40 Fathoms Grotto

★★★★☆ (82)

15 minutes outside of Ocala, FL. This dive site is operated by Commercial Diving Academy since 2006. This site is mainly used for commercial dive training and while it is technically open (due to contractual requirements), the entry fee has been set at $200 to discourage recreational divers.

The water is usually dark and green with visibility ranging from 10’ to 40’/3 to 12m. There are a good number of things to be seen underwater here. Boats, motorcycles, mini-sub, platforms, etc.

Dive Activity

Potential Wildlife Sightings

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 360

iStock-ChristinaPrinn

Turtle
1 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Dive Centers Catering This Dive Site

Florida Springs Scuba

127 E Noble AVE, 32696 Williston, FL - USA

Woods & Water

124 Edwards Ave, 33510 Brandon, FL - USA

Dive Sites Nearby

marco p. (#1764087)

Sand Key Lighthouse (★4.1)

Sand Key is a Sanctuary Preservation area that was originally its own island. Due to erosion and hurricanes, it’s been reduced to a very small patch of sand surrounded by a coral reef. The sand is an especially nice feature you don’t usually have at other Florida coral reefs. Great dive and snorkel spot.
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

Lost Reef (★4.4)

Lost reef is an aquarium so to speak. Off the beaten path it doesnt see many visitors. If you get a chance to drift it I highly recommend doing so.
Mares

Eastern Dry Rocks (★4.2)

The Eastern Dry Rocks reef is a popular spot for diving and/or snorkeling. It is also quite close to multiple other reefs including Sand Key and Rock Key, so it is common for divers and snorkelers to see multiple reefs on one outing.
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

Rock Key (★4.1)

The crevices within the reef at Rock Key are deeper and wider than what is usually found at other coral reefs. These wider openings create the perfect hiding habitat for grouper, moray eel, and other Florida fish.
Virginia Scuba, 20109 Manassas

Cayman Salvager (Wreck) (★4.3)

Cayman Salvager is one of the three Key West dive sites that are part of the Florida Keys Wreck Trek program. This is a popular fishing and diving site a short distance from Key West.
Nikki M. (#2162199)

Eastern Sambo Reef (★3.9)

20 minutes directly south of Key West is the Eastern Sambo Reef. This reef is located inside the Western Sambo Ecological Reserve and is fully protected from all types of fishing. The reef is approximately nine square miles of spur-and-groove type coral formations. The reef ranges from 10-4 feet’ in depth.
Mares

9 Foot Stake (★4.2)

15 minutes south of Key West, FL lies 9 Foot Stake Reef. This reef is located next to Marker 32 Reef and is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary System; however, fishing and spearfishing are allowed. The depth of this reef ranges from 15’-30’.
Scubapro

Middle Sambo Reef (★4.6)

This is the middle reef dive site that makes up the Sambo Reef area near Key West, Florida. These reefs lie in a marine reserve and are home to healthy coral and lots of fish.
Scubapro

Cannonball Cut (★3.9)

6 miles to the south of Key West is Cannonball Cut. This dive site does not have a mooring ball which makes it a good place for drift diving. This site consists of continuing fields of coral. Maximum depth is 18m/60 feet. This site is good for drift diving as well as lionfish hunting.
Aqualung

Western Sambo Reef (★4.1)

15 minutes south of Key West is the Western Sambo Reef. This reef is one of two Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Ecological Reserves. It is fully protected from all types of fishing. Depth runs from 7-40 feet.
Virginia Scuba, 20109 Manassas

USS Vandenberg (Wreck) (★4.6)

This is one of the most famous dive sites in Key West. Sunk over 10 years ago this Ex-Military Missile Tracking Ship varies in depth from 70 feet to 100 plus feet and is for advanced and expert divers only.
Aqualung

Joe’s Tug (★4.2)

Joe’s Tug - 60ft to 70ft Private mooring ball. Tug boat wreck scattered throughout a wonderful reef. Typically there is an eel in the stern section and many schools of yellowtail and other fish around the bow. We call this agreat reef with a wreck in the middle. Ask how it ended up getting its name.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

The Haystacks (★4.1)

Haystacks lies on the reef area known as the Western Sambo reef and is an excellent, shallow boat dive. Perfect for snorkelers and all levels of divers.
Nikki M. (#2162199)

Marker 32 Reef (★4.0)

6 Miles south of Key West is Marker 32 reef. This site is located adjacent to Western Sambos reef. This reef has two mooring balls on it. Very easy dive site with spur-and-groove style coral formations.
Aqualung

Ball and Chain (★4.1)

Ball and Chain is one of Key West’s most historic outer reef sites. Made famous by old home made moorings called Bubba Buoys were used to moor ships off Key West for quarantine.
Mares

Deep Reef - Looe Key (★4.5)

At 210 feet in length, the The Adolphus Busch Sr. stands upright and completely intact in just 110 feet of water. The ship that put Big Pine Key on the wreck diver’s map. This island freighter was purchased by the local dive community in 1998 with the generous assistance of Adolphus Busch IV.
Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center, 33042 Ramrod Key

Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary (★4.3)

This spur and groove reef formation sitting 5 miles off of Big Pine Key, in the Florida Keys, is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Due to its protected status reef life is very healthy and active here.
Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center, 33042 Ramrod Key

Adolphus Busch (Wreck) (★4.1)

The Adolphus Busch wreck was cleaned and purposefully sunk as an artificial reef in 1998 off the coast of the Lower Keys of Florida. Originally named the M/V London, the 210-foot coastal freighter sits at approximately 120ft (40m) with the deck at about 100ft (33m). Current and visibility can vary.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

State Harbor (★4.0)

Stone wall, steep drop. Protected harbor but also prone to oily residue from the boats. Suitable for night dives. Shore entry possible. Not a notable dive spot although many locals appear to lobster here.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

CFK Lagoon (★3.6)

Training lagoon for College of the Florida Keys. Permission and fees required for use. Restricted to use by the college or local dive shops after screening.
Aqualung

The Cable (★3.8)

The Cable is one of Key West’s most exciting outer reef dive sites. In the 1850’s it was the telegraph cable that started near the Southernmost Point buoy and stretched all the way to Havana Cuba. In the mid 1980’s it was disassembled by ATT.
Scubapro

Windjammer Wreck (★4.6)

Located inside the Dry Tortugas National Park lies the wreck of the Norwegian iron-hulled three-masted ship, the Avanti. This wreck is located in 18’ of water off of Loggerhead Key. The Avanti struck loggerhead reef in 1907 and sank.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Sombrero Reef (★4.1)

Sombrero Reef is a designated SPA area and is one of the more popular scuba diving and Florida Keys snorkeling destinations in Marathon. The area’s name is derived from the 142’ lighthouse which is located in the northern section of the SPA region.
Mares

Dry Tortugas (★4.4)

A 2 hour or more boat ride is the only way to get to the Diving at the dive site Dry Tortugas. This site is from 10ft to 65ft deep and includes reef and wreck portions.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

The Horseshoe (★3.8)

It’s called the “Horseshoe“ located at Mile Marker 35 in Big Pine Key. It was an old quarry which the dugout coral was used to build the Overseas Highway. At about 30 ft/10m deep in the middle, there is an ambulance and a small boat. Divers and Snorkelers use the location during poor sea conditions.