic Carysfort Lighthouse off north Key Largo has
stood watch over two beautiful reefs, Carysfort and Carysfort South. The tops of
both reefs come right to the surface, and the main reef slopes off steadily into
deep water. Fragile elkhorn and antler corals along the reef crest have taken a
beating from storms in the past few years, but fortunately these are the
fastest-growing corals and signs of recovery are already evident.
For experienced Florida Keys divers, the Elbow is synonymous with clear water.
The name "elbow" comes from the fact that it sticks out from the rest
of the reef line. Because this reef is placed near the edge of the Gulf Stream,
a continuous supply of clear water flows over it much of the time.
North
North Dry Rocks is not a typo, it's the next reef north of North Dry Rocks.
Although the deepest part of the reef is only about 30 feet, North North
features tall coral ridges that rise 15 feet or more straight up from the sandy
bottom. For some reason there seems to be a surplus of angelfish here, so if you
want to get the vivid colors of a queen angel or rock beauty on film, head for
North North.
Back in 1966 when Ellison Hardee, the first superintendent of Pennekamp Park,
put the Christ of the Abyss statue on a concrete pedestal in 15 feet of water at
Key Largo Dry Rocks, he couldn't possibly have known how popular it would
become. The statue continues to attract both snorkelers and divers, but the rest
of the reef is very nice, too.
French Reef has always been a paradox for me. Some days the water is a beautiful
clear blue and the top of the reef seems alive with fish and coral; on other
days the reef is bathed in a gloomier green and the coral ridges look a bit
threadbare. Regardless of what face the reef is wearing, it is a fascinating
dive because of its caverns, arches and swim-throughs. It's like a
three-dimensional puzzle for divers who can easily burn off an hour's worth of
air wandering from one chamber to the next while marveling at the reef-building
ability of tiny coral polyps.
What diver hasn't heard of Molasses Reef? This reef is the most frequently
visited spot in the Florida Keys. So why would you want to join the crowd?
Simply because Molasses has a magic all its own. Like the Elbow, the fortunes of
fluid dynamics often bless it with a remarkable clarity. Add to that an
interesting reef structure and an incredible fish population and you can see the
reason for its popularity.
The reef crest at Pickles looks like a sea fan farm. Hundreds of them sway
gently with the swells, a living field of purple and brown. I've always had good
luck observing larger animals here, too. Once five big tarpon followed me around
the reef like robotic sentries, their shiny silver scales flashing in the sun.
On another occasion, I witnessed a fracas under a ledge involving two nurse
sharks and a pack of jacks.
Sombrero is Marathon's reef, another of the large outer bank reefs with a
historic lighthouse. The alternating coral ledges and sandy channels that form
the main reef provide a variety of dive sites, ranging in depth from about 10 to
40 feet. From 40 feet to around 70 feet, the coral profile is flatter and
sponges begin to dominate the scene.
Looe Key is a classic Florida reef: a back reef of sand and sea grass, a shallow
crest, a spectacularly developed fore reef with tall coral spurs and white sandy
grooves and a deep reef dominated by giant barrel sponges. It's more than you
can see in a long day of diving.
Take it slow at Nine Foot Stake, otherwise you may miss the good stuff -- like
the brilliant colors of juvenile French angelfish or the distinctive pattern of
a flamingo tongue. With a maximum depth of 20 feet, the whole reef is like one
big safety stop with countless ledges and cuts to explore.
My sense of direction keeps me out of trouble most of the time, but wandering
around Eastern and Western Dry Rocks can get anybody lost. These extensive Key
West reefs have many little paths and mini-canyons that will lead you along a
never-ending maze.
Many divers think the Florida Keys begin in Key Largo and end in Key West, but
they're missing something at each end.
North of Key Largo is Biscayne National Park, which includes a big stretch of
reef along the ocean side of Old Rhodes Key and Elliott Key. A deep wall,
shallow reefs and some nice wrecks can be visited from the park's headquarters,
located off Florida's Turnpike between Miami and Key Largo.
West of Key West, Dry Tortugas National Park awaits the adventurous. Accessible
from Key West by private and charter boat, sea plane and ferry, the park has
everything from pristine deep reefs to the shallow wreck of the Avanti, an
iron-hulled sailing ship. A land tour of massive Fort Jefferson on Garden Key is
amazing. The snorkeling is superb all the way around the fort's moat.
When you add it all up, the Florida Keys are one of the best deals in diving.
Getting here is easy -- just fly to Miami or Key West and rent a car. There is
no charge for the superb sunsets over Florida Bay while you're cruising the
Overseas Highway with the top down.
The Keys first gained notoriety as a hazardous region for mariners. Today divers
can visit more than a dozen wrecks spanning centuries.
Definitely one of world's best wreck dives, the Duane is a 237-foot Coast
Guard Cutter sitting upright on the sand in 115 feet of water just beyond
Molasses Reef on the edge of the Gulf Stream. The bad news is that the Duane
is often subject to strong currents. The good news is that those currents bring
superb visibility. The position of the wreck also means lots of big fish. Jacks,
permit, barracuda, angelfish and parrotfish surround the ship's masts and
superstructure.
Duane's sistership, the Bibb, lurks on the bottom in slightly
deeper water not far away. Although the ships are virtually identical, the Bibb
lies on her side. With everything oriented sideways, it's a different dive
altogether. Both ships were sunk in 1987, so they've had time to cultivate
colorful mantles of coral and sponges. Since the Bibb and Duane
are both deep dives with the potential for a strong current, expect to be asked
for your advanced open water card and maybe even evidence of recent deep dives.
The Benwood is an option for less adventurous wreck enthusiasts. The
watchwords for this wreck are "fish" and "night." Since it
sank in 1942, the wreck has been reduced to the crumpled bow, the bottom of the
hull and scattered metal plates -- interesting enough, but the fish are the real
draw. If you have one of those waterproof fish ID books, this is a good spot to
give it a test.
The Eagle was sunk off Islamorada in 1986 and gets more interesting every
year. It recently split in two during a storm, creating a wide gap between the
bow and stern sections.
If you're interested in marine archaeology, visit the remains of the USS Alligator
near the lighthouse with the same name.
I can never dive the Thunderbolt without imagining what her crew went
through. Before she became an artificial reef, the Thunderbolt was used
for research involving lightning strikes. Can you imagine sailing into a storm
and pumping ions into the sky to attract lightning? It's blissfully quiet on
deck now, and although nothing remains of her days as a lightning rod, the cable
reel on the foredeck is a reminder of the ship's original purpose as a cable
layer.
The 210-foot freighter Adolphus Busch is a recent addition to the bottom
off Big Pine Key. It sits upright and ghostly in 100 feet of water, waiting
patiently as the ocean paints it with coral.
