Florida Keys · United States · Reef · Wall
Crater
A sand pit at 15 m (50 ft) leading out to a 27 m (90-foot) drop-off
Area photo: NOAA (Maya Walton) · Public domain
A deeper Islamorada site that starts in a sand pit at fifty feet and follows spur-and-groove coral out to a drop-off at ninety feet. The west side of the pit holds a school of Southern sennets, frequently over a hundred fish, and the large coral structures along the way carry schools of grunts.
Where it is and how deep
24.8331° N, 80.6383° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
Depth is the constraint here rather than terrain. The drop-off at ninety feet (27.4 m) leaves a short clock, so the sensible shape is to take the deep edge first and then spend the rest of the dive working back up the grooves toward the pit as no-stop time runs down. A group that lingers at the edge early has to be disciplined about turning the dive.
The west side of the pit is the part worth planning around, because that is where the sennet school holds, frequently over a hundred fish, and the large coral structures along the spurs carry schools of grunts. Coming back into the pit at the end of the dive puts the shallowest part of the profile and the heaviest of the fish life in the same place, which is a rare thing to be able to plan for.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Florida Keys: Winter cold fronts (December-February) bring choppier seas and cooler water; April-August offers the calmest conditions, though hurricane season runs June-November.
Know before you go
- The drop-off at 27 m leaves short no-stop time; take the deep section first and shallow up along the grooves rather than yo-yoing between the pit and the edge.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Crater dive site?+
The dive runs from 50 feet (15.2 m) in the sand pit out to the drop-off at 90 feet (27.4 m), so it is an advanced profile with limited no-stop time at the deep end.
What will you see at Crater?+
Large coral structures with schools of grunts along the spurs, and on the west side of the pit a school of Southern sennets that is frequently over 100 fish.
Sources
- Crater — Scubago
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