Reef Dives: Crocker Reef

Remarkable elements such as formations of staghorn corals and swaying gorgonians add to the beauty of this dive.

The reef is also marked by many small canyons, which are a result of natural formation. This is a very large reef covering enough area to be broken in to several separate reefs. (Divespots)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9kEU-skhJ0

Crocker Reef Islamorada Wiki

Crocker Reef (or Crocker Ridges) is a coral reef located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

[caption id="attachment_312" align="alignleft" width="300"] Crocker Reef Islamorada[/caption]

It lies to the southeast of Plantation Key, and is near Davis Reef. Unlike many reefs in the Sanctuary, it is not within a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA).

2015: Researchers from the USGS will be engaged in an integrated data and sample collection at Crocker Reef, Florida Keys, as part of the Coastal and Marine Geology Program's (CMGP) Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST) project.

The seasonal study, begun last summer, is a major part of a year-long focus on Crocker Reef, combining expertise in three specific areas: geochemistry, geology, and metabolic processes.

The effort will combine water sampling for carbonate chemistry, reef metagenome analyses, and will also include servicing temperature loggers and current meters. (via CREST)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl0UT3VB41A

The article Reef Dives: Crocker Reef was first published on Florida Scuba Diving

Reef Dives: Conch Reef

Conch Reef is aptly named since the area is home to numerous Queen Conchs and is one of the most beautiful coral reefs and walls in Islamorada and the Florida Keys.

There are many acclaimed shallow dive sites near Conch Reef. Depths at the mooring buoys average 16 feet. Also within the conch reef system are two other well known dive sites, the Aquarius Habitat and the Conch Wall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNoA0ZG9CVA

Conch Reef Islamorada Wiki

Conch Reef is a coral reef located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

It lies to the southeast of Plantation Key. This reef is within a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA).

[caption id="attachment_308" align="alignleft" width="300"] Conch Reef Islamorada[/caption]

Adjacent to the SPA is a "Research Only" zone and the Aquarius underwater laboratory is at the center of the zone.

Outside of these zones is Conch Wall, a deep wall reef. (Wikipedia)

Located 6 miles east of Windley Key, just south of Conch Reef in 30 feet of water, this shallow water dive site is close to the wreck of the Infante (about 75 yards) there are ledges to explore and corals, sponges, seafans as well as eels and the occasional nurse shark.

Little Conch Reef is the site of active lobster hunting during the sport lobster season.

Tube sponges, seafans and some elkhorn coral make this a pretty site for photography. Divers and snorkelers can enjoy the site together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdvhLLyLMfE

The article Reef Dives: Conch Reef was first published on Florida Scuba Diving

Reef Dives: Cheeka Rocks

Located three miles south-southwest of Windley Key and one mile directly off upper Matecumbe, Cheeca Rocks are a great site for those divers hoping to capture incredible pictures.

The site has many soft corals and a large collection of brain corals. Mushroom and star corals also cover a large portion of this area.

This is a good dive for beginning divers who are looking for a beautiful site. Surrounding the area are sandy patches where conch and turtles can be spotted. (source: divespots)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgaZ-J5Nn8U

Cheeka Rocks Islamorada Wiki

[caption id="attachment_302" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cheeka Rocks Islamorada[/caption]

Cheeca Rocks is a shallow coral reef (patch reef) located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It lies approximately one mile to the southeast of Upper Matecumbe Key.

This reef lies within a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA).

Cheeca Rocks is one of the smallest SPAs, encompassing approximately 0.05 square nautical mile and is located southeast of Upper Matecumbe Key. (via noaa.gov)

Snorkeling Cheeka Rocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2PVe1wWmE4

The article Reef Dives: Cheeka Rocks was first published on Florida Scuba Diving

Wreck Dives: Chaves

In the Spanish ship records, this vessel is refereed to as Carmen. However, today its most common name is Chaves.

It is located just off Snake Creek at Windley Key submerged in 10 to 20 feet of water. This is a smaller ship that lies in a sand pocket in a grass bed. It sunk in 1733 along with 21 other ships that were bringing silver pesos from Havana.

Although these ships were advised to change course, they were unable to avoid a hurricane, which forced the fleet on to the Florida Keys.

Although not a particularly heavily used site, patient divers will be able to relics within the ballast wreck. (via divespots)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGmhFFSvO2E

Chaves Islamorada Wiki

Off Islamorada, where Snake Creek flows into Hawk Channel, lies the wrecksite of the 220 3/8 -ton, Genoese-built freighter, Nuestra Señora del Carmen, San Antonio de Padua y las Animas, called Chaves after her owner, Don Antonio de Chaves.

[caption id="attachment_298" align="alignleft" width="300"] Chaves Wreck Islamorada[/caption]

As one of the smaller vessels in the 1733 fleet, Chaves carried no registered treasure when she ran aground in shallow water during the hurricane.

Fortunately her hull remained watertight. Crew and passengers were saved, and most of the cargo and supplies were taken to the salvage camp of Capitana on Upper Matecumbe Key.

Although the ship's hull was intact and masts and rigging serviceable, the vessel could not be refloated because of the shallow depth of water where she grounded.

Instead, after being salvaged and stripped Chaves was burned to the waterline. (Source: Flheritage)

The article Wreck Dives: Chaves was first published on Florida Scuba Diving

Wreck Dives: Brick Barge

The Cannabis Cruiser, often referred to as "Pot Wreck", is located three miles west of Alligator Light in 110 feet of water.

In the late 1970's, this 75 foot trawler was bringing drugs in to the United States when observation by the Coast
Guard caused the crew to abandon ship and sink the vessel with the cargo aboard.

When the ship was later discovered, it was completely intact still containing the electronic equipment as well as several 20 to 30 pound bails of marijuana. (Divespots)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6KjJtKfHuk

Cannabis Cruiser Wreck Wiki

This drug smuggling 75 foot trawler was on its way to the states when the crew decided that surveillance was too heavy and agreed to sink the vessel.

[caption id="attachment_293" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cannabis Cruiser Wreck Islamorada[/caption]

About five years latter, divers, Buddy Brown and Bob Guenther, discovered the wreck five miles off Islamorada. The wreck was completely intact in 110 feet of water including her radar and Loran electronics and cargo of contraband marijuana.

Buddy told us how he busted the dogs on a hatch, and several 20 to 30 pound bails of marijuana rocketed to the surface.

The two divers looked around the wreck, then surfaced and called the Coast Guard. Photographer Stephen Frink wrote an article on the wreck and came up with the name Cannabis Cruiser.

Today the Cannabis Cruiser or Pot Wreck is broken up but makes an interesting deep dive. She is usually loaded with marine life including jacks, grouper, hogfish, angles and an occasional shark. (courtesy Shipwreckexpo)

The article Wreck Dives: Brick Barge was first published on Florida Scuba Diving

Aquarius Underwater Laboratory

Deployed 60 feet beneath the surface in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Aquarius is a globally significant asset that provides unparalleled means to study the ocean, test and develop state-of-the-art undersea technology, train specialized divers and astronauts, and engage the world's imagination.

At Aquarius, scientists are at the cutting edge of research on coral reefs, ocean acidification, climate change, fisheries and the overall health of the oceans. (Aquarius.fiu.edu)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Wk1uddPko

Aquarius Underwater Laboratory Islamorada Wiki

The Aquarius Reef Base is an underwater habitat located 5.4 miles (9 kilometers) off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It is deployed on the ocean floor 62 feet (19 meters) below the surface and next to a deep coral reef named Conch Reef.

[caption id="attachment_288" align="alignleft" width="300"] Aquarius Underwater Laboratory[/caption]

Aquarius is one of three undersea laboratories in the world dedicated to science and education. Two additional undersea facilities, also located in Key Largo, FL are owned and operated by Marine Resources Development Foundation.

Aquarius was owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and operated by the University of North Carolina–Wilmington[1] until 2013 when Florida International University assumed operational control.[2]

Florida International University (FIU) took ownership of Aquarius in October 2014.

As part of the FIU Marine Education and Research Initiative, the Medina Aquarius Program is dedicated to the study and preservation of marine ecosystems worldwide and is enhancing the scope and impact of FIU on research, educational outreach, technology development, and professional training.

At the heart of the program is the Aquarius Reef Base. (Source: Wikipedia)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiX2bU2hyMY

The article Aquarius Underwater Laboratory was first published on Florida Scuba Diving

Reef Dives: Alligator Reef

Alligator Reef Alligator Reef is one of the largest reef systems in the Upper Keys. In the 1960s, a study of Alligator Reef found and identified more than 500 species of marine life.

The reef arose around a wrecked ship; the USS Alligator built in 1820, which went down in 1825 while on a Navy mission.

This 86-foot ship was attempting to protect a convoy from being raided by pirates. Salvaged after going aground, the crew decided it would be best to blow up the ship in order to protect her from further pirating.

The remains of the ship are two piles of ballast stones but the surrounding reef is one of the largest in the area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6IwYlfxozA

Alligator Reef & Alligator House Wiki

Alligator Reef Light is located 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) east of Indian Key, near the Matecumbe Keys of Florida in the United States, north of Alligator Reef itself.

[caption id="attachment_283" align="alignleft" width="300"] Alligator Reef Islamorada[/caption]

The station was established in 1873. It was automated in 1963 and was last operational in July, 2014, and is being replaced by a 16' steel structure with a less powerful light located adjacent to it.

The structure is an iron-pile skeleton with a platform. The light is 136 feet (41 m) above the water.

The name honors the U.S. Navy schooner Alligator, part of the U. S. Navy Anti-Piracy Squadron that had recently been established in Key West, which went aground at this location in 1822.

The Alligator was blown up after removing as much as possible from it to prevent it from being used by pirates. Countless vessels have also sunk here on the reef's jagged coral.

This lighthouse cost $185,000 to build at that time. To support the tower, a 2,000 lb (900 kg) hammer was used to drive the 12" (300 mm) iron pilings ten feet (3 m) into the coral. (Source Wikipedia)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FcE0_hcQRk

The article Reef Dives: Alligator Reef was first published on Florida Scuba Diving