Scuba diving in Islamorada
Islamorada is one of Florida Keys islands, it is
actually a village consist of six islands including;
Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper and Lower Matecumbe keys,
and Long Key. It is the most popular dive destinations for
having a massive
population of aqua life.
Islamorada dive
sites are home to abundant aqua life, coral and tropical
fish like bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and redfish. It is
a great spot for snorkeling and scuba diving by its variety
in dive sites shallow, deep reefs and wrecks.
Always dive according to your level of training.
Never enter the water without checking with
Islamorada dive
centers for safety, additional information, level required
for each dive site and without being accompanied by a
professional.
All the information provided is purely informative for our
readers and shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.
Average annual temperature: 27°C (80 ° F)
Average Water surface temperature: 24° C (75° F)
Visibility often averaging: Visibility is between 80-100
feet ( 24-30 metres )
Coldest time: January - December
Warmest time: July - August
Possible to dive all year round.
Islamorada is a great spot for reef and wreck diving. Most
of its reefs are 10 to 15 feet (3 to 6 meters) deep which
makes it great for snorkeling and shallow diving. You will
be fascinated by the reefs structure; they are covered with
coral heads, which are shelter for huge groups of french
grunt and goatfish. Islamorada waters are home to queen
angelfish, green moray eels and nurse sharks. Some of
Islamorada wrecks have historical background and some was
deliberately sunk to become home to underwater creatures.
These wrecks houses a vast variety of sea life including
snapper, grunts, jacks, porgies, hogfish, barracudas,
lobsters, grouper, and hard and soft coral formations.
Some of Islamorada dive sites are:
Alexander Barge is an artificial dive site at a depth from
80 to 105 feet (24 to 32 meters); which makes it suitable
for both beginner and experienced divers. This wreck was
deliberately sunk 1984 to form an artificial reef, a year
later the remains of the old Whale Harbor Bridge were added
to the area to complete the formation of the reef. Now it is
home to many kinds of underwater life including snapper,
grunts, jacks, porgies, hogfish, barracudas, lobsters,
grouper, and the beginnings of hard and soft coral
formations.
Alligator Reef is at a depth from 20 to 72 feet (6 to 22
meters). It was built around an 86-foot (26 Meters) 12-gun
schooner that was sunk in 1825 while on a navy mission. As
most of the wreck dive sites this site has a historical
background, the USS Alligator; the ship forms this reef, was
built to chase pirates in 1820. Various kinds of underwater
life inhabit the area, soft and hard corals grew on the reef
also there are plenty of tropical fish.
Brick Barge is an iron ship sank during the World War II; it
lies in 20 to 28 feet (6 - 9 meters) under the water. The
combination of the reef structure and the sunken ship makes
a spectacular view, which makes it a great spot for
underwater photographers. The reef has large boulders of
brain coral and iridescent tropical fish.
The Cannabis Cruiser refers to as the pot wreck, is a
trawler used to transport drugs and its crew sank it in 1970
before the coast guard chase it. It is now lies intact and
sits upright in 85 to 110 feet (26 - 34 meters) under the
water. The area is home to various kinds of sea life
including hogfish, angles, grouper, jacks, and visited by
sharks.
The Eagle is a deliberately sunk ship to form an artificial
reef. It is from 80 to 110 feet (24 to 34 meters) under the
water. The visibility in this area is quite astonishing, but
the current can be so strong. This dive site is for advanced
divers. Corals have grown on the shipwreck, and divers
report seeing amberjacks, grunts, silversides, cobia,
jewfish, and nurse sharks inhabit it.
Davis Ledge is where you can find schools of fish. It is
located 3 miles east-southeast of Hen and Chickens; this
place attracts large schools of tiny fish. Davis reef is
from 20 to 55 feet (6 to 17 meters) deep, it is preferred by
shallow and beginners divers. A statue of Buddha lies there
which you can approach. It is a great site if you want to
come face to face with nurse sharks, also giant turtle,
lobsters and eels as well as parrotfish and angelfish can be
seen in the area
Conch Reef is in about nine kilometers south of Tavern Key
and eight miles east of Windley Key, and at a depth of 20 to
100 feet (15 - 34 meters). The current in this area can run
from moderate to strong, in strong times it can be great for
drift dives. This site is popular for year-round visibility.
Not far from this site is two more sites the NOAA "Aquarius"
Habitat at depth of 16 feet (5 meters) and the Conch Wall at
50 to 110 feet (15 to 34 meters) deep. This dive site forms
a great home for large marine life, barrel sponges, pillar
coral, octorals and basket sponges as well as thousands of
conch shells, you can observe a variety of gorgonians and
pelagic fish.
Little Conch Reef is located south of Conch Reef. It is at a
depth of 15 - 30 feet (5 - 9 meters), which makes it great
spot for beginner divers. Not far from this reef is the
location of another site of a sunken Spanish Galleon. Nurse
sharks and moray eels as well as barrel coral and small
amounts of elkhorn coral frequent the area.
The Rocks is a shallow dive site at depth range from 8 to 12
feet (2 - 4 meters). It is famous for its coral structure,
clear visibility and sea life. It is great site to watch
soft coral formations, seafans, and great place for
collecting lobsters and tropical fish.
Hen & Chickens Reef is a group of patch reefs formed in the
shape of a mother hen surrounded by chickens. It is an
attractive site for diving and snorkeling with abundant
brain and star coral and sea fans. Although it is a shallow
dive site; 15 - 22 feet (5 - 7 meters), you will not regret
visiting it.
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