Key West Dive Trips: Why Snorkelers and SCUBA Divers Love the Florida Keys

Diving the Florida Keys is an breathtaking experience for divers from all over the world.
SCUBA diving is one of the main attractions in the Florida Keys, thanks to the clarity of the water, and the fact that there is so much to be seen so close to the surface. In fact, the United States’ only living coral reef is situated in the waters off Key West. And this reef is the third largest barrier reef in the world, believe it or not! The reef is home to around 100 different types of coral, and a rainbow array of hundreds of species of tropical fish.
On calm, sunny days, you can enjoy up to 100-foot visibility underwater. Many people prefer to snorkel Key West. The waters off Key West are always full of snorkelers, because you can get a quick snorkeling lesson and be good to go the same day. But more advanced divers may want a bigger challenge. And they won’t be disappointed.
The USNS Vandenberg is one of the major attractions of a Key West SCUBA diving trip. The ship is one of the many wrecks off the Florida Keys. But unlike most shipwrecks, the Vandenberg was sunk intentionally to end up in its final resting place on the ocean floor. The ship was designated as an artificial reef, as part of a project that took several years of volunteer effort.
First, the Vandenberg was stripped of anything that could harm the beautiful clear tropical waters off Key West. Then, holes were cut into the hull to allow access by marine life, fish and SCUBA divers. After the USNS Vandenberg was sunk in 2009, it became the largest artificial reef at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It's also the second largest of the artificial reefs anywhere in the world.
The site is good for novice divers to go down to levels of 40 feet, or for experienced divers who may dive down as far as 140 feet. Each dive operator is committed to the safety of the divers, so divers must be certified and healthy to dive. All dives are escorted.
Divers can observe all the marine creatures that now live on the Vandenberg, as well as make their way around the ship, which is over 500 feet in length. Key West SCUBA diving fanatics have created an artificial reef that many reef and wreck divers consider to be the best in the world.
The USNS Vandenberg is now the site of ongoing scientific study by a group of marine biologists, who are evaluating the impact the wreck is having on marine life, the undersea environment, and the coral reef itself. One thing is certain. In just a few short years, the wreck has provided a new home for countless marine creatures, just a few short years after it was made into an artificial reef. All the hard work that went into moving the ship to the Florida Keys are appreciated by both Key West divers and fish.
The development of artificial Key West reefs didn’t stop with the Vandenberg. The Artificial Reef of the Keys, otherwise known as ARK, took 10 years to develop. It began with the mission that sunk the USNS Vandenberg. Many sponsors and volunteers worked ceaselessly to make ARK a reality. This was the first in what scientists hope will be a long-term project involving a vast array of similar artificial reefs, and what many hope will be one of the most fascinating and challenging diving opportunities anywhere in the world.