Page 242 - Florida and the US Caribbean Isles
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LOOE KEY (EAST END) to 35’ Int. The name comes but it is very demanding on the dive boat opera- PELICAN SHOAL 10’ - 40’ Beg. These shoal me-
from the British Man-O-War, HMS Looe, which ran tor to make sure you don’t wind up heading for ander from here to the Sambos. Patchy corals
into the reef here and sank in 1744. The reef is Europe. are in the shallows, with stands of elkhorn, stag-
made up of parallel limestone ridges that come horn and brain corals, with all shapes and colors
within 10 feet of the surface. Looe Key dive is ab- LOOE KEY (DEEP) to 100’ Int. to Adv. South of the of sponges too. Schools of Caribbean reef fishes
solutely brilliant over an 800 yard stretch. Here reef at 30’ to 40’ depth there is an undercut drop- abound in prodigious numbers.
you will find a variety of soft and hard corals, sea off that plunges to almost 100’ depth. Here you
plumes, sea fans, sea rods, and sea whips. A good will find giant barrel sponges, jacks, angelfish, EASTERN SAMBO to 25’ Beg. The first of three
snorkeling site. Caution: Surgy. filefish, sea fans, and tall sea plumes and sea rods. “Sambos” has small coral heads and ledges. A
At the base of the drop-off you will find black popular dive spot during lobster season. Cau-
LOOE KEY (WEST END) to 35’ Int. The Looe Key coral in creviced fossilized coral. Caution: Strong tion: Surgy
consists of 800 yards of magnificent underwater currents (see comments on Looe Key West End).
variety, which is perhaps equal to the entire Flor- MIDDLE SAMBO 30’ - 60’ Int. Has a more definite
ida Keys’ collective assortment. In fact, a com- STEAMER WRECK to 20’ Beg. This unnamed reef structure than Western or Eastern Sambo.
mon nickname for this reef is the Jewel of the steamer wrecked some time in the 19th century. Caution: Surgy.
Middle Keys. The west end is a classic spur-and- It has four stacks that are easily recognized.
groove reef formation where you will find brain, THE AQUANAUT to 75’ Int. This 55-foot wooden
star, and giant star corals, brown tube and orange ADOLPHUS BUSCH SR. to 105’ Adv. This 210-foot tugboat sits upright on a sandy bottom. Caution:
elephant ear sponges, elkhorn coral, yellowtail freighter was intentionally sunk in 1998 and sits Strong currents
snapper, sergeant majors, surgeonfish, French upright on the sandy bottom. Holes are conveni-
grunts, damselfish, barracuda, mutton snapper, ently cut into the hull for divers. Caution: Strong GENERAL H.S. VANDENBERG 40’ - 140’ Beg. - Adv.
and Nassau groupers. This is also a good snor- currents A non-profit has put in 13 years of tremendous
keling site. Caution: Surginess can make for an effort to sink this de-comissioned Naval missile
added challenge, but the Gulf Stream Current USS WILKES-BARRE 140’ to 210’ Adv. A 610-foot range instrumentation ship to create a wonder-
can be very difficult. The current sometimes rips World War II light cruiser, that sits upright and ful artificial reef and a new wreck dive. She sits
along at over 3 kts., making this a great drift dive, forms a wonderful artificial reef. on a barren rocky bottom with no coral around.
