Reef
down to 8 m
Christ of the Abyss (Key Largo Dry Rocks)
A nine-foot bronze Christ statue in about 20 ft of water, surrounded by brain, staghorn and elkhorn coral.
- Open Water
- Nurse sharks
Experienced≤40 m
USNS Vandenberg
Dive site in Florida Keys, United States
A Key West wreck in 70–140 ft with often excellent visibility, where barracuda, goliath grouper and pelagic visitors appear.
- Usual dive
- 31 m
- Deepest point
- 46 m
- Level
- Experienced
- Best months
- May–Aug
- Current
- Strong
The story
The General Hoyt S. Vandenberg carried troops in 1944 and later tracked ballistic missile tests; scenes of the 1998 film Virus were shot aboard. She was sunk on 27 May 2009 in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
The dive
A wreck and artificial reef dive. Known for turtles and barracuda.
Who it's for
Experienced≤40 mSource: divessi.com
Recommended minimum: Experienced (Deep Specialty, N3).
- DepthThe usual dive goes deeper than lower certifications allow.
- CurrentCurrent can be strong; you need good air management and buoyancy.
- Strong current: dive with a local guide and carry a surface marker buoy.
- The site goes deeper than 40 m: Experienced divers stay above 40 m.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Wreck, Artificial reef
- Environment
- Open water
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Turtles
- Barracuda
- Goliath groupers
- Moray eels
Season in Florida Keys
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: May–Aug.
Source: scubadiving.comWhere is the Florida Keys?
The point shows the Florida Keys area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Florida Keys
Wreck
down to 37 m
Duane
A 327-ft ship sitting upright and intact off Key Largo, circled in one tank, with barracuda and schools of amberjacks.
- Advanced
- Barracuda
Wreck
down to 5 m
San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve
The oldest shipwreck on the Shipwreck Trail, a Spanish treasure ship in 18 ft of water off Indian Key.
- Open Water
Wreck
down to 15 m
Benwood
A leisurely shallow wreck dive, max about 40 ft, with schools of porkfish, goatfish and schoolmaster snapper.
- Open Water
- Snappers
Reef
down to 30 m
Looe Key Reef
- Open Water
- Reef sharks
Reef
down to 15 m
Sand Key
Calm, shallow Key West reef where SSI says you will meet turtles, angelfish, lobsters and healthy elkhorn coral.
- Open Water
- Turtles
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.