Page 1315 - Dive the Seas and More-2
P. 1315
LOOE KEY (WEST END) to 35' Int. ADOLPHUS BUSCH SR. to 105' Adv.
The Looe Key consists of 800 yards of This 210-foot freighter was intentionally
magnificent underwater variety, which is sunk in 1998 and sits upright on the sandy
perhaps equal to the entire Florida Keys' bottom. Holes are conveniently cut into
collective assortment. In fact, a common the hull for divers. Caution: Strong
nickname for this reef is the Jewel of the currents
Middle Keys. The west end is a classic
spur-and-groove reef formation where USS WILKES-BARRE 140' to 210' Adv.
you will find brain, star, and giant star A 610-foot World War II light cruiser,
corals, brown tube and orange elephant that sits upright and forms a wonderful
ear sponges, elkhorn coral, yellowtail artificial reef.
snapper, sergeant majors, surgeonfish,
French grunts, damselfish, barracuda, PELICAN SHOAL 10' - 40' Beg. These
mutton snapper, and Nassau groupers. shoal meander from here to the Sambos.
This is also a good snorkeling site. Patchy corals are in the shallows, with
Caution: Surginess can make for an added stands of elkhorn, staghorn and brain
challenge, but the Gulf Stream Current corals, with all shapes and colors of
can be very difficult. The current sponges too. Schools of Caribbean reef
sometimes rips along at over 3 kts., fishes abound in prodigious numbers.
making this a great drift dive, but it is very
demanding on the dive boat operator to EASTERN SAMBO to 25' Beg. The
make sure you don't wind up heading for first of three "Sambos" has small coral
Europe. heads and ledges. A popular dive spot
during lobster season. Caution: Surgy
LOOE KEY (DEEP) to 100' Int. to Adv.
South of the reef at 30' to 40' depth there MIDDLE SAMBO 30' - 60' Int. Has a
is an undercut drop-off that plunges to more definite reef structure than Western
almost 100' depth. Here you will find or Eastern Sambo. Caution: Surgy.
giant barrel sponges, jacks, angelfish,
filefish, sea fans, and tall sea plumes and THE AQUANAUT to 75' Int. This 55-
sea rods. At the base of the drop-off you foot wooden tugboat sits upright on a
will find black coral in creviced fossilized sandy bottom. Caution: Strong currents
coral. Caution: Strong currents (see
comments on Looe Key West End). GENERAL H.S. VANDENBERG 40' -
140' Beg. - Adv. A non-profit has put in
STEAMER WRECK to 20' Beg. This 13 years of tremendous effort to sink this
unnamed steamer wrecked some time in de-commissioned Naval missile range
the 19th century. It has four stacks that instrumentation ship to create a wonderful
are easily recognized. artificial reef and a new wreck dive. She
