Christ of the Abyss
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily, so treat everything here as planning ranges.
In 1965 a bronze casting of Il Cristo degli Abissi - the same figure that stands in the Mediterranean off Italy - was set on a pedestal in the sand at Key Largo Dry Rocks, arms raised toward the surface light. Sixty years of storms, algae scrubs, and a few million visitors later, the statue remains the most photographed object in American diving. The dive itself is a gentle wander: brain corals and sea fans on the surrounding heads, sergeant majors mobbing the pedestal, barracuda supervising from mid-water, rays on the sand. At under 8 m it works for snorkelers, new divers, and anyone's first underwater camera. Go early; the site's fame guarantees company.
The moment you come for: The famous statue, easy depths, snorkel-friendly coral heads
Topography: Coral heads and sand around a bronze statue on a pedestal
Know before you splash
Hazards: Snorkeler and boat congestion; shallow coral heads in surge.
Conservation: Within a Sanctuary Preservation Area; do not stand on or embrace the statue - contact damages its encrusting growth.
Who you'll meet
Great Barracuda
Southern Stingray
Nurse Shark
Green Sea Turtle
Lionfish
Christmas Tree Worm
Porcupinefish
Spotted Eagle Ray
Also recorded nearby
"Charted here" species were listed by our editors from the sources on this page. Counts are GBIF occurrence records: observations logged within about 5 km of the charted position since 1990, matched only against the species in our catalogue. They show what has been seen there, not a promise of what you will see.
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★★☆☆☆ (editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting)