By Rick Stratton
Publisher, Dive News Network
World-Class Diving, Fish Bowl of the World, Diver’s Dream…these all describe the one place that comes to mind first for most divers when you ask “where would you like to dive”? The answer of course is Florida’s Key Largo and Tavernier areas. According to the area tourism bureau over one million divers a year make this dive a reality and well over one million divers can’t be all wrong.
Located in the northern section of the world famous Florida Keys chain, Key Largo and Tavernier offer a diversity of diving that speaks to the skills of both the brand new diver and the novice. But, there are many things drawing divers to the Key Largo and Tavernier area dive sites. For instance, the Key Largo reefs are in shallow depths and a diver can enjoy a full hour of bottom time. The wrecks are world class and offer swim-thrus not found anywhere else in the world and the coral growth is of nature’s design and appears to be designed with divers and snorkelers in mind.
Capt. Gary Mace, of Conch Republic Divers, says it is for these very reasons he has been in the area so long. “In Florida, because the diving is great and this is the only living reef in the US, we have world class diving,” Mace says. “It is an incredible underwater world. I have dove all over the world and I have never seen as many fish as I have here.” Mace adds the variety of diving is the reason the area offers so much to different skill levels. “The reefs are great for new divers and the wreck diving is great for advanced divers,” Mace says. There is literally something for everyone.”
French Reef
There are hundreds of dive sites in the Key Largo/Tavernier area. When you ask the locals they will often offer up the same sites. For Dan Dawson, of Horizon Divers in Key Largo,
French Reef stands out. “French Reef is a series of tunnels and caves offering adventure and almost every type of sea life common to the Keys,” Dawson says. “There are some easy swim-throughs and French Reef is a great place to see healthy Elkhorn coral. It is located approximately 6 miles out from where our shop is.”
Spiegel Grove
Dave Clarno, of Island Ventures, has been in business in the Northern Florida area for over 18 years and he is a veteran of the waters around Key Largo. Clarno cites the 510-foot Spiegel Grove as one of his favorite dive sites in the area. “This ship was intentionally sunk to make an artificial reef in 2002”, says Clarno. “The ship ended up on her starboard side at first and then in 2005 a hurricane set her upright. We take divers out there all the time and I can tell you know, you could dive the Spiegel 30 times and each time it would be a different dive.”
Molasses Reef
Molasses Reef is another very popular dive site in the Key Largo area. Eric Swenson, from BlueWater Divers of Key Largo, says when you ask divers where they want to go, Molasses Reef is usually at the top of the list. “This is everyone’s favorite Florida Keys dive site,” says Swenson. “Molasses is a reef system ranging from 10-60 ft. and a diver can literally go the range and feel like they have had a bunch of totally different dives. The most popular are under 40 ft. and have names like the Winch Hole and the Aquarium. It is an amazing thing to experience.” Swenson, who
co-owns BlueWater Divers with partner Christi Dimmick, adds for him and his business partner, the Key Largo area was a “natural” fit. “It is centrally located, has world class diving and the Gulf current comes in so close it keeps the clean water coming through. Who wouldn’t want to be here all year long if they could?”
The Duane
The USCG Cutter, the Duane, was sunk as an artificial reef November 27, 1987. This ship has become home to an amazing number of marine locals. The wreck rests in about 130’ of water, but the mast and crow’s nest are easily accessible at around 60 ft. The Duane sees a great number of divers who are looking for a variety of life and incredible color the Keys are known for.
The Elbow
Spencer Slate, owner of Captain Slate’s Dive Center, is what sea faring gents refer to as an “Old Salty Dog of the Sea.” He has been manning the lines for over 33 years in the Key Largo area and no one knows the local dive sites like he does. Slate, as everyone calls him, offers The Elbow up as a great place to dive. “We do a lot of dives in the Elbow,” Slate says. “Elbow Reef is an excellent dive site shaped like an elbow. There are several wrecks that are good shallow water dives out there. Both divers and snorkelers, for instance, can dive the City of Washington wreck. The wreck is broken up but the marine life offers great photo opportunities and you can see Moray eels, nurse sharks and some giant groupers.” Slate also throws in his two cents about Spiegel Grove. “Spiegel is a must see,” Slate says. “You can dive 30 times and always see something different out there; it is a beautiful dive.”
Slate also offers up some personal favorites that aren’t so well known such as Harrigan’s Reef, The Wall, which isn’t a wall but drop off of 30 ft., Watson’s Reef, Horseshoe Reef and Shark Reef. “These are places we anchor but they are some of my personal favorites because not everyone knows about them.”
Snapper Ledge
Snapper Ledge is a different kind of dive. When you first head in, you might wonder where the reef is. On any given day, there are thousands of Yellowtail Snapper around the ledge. It is an amazing site. The brain coral at Snapper Ledge is used as a cleaning station for the Yellowtail Snapper and so they flock to the area. Nurse sharks also hang out at the ledge. Brian Napier, of Pirate Island Divers in Key Largo, says the area is a must see for divers. “The fish are a sight to see,” says Natier. “I do a lot of teaching and it is fun to see people’s reaction to just how incredible Snapper Ledge can be.” Natier, who loves to teach wreck diving and navigation diving, also adds one of his favorite wreck dives is Mike’s Wreck. There is enough of a natural navigation along the wreckage that it is a good site for technical divers. It is also a very large site. There are reef sharks, turtles, eels, just about everything a diver might want to encounter.”
If you are looking for a great place to partake in some world class diving, the Key Largo/Tavernier area is just what the doctor ordered. Incredible swim-thrus, life breeding artificial reels, tank-sized brain coral and Yellowtail Snapper in populations so big they hide the reef, all await the adventurous diver. And if that isn’t enough to wet your fins, just take a look at some of the video footage on one of the websites of the dive shops mentioned here. Conch Republic Divers offers a number of videos and the rest offer photos giving you just enough incentive to pack your tanks. ■
Special thanks to our sponsors:
Blue Water Divers, Key Largo, FL
Conch Republic Divers, Tavernier, FL
Island Ventures, Key Largo, FL
Pirate Island Divers, Key Largo, FL
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