Florida Keys Dive Sites - Upper Keys
Key Largo Dry Rocks
The 9 foot 4000 pound bronze statue "Christ of the Abyss" was designed by Italian sculptor Guido Galletti and was cast in
Italy. This statue was commissioned and donated by Egidi Cressi, an Italian industrialist and dive equipment
manufacturer. The Underwater Society of America received the donation in 1962 and placed the statue at Key Largo Dry
Rocks in 1966.
The Statue sits on a large concrete base in 25 feet of water in a sandy area in between large coral structures.
Key Largo Dry Rocks is one of the most visited and well-known dive spots in the Florida Keys. Most of the visitors to the
site are snorklers because the reef is very shallow. Divers that choose to dive here will have to contend with the swimmers
above and have very good control of their buoyancy because the coral is tall and close to the surface. A good dive would be
to go around the coral and not up and over the coral.
Dry Rocks is one of the most colorful sites in the Upper Keys. Sea fans, brain coral, elkhorn, star coral are very healthy and
grown up. Tropical fish abound.
The 9 foot 4000 pound bronze statue "Christ of the Abyss" was designed by Italian sculptor Guido Galletti and was cast in
Italy. This statue was commissioned and donated by Egidi Cressi, an Italian industrialist and dive equipment
manufacturer. The Underwater Society of America received the donation in 1962 and placed the statue at Key Largo Dry
Rocks in 1966.
The Statue sits on a large concrete base in 25 feet of water in a sandy area in between large coral structures.
Key Largo Dry Rocks is one of the most visited and well-known dive spots in the Florida Keys. Most of the visitors to the
site are snorklers because the reef is very shallow. Divers that choose to dive here will have to contend with the swimmers
above and have very good control of their buoyancy because the coral is tall and close to the surface. A good dive would be
to go around the coral and not up and over the coral.
Dry Rocks is one of the most colorful sites in the Upper Keys. Sea fans, brain coral, elkhorn, star coral are very healthy and
grown up. Tropical fish abound.
Grecian Rocks is a crescent-shaped patch reef about 3/4 mile South-Southwest of Dry Rocks - off the coast at MM 106.
There are 12 mooring buoys around the reef designated with the letter "G". The reef runs from North to South and is about
1/2 mile long by 150 yards wide. There is a very well-developed spur and groove system overgrown with a variety of corals,
sea fans and a great variety of sponges. The depth of the reef is from 1 to 35 feet. Stoplight parrotfish, princess parrotfish,
queen parrotfish, and blue parrotfish, as well as nurse sharks, are all at home in this area. The crest of the reef is very
shallow and you should not attempt to snorkle there as you will surely touch the top of the coral.
In the white sandy area behind the reef is a home for queen conch. But please remember, in the Florida Keys, it is illegal
to disturb the conchs!
There are 12 mooring buoys around the reef designated with the letter "G". The reef runs from North to South and is about
1/2 mile long by 150 yards wide. There is a very well-developed spur and groove system overgrown with a variety of corals,
sea fans and a great variety of sponges. The depth of the reef is from 1 to 35 feet. Stoplight parrotfish, princess parrotfish,
queen parrotfish, and blue parrotfish, as well as nurse sharks, are all at home in this area. The crest of the reef is very
shallow and you should not attempt to snorkle there as you will surely touch the top of the coral.
In the white sandy area behind the reef is a home for queen conch. But please remember, in the Florida Keys, it is illegal
to disturb the conchs!
The Spiegel Grove is the newest and largest artificial reef in the Florida Keys. The ship was sunk, June 10, 2002, but
to everyone's dismay rested on its starboard side at a depth of 130 feet. But miraculously, the storm surge from Hurricane
Dennis in July of 2005 pushed the 510 foot US Navy ship into an upright position.
This dive is for advanced and technical divers only. This is a dive that you definitely will want to make several times.
There's no way to see all of this huge ship on one descent.
For more information visit the website: www.SpiegelGrove.com
to everyone's dismay rested on its starboard side at a depth of 130 feet. But miraculously, the storm surge from Hurricane
Dennis in July of 2005 pushed the 510 foot US Navy ship into an upright position.
This dive is for advanced and technical divers only. This is a dive that you definitely will want to make several times.
There's no way to see all of this huge ship on one descent.
For more information visit the website: www.SpiegelGrove.com
The Benwood Wreck is about 5 miles offshore at MM 105. There are four mooring buoys B1 - B4 to tie to. The depth
is 25 to 55 feet making the dive good for beginners and intermediate but not too good for snorklers. There is sometimes
a moderate to heavy current here so beware.
The Benwood was a freighter built in 1910. She was 360 feet long with a 51 foot beam. She was wrecked in WWII in
1942. It is said that she collided with a 544 foot tanker both traveling off course at night in the dark. The Benwood sank
1/1/2 miles north of French Reef. Later she was used for target practice by the US military in the 50's and was eventually
dynamited to eliminate the navigational hazard she posed.
The Benwood wreck sits upright in 50 feet of water. The hull is intact but is heavily damaged by the collision and
subsequent demolitions by the Navy. The metal sides of the wreck are fully coated with coral and sponges. Look close to
the bottom for moray eels, lobster and jawfish. One of the most impressive things about this dive is the amount of tropical
fish that you'll see. They literally cover the top of the structure.
is 25 to 55 feet making the dive good for beginners and intermediate but not too good for snorklers. There is sometimes
a moderate to heavy current here so beware.
The Benwood was a freighter built in 1910. She was 360 feet long with a 51 foot beam. She was wrecked in WWII in
1942. It is said that she collided with a 544 foot tanker both traveling off course at night in the dark. The Benwood sank
1/1/2 miles north of French Reef. Later she was used for target practice by the US military in the 50's and was eventually
dynamited to eliminate the navigational hazard she posed.
The Benwood wreck sits upright in 50 feet of water. The hull is intact but is heavily damaged by the collision and
subsequent demolitions by the Navy. The metal sides of the wreck are fully coated with coral and sponges. Look close to
the bottom for moray eels, lobster and jawfish. One of the most impressive things about this dive is the amount of tropical
fish that you'll see. They literally cover the top of the structure.
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