Florida Keys Dive Sites - Middle Keys
Coffins Patch is a shallow dive location, no deeper that 25 ft. This site is an excellent site for snorkeling.
Sombrero Reef is about 4 miles off Boot Key at the South end of Marathon and is marked by several buoys and a 160
feet tall lighthouse. The Sombrero Key Lighthouse was built in the 1850's and was forecast by its building supervisor, US
Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, Lieutenant George Gordon Meade, to last for 200 years. It is still fully functional
and in service.
Sombrero Reef is your classic "spur and groove" formation with large fingers of hard coral, rimmed with sea fans and soft
corals separated by narrow sandy areas. You'll find yellowtail snappers, parrotfish, squirrelfish, nurse sharks and
stingrays all around the reef. The best dive area is South of the Lighthouse (oceanside).
The depth ranges from 5 to 35 feet making this dive site excellent for beginner to advanced divers and also snorkeling.
Sombrero Reef is about 4 miles off Boot Key at the South end of Marathon and is marked by several buoys and a 160
feet tall lighthouse. The Sombrero Key Lighthouse was built in the 1850's and was forecast by its building supervisor, US
Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, Lieutenant George Gordon Meade, to last for 200 years. It is still fully functional
and in service.
Sombrero Reef is your classic "spur and groove" formation with large fingers of hard coral, rimmed with sea fans and soft
corals separated by narrow sandy areas. You'll find yellowtail snappers, parrotfish, squirrelfish, nurse sharks and
stingrays all around the reef. The best dive area is South of the Lighthouse (oceanside).
The depth ranges from 5 to 35 feet making this dive site excellent for beginner to advanced divers and also snorkeling.
The Thunderbolt Wreck is located about 5 miles Southeast offshore from Marathon. In the 1980's researchers from
the Florida utility company used 2 jet engines to blast ionized gas into the upper atmosphere to attract large number of
lighting strikes on this 200 foot research vessel. That's how she got her name - "Thunderbolt". She was to start her new
career as an underwater surveyor vessel but sank in the Miami Harbor. Members of the Middle Keys diving community
bought her inj1986 and prepped her as an artificial reef.
The Thunderbolt lies upright in 115 feet of water. The current here is often fierce, making this dive for advanced or technical
divers only. There are entry points around the wreck for divers certified in wreck diving.
This dive is very exciting for the experienced diver. The wreck is heavily encrusted with a variety of sponges and corals and
there are always lots of tropicals and barracuda around.
the Florida utility company used 2 jet engines to blast ionized gas into the upper atmosphere to attract large number of
lighting strikes on this 200 foot research vessel. That's how she got her name - "Thunderbolt". She was to start her new
career as an underwater surveyor vessel but sank in the Miami Harbor. Members of the Middle Keys diving community
bought her inj1986 and prepped her as an artificial reef.
The Thunderbolt lies upright in 115 feet of water. The current here is often fierce, making this dive for advanced or technical
divers only. There are entry points around the wreck for divers certified in wreck diving.
This dive is very exciting for the experienced diver. The wreck is heavily encrusted with a variety of sponges and corals and
there are always lots of tropicals and barracuda around.
| Florida Keys businesses cater to tourists. Please help us support our local Keys businesses by your patronage. Florida Keys Small Businesses Thank You! |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Attention Florida Keys Businesses! Advertise on this website for FREE! Click Here for Details |
Our sister sites: www.theFloridaKeys-KeyWest.com | www.FLKeys-KeyWest.com |
www.FLKeys-Diving.com | www.FLKeys-Fishing.com | www.FLKeys-VacationRentals.com
www.FLKeys-Diving.com | www.FLKeys-Fishing.com | www.FLKeys-VacationRentals.com
In the Florida Keys, divers and snorkelers can choose from a variety of dive locations for scuba diving and snorkeling. We offer wreck diving, night diving, reef diving, beginner diving, advanced diving