The four islands of Islamorada, which is translated from Spanish as “Purple Isles”, are home to a massive fishing fleet, and the area is renowned as the Sportfishing Capital of the World. The same aquamarine waters that support commerce in the area are clear and clean, and thanks to ecologically sound fishing practices, they are also a haven for divers and snorkelers alike. Whether you’re an avid underwater photographer, or if you are still working on buoyancy control, you are certain to enjoy a trip to the reefs around Islamorada. Let’s take a peek at five of the best.
Hens and Chickens Reef
A fantastic site for all divers, with massive coral heads as tall as fifteen feet, Hen & Chickens is a group of patch reefs, with a larger one (the hen) in the center, and smaller ones scattered around like baby chicks surrounding their mother. Maximum depth here is only 22 feet, and as visibility is excellent at more than 50 feet most of the time, the area is perfect for underwater photography. Big brain corals act like little planets, while mounds of star coral rise up from clusters of brilliant purple sea fans. Giant Christmas Tree corals add even more color and excitement to this underwater world, and there are vibrantly colored fish everywhere you look.
Hen & Chickens is part of a designated Sanctuary Preservation Area, so shell collecting and tropical fish collection are prohibited, as are spearfishing and other fishing activities. Mooring buoys are plentiful, and divers face hefty fines for damaging the coral – as living organisms, corals are protected, just like other marine life!
Alligator Reef
Once known as Caryford Reef, Alligator Reef is named for the USS Alligator, which struck the reef and sank while protecting a shipping convoy from pirates in 1822. There is little left of the ship but two piles of ballast stones and a few timbers, but the coral reef remains!
This vibrant reef is composed of fantastic pillar and brain coral, Christmas tree coral and star coral, and beautiful fan and staghorn corals. Maximum depth here is only 25 feet, and colorful marine life of all kinds abounds. The reef is marked by a lighthouse, which is about 600 feet from the site where the Alligator’s remains lie.
Davis Reef
Known for the lucky statue of Buddha, plus for its amazing concentration of schoolmaster snappers, grunts, and the many green moray eels that reside here, and being an easy site with maximum depth at just 25 feet, Davis reef is perfect for beginners and more experienced divers alike. A ledge ranging from 5 to 10 feet high runs along the reef, and shelters many yellow goatfish, plus queen angelfish and rock beauty angelfish, butterfly fish, and colorful parrotfish. Watch for sleepy nurse sharks napping in the sand below the giant brain coral formations, and keep an eye out for turtles, too!
Conch Reef
A fantastic horseshoe-shaped reef with a sloping wall crawling with the Queen Conch that give it its name, Conch Reef is beautifully adorned with big barrel sponges and thick stands of gorgonians in the deeper areas. Although there is plenty to admire in the shallowest parts of the reef, which are just about 15 feet deep, maximum depth is 100 feet, offering more experienced divers the opportunity to spend some time watching the blue for larger pelagics. Watch for big barracuda, tarpon, and jacks in the deeper areas, and enjoy the sight of colorful clouds of swirling angelfish and butterfly fish in the shallower areas.
Cheeca Rocks
Magnificent brain and star coral heads that have grown together over time to form a wonderful patch reef are marked with four yellow buoys that designate Cheeca Rocks as a Special Preservation Area. You’ll also find lettuce coral and fire coral, finger coral, staghorn coral, and plentiful soft coral all throughout the reef area. Watch for gramma and neon gobies, and lots of juvenile bluehead wrasse! These smaller fish operate cleaning stations, where larger fish and even the occasional turtle come for parasite removal. Beautiful blue tangs, small reef sharks, and moray eels can be found here as well. Maximum depth is only 12 feet, and while there is sometimes a little current that provides for a drift, this site is perfect for all divers to enjoy.
Be sure to check with local dive operators to see when the most advantageous time to dive these reefs is! If you can make it to Islamorada on weekdays, then you will find yourself enjoying these fantastic sites without too much interruption; but on some weekends, they can be crowded. Make reservations in advance, and don’t forget your underwater camera!