Dozens of menacinglooking large barracuda guard the 142 foot tower. Oceanfront luxury estate on tingler island near sombrero. Coral ledges in the bay just off the property are popular spots for lobster dives. Every time i am in the keys i have to dive sombrero. A series of swimthrus and caverns make french reef a nice dive and molasses reef is a favorite of all the dive shops with a wide diversity of marine life and coral formations. Snorkel or dive sombrero reef, coffins patch or the shipwreck thunderbolt.
It was then decided that sombrero key would be a more stable location and construction crews abandoned the coffins patch site and reconvened at sombrero key in 1857. Its possible to see various tropical fish, grouper, skates, rays and small sharks. Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on earth. The areas name is derived from the 142 lighthouse which is located in the northern section of the spa region. Go with turtle island adventures, and discover tropical fish, coral formations, and more on trips designed for all levels of snorkelers and divers.
Boating and angling guide to the middle keys, side a little duck key to grassy key, including marathon,key colony beach, sombrero reef, and coffins patch. The florida keys interactive destination guide scuba diving. Both the fish and coral grow larger here because the reef is in a protected area. Most of the snorkel boats will have a long rope off the back of the boat so you can. Sombrero key sanctuary preservation area spa has a spur and groove reef formation with stands of elkhorn coral. Top snorkeling spots in the florida keys kraken aquatics. Seen are angel fish, butterfly fish, tangs and other tropical fish.
The area is comprised of about four miles worth of reef and is located south of key colony beach. Popular shipwrecks, reefs, and wrecks of the florida keys. There is so many fish to see and you may even come in contact with nurse sharks or sea turtles in this area. Snorkel trips to the florida keys coral reef, marathon fl. It is amazing that the reef is still in such good shape and there are tons of reef fish as soon as you tie up your boat.
Fwc fish and wildlife research institute pillar coral. First time snorkeling sombrero reef off marathon key. Feb 29, 2020 coral ledges in the bay just off the property are popular spots for lobster dives. We snorkeled at sombrero reef, and the fish seem to know this is a preserve. Sep 19, 2016 first time snorkeling sombrero reef off marathon key. Start your vacation right with some of the best florida keys diving and snorkeling at captain hooks. The stake is roughly 400 feet by 75 feet oval shaped patch reef is the best known and most frequented of the coffins patch group. The florida aquarium had a team at pickles reef in the upper keys, keys marine lab kml and florida international university had a team at coffins patch off marathon and the fwc and florida keys community college had two teams at sombrero reef. If you havent dived these reefs in a few years youll be amazed at not only the sheer quantity of fish, but also how friendly theyve become now that they are no. Wasnt sure if looe key would be a little much for the somewhat inexperienced and notsobrave. Boulder coral, pillar coral, lobsters, eels, and jacks are some of the species divers can find along the group of six patch reefs that make up coffins patch, 3.
But marathon boats go to sombrero and a few go to coffins patch, which is. The overall area is composed of 6 different reefs, each sporting a predominantly different coral. Its home to myriad tropical fish, coral, and marine animals, and its where the spanish ship ignacio sunk in the 18th century. The shallow patch reefs of the coffins patch sanctuary preservation area spa, located approximately four nautical miles off key colony beach, offer some of. Lets take a few moments to look at just a handful of marathons best dive sites. Florida keys snorkeling best snorkeling in the keys sombrero reef. Sombrero reef is a spur reef with a wide variety of coral formations, colorful fish at depths of 2 to 25 feet, and mooring for boats.
An old spanish shipwreck is still luring visitors to its underwater grave. This fascinating adventure can be done on the beaches in florida. Coffins patch is a dive area near marathon in the florida keys. The coffin patch is a good little snorkeling area with mooring balls about 3. The shallow patch reefs of the coffins patch sanctuary preservation area spa, located approximately four nautical miles off key colony beach, offer some of the best snorkeling in the middle keys. Zillow has 51 homes for sale in marathon fl matching sombrero beach. East washerwoman shoal and other patch reefs in hawk channel. In here, you can visit two snorkeling spots, the donut, and the stake. Diving in marathon reef or wreck marathon fl offers some of the best scuba diving in all of the florida keys. Boating and angling guide to the middle keys, side a pdf, 10.
Also, in the marathon snorkeling areas, we can go to coffins patch. Coffins patch is a great reef close to the marinas and no more then 30 feet deep, you can see small nurse sharks, barracuda, rays even eels read more date of experience. The reef is dotted with several types of coral, including pillar coral and brain coral. The best keys snorkeling is by far the middle keys. Yep, i had gathered that except for deep blue, the others went to looe key only and deep blue was just for sombrero and coffins patch.
The sombrero reef is a spectacular 30 acre garden of colorful living boulder and branching corals. Our private chartered trips allow you the freedom and flexibility to make the most of your experience and enjoy some of the best snorkeling in the keys. This is a great way for the whole family to enjoy a great day on the atlantic waters just off of marathon key, florida. Only three miles offshore of the north end of the sevenmile bridge is sombrero key, the most popular and largest coral reef system in this area. There you can go off the shore and go to coffins patch and sombrero reef. This feature alone makes an exploratory trip out to this florida reefs dive. The best marathon key snorkeling based on popularity are considered to be sombrero beach, sombrero reef, bahia honda state park, newfound harbor reefs, and coffins patch. In addition to the wellknown coffins patch and sombrero reef snorkeling spots, there are many other healthy and beautiful shallow water patch reefs close to marathon and duck key, fl. Coffins patch key colony beach 2020 all you need to know. The water depth ranges from 1025 feet deep and the average visibility is 3040 feet with plenty of 80ft days, all depending on weather. If you havent dived these reefs in a few years youll be amazed at not only the sheer quantity of fish, but also how friendly theyve become now that they are no longer in jeopardy from spearfishing or hookandline angling. Sombrero reef or sombrero key is the most popular and largest reef in marathon with its 142 foot high lighthouse visible from the sevenmile long bridge that separates marathon from key west. Coffins patch the middle keys the florida keys robins. On the south side of marathon key, the snorkeling off sombrero beach is popular with local families.
Coffins patch is a group of six distinct patch reefs, each showing a. Reef is a offlimits research area 4 nautical miles south of long key with a. Florida keys snorkeling best snorkeling in the keys. Sombrero reef is the third largest barrier reef in the world and this beautiful 30 acre coral reef ranges from 230 feet deep with thousands of tropical fish. They are located in the waters off islamorada matecumbe key, marathon vaca key, and big pine. Several of the better snorkeling spots are nearby coffins patch including sombrero beach, sombrero reef, bahia honda state park, newfound harbor reefs, delta shoals and samanthas reef. Coffins patch is a sprawling shallow reef area off marathon that contains numerous dive and snorkel sites. The sombrero lighthouse was built before the civil war and today still helps mariners navigate the keys. For a detailed dive site description and printable snorkel dive map, just select a marathon key snorkeling dive below. Coffins patch, located just off marathon and duck key is another favored location for marathon snorkeling trips. Jun 10, 2015 snorkeling the florida keys patch reefs. The 10 best snorkeling spots in the florida keys coastal. Coffins patch stretches for over a mile with water depths of 10 to 30 feet. If we would be better suited to take a trip out of marathon, that.
Delta shoal is located just to the east, and the marathon and coffins patch are also oceanside to the east of duck key. Coffins patch is a sprawling shallow reef area off marathon that. Snorkel boat trip looe keysombrerocoffins patch florida keys. The mosquito bank and hen and chickens patch reefs are located off the upper keys benthic ecosystems for tile 1 and tile 2. We offer sombrero reef snorkeling trips as well as trips to coffins patch. Sombrero is a spur and groove coral reef and was deeper than coffins patch, but we could still see the marine life, just not as close as our previous trip. While snorkeling, youll see lots of colorful tropical fish, lobster, schools of fish, nurse sharks, and all kinds of healthy coral, including coral sea fans. Clear day at sombrero reef, marathon florida 2019 youtube. White sandy beaches at the private cabana club just steps from tads place. Sombrero key sanctuary preservation area spa has a spurandgroove reef formation with stands of elkhorn coral. Lee lucas, left, and friend joey boucher caught this mutton snapper and others on light tackle at a patch reef off marathon. The sanctuary preservation areas throughout the florida keys offer some of the best marine life in this hemisphere, and off marathon both coffins patch and sombrero reef are spas. Coffin s patch is located about 4 miles off the beach and is a thriving coral reef with thousands of tame fish that are unafraid of your presence. The best keys snorkeling may be here at sombrero reef.
Sombrero reef is a designated spa area and is one of the more popular scuba diving and florida keys snorkeling destinations in the marathon florida area. Jul 18, 2016 overall, coffins patch is the 20th most popular snorkel dive spot of all 40 snorkeling dives in the florida keys. Fishing the many different patch reefs that average 20 feet or so in depth is fantastic. It was mostly families with kids ranging from 1220. Fishing patch reefs are a good way to start out fishing in the keys,and learn the techniques of florida keys fishing. Hop on a boat to coffins patch, four nautical miles off key colony beach, for some of the best snorkeling in the middle keys. May 03, 2019 the best marathon key snorkeling based on popularity are considered to be sombrero beach, sombrero reef, bahia honda state park, newfound harbor reefs, and coffins patch. Florida keys snorkelling at coffins patch reef fish sundance watersports. Middle keys reefs and shipwrecks florida go fishing. Grecian rocks, french reef, molasses reef, conch reef, and alligator reef are also shown. It is an area that is made up of multiple coral reefs, offering a lot of diving opportunity all in one place.
Pickles reef is a large, shallow reef area where divers and snorkelers can view wellformed corals. With two locations to serve you, captain hooks takes daily trips the marathon reefs and looe key reef located in the middle and lower keys. Reef snorkeling trips in marathon and key colony beach. Alternative 2 keeps it the same size, but makes it idle speed and no anchoring zone. Sombrero provides good diving and snorkeling, with depths from 10 to 70. The reefs all have names but the donut and the stake are the most popular. Snorkeling sombrero reef and lighthouse at marathon key florida beautiful coral reef. With depths of 10 to 40 feet, this area is frequented by advanced and novice divers alike. Coffins patch key colony beach 2020 all you need to. Many species of fish and other sea life are abundant on the patch reefs. Coffins patch from marathon, you can take a boat ride to reach coffins patch.
Lets take a few moments to look at just a handful of marathon s best dive sites. The donut is a rounded mound of rocks that sit deep in the water. I was eager to see if the experience matched my memories. Snorkeling off marathon key barclays travel community. Diving at the dive sites of sombrero reef with its. Patch reefs of east and west turtle and east washerwoman shoals lie off the middle keys figs. The pipe is actually one of several that are the remnants of a lighthouse that marked the reef. A multiagency team conducted night dives last weekend to observe pillar coral dendrogyra cylindrus spawning in the florida keys. Fishing patch reefs are a good way to start out fishing in the keys, and learn the techniques of florida keys fishing. The best snorkeling from the shore in marathon, florida usa. Highquality shallow reefs are heartily populated with tropical reef fish many say theyre even more plentiful than in caribbean waters as well as invertebrates and soft and hard.
There are more than 10 mooring buoys located at the south side of. From marathon you can get a boat ride out to snorkel the coffins patch area. It got its name from a large piece of iron pipe that juts several feet out of the water at an angle from the reef. Marathon airport has several flights a week to fort jefferson and the dry tortugas. They chose that location due to better clarity than coffins patch. You simply cant go wrong on the patches if you like mixed bag. Marathon snorkeling tours at worldfamous sombrero reef people travel from all over the world to snorkel in the florida keys. Coffins patch is made up of about 6 different reefs, all unique, and all different. Reef scuba diving trips in marathon and key colony beach.
Patch reef fishing 2 miles offshore from marathon key, fl. Closest to the keys is a sand ridge called white bank, covered by large beds of sea grass, with patch reefs scattered across it. Florida family vacations tranquility bay beach house. Explore underwater treasures at sombrero reef off marathon in. Patch reefs are small coral reef formations inside of the main barrier reef. Top snorkeling spots in the florida keys florida yacht.
Overall, coffins patch is the 20th most popular snorkel dive spot of all 40 snorkeling dives in the florida keys. These are the best spots to snorkel in the florida keys. Captain bob and crew member, leslie, took 16 of us out to sombrero reef about 12 miles out. We offer a safe and spacious boat environment for our snorkel tours in marathon. Another wreck site which is not well documented with.
Preservation areas, coffins patch and sombrero key, as well as many other outstanding. Diving middle keys explore wrecks of marathon florida. The species of fish you encounter in this area is simply amazing. From sombrero reef to coffins patch, to the thunderbolt wreck, theres something incredible to see for every skill level of diver. Sombrero reef is also known for its amazing visibility. Fishing the reefs off marathon in the keys florida sportsman. Top snorkeling spots to experience in the florida keys. Clear day at sombrero reef, marathon florida 2019 apneaandrew. Coffins patch and sombrero reef are a notouchnotake national marine sanctuary protected area. Most of the patch reefs are 5 to 15 feet deep and 100 feet or less in size, and most are accessable with a small boat. Clear day at sombrero reef, marathon florida 2019 duration. This makes a great dive after the thunderbolt, especially on a day with strong currents. When it comes to florida keys snorkeling and novice diving, coffins patch, a reef at marathon, is an amazing florida keys dive site.
No snorkeling destination in the region is more famous than marathons own sombrero reef, and with good reason. The best part for snorkeling is called the stake which is more shallow so easier to see things. This is a healthy reef with pillar, star and convoluted brain coral which totally cover the shallow patch reef. Offshore of the middle keys there are several examples of both outside spur and groove reefs as well as patch reefs. Snorkeling tours marathon snorkeling tours marathon.
May 31, 2018 snorkeling at sea may be popular in the florida keys, but exploring the waters off the shore is equally magical. For a detailed dive site description and printable snorkel dive map, just select a marathon. Crystalline waters off marathon are flush with extensive spurandgroove coral formations and welldeveloped patch reefs that demand hours of exploration. Key west is just a 40minute drive west of captain tads. The marathon area features a number of prime dive spots. Diving middle keys off marathon florida, youll also encounter more of the doomed 1733 spanish treasure fleet. With lovely patch reefs everywhere, and numerous dive operators to choose from, plus plenty of great shore dives, marathon is a great place to escape from the cares of everyday life, for divers new and experienced alike. Sombrero key is currently a sanctuary preservation area that is 0. Here you can see a wide variety of beautiful corals and sponges. Located in florida keys, the snorkeling in marathon key offers more than a halfdozen beautiful snorkel dive spots. The florida reef consists of two ridges separated from the florida keys by the hawk channel. It was a little too far in a slow pontoon boat to get to any other snorkeling spots, like sombrero reef, but there was plenty at the coffins patch to keep.
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