USS Vandenberg (Wreck)

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.

Corals have started to take root on the structure and many fish call it home like grunts, snapper, barracuda, turtles, angelfish, and occasional reef sharks.

Level

Level

Advanced

Visibility

Visibility

15 m

Current

Current

Light Current
No Current
Strong Current
Ripping Current

DIVE TYPES

DIVE TYPES

Artificial Reef
Drift Dive
Wreck Dive

Temperature & Visibility

Dives

Wildlife Diversity

Affiliated Training Center

Recommended Training

Boat Diving

Discover pristine dive sites that cannot be reached from shore and experience the excitement of liveaboard diving. Learn all you need to dive from boats with the SSI Boat Diving Specialty. Start today!

Stress & Rescue

Learn to identify stress, prevent accidents, and learn rescue diver skills with this essential Diver Stress and Rescue Specialty program. Help yourself and other divers to stay safe. Get started now!

Enriched Air Nitrox Level 2 (40%)

Extend your dive time, shorten your surface intervals and spend more time exploring the dive sites you love, with the SSI Enriched Air Nitrox Specialty certification program.

Night Diving and Limited Visibility

Diving does not end when the sun goes down! Become a night diver and meet the incredible marine life that only comes out at night. Join the SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty program.

Navigation

Become a better, more confident diver who always knows where they are going. Learn how to use a dive compass, natural navigation techniques and more. Join the SSI Navigation specialty today!

Waves, Tides & Currents

Take control of your dives no matter the conditions with the SSI Waves, Tides and Currents specialty. Learn all you need to go diving in currents, waves and rivers, enjoy shore diving and learn about the environmental conditions that affect dive sites.

Deep Diving

Many exciting and iconic dive sites lie in deeper waters. The SSI Deep Diving Specialty will get you there - safely and with confidence. Learn how to plan and conduct dives to between 18 and 40 meters deep with SSI.

Wreck Diving

Do you want to explore iconic towering shipwrecks and dive World War airplanes covered in vibrant marine life? Discover the world of wreck diving and get started today with the SSI Wreck Diving Specialty program.

Scooter / DPV

Enjoy longer dives, explore further and cover a larger area on every dive. Become an SSI Scooter/DPV Specialty Diver. Get started today.

Perfect Buoyancy

The SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty is the best way to improve your body position for relaxed dives, lower your air consumption and increase your bottom times. Take control of your enjoyment. Start online now!

Photo & Video

Learn how to take underwater photos that capture your dive highlights and incredible marine life encounters with the SSI Photo & Video Specialty program. Get started online today.

Shark Ecology

Sharks are vital for healthy oceans and are truly spectacular to dive with! Join the SSI Shark Ecology program and learn how to dive safely with sharks, why their behaviors are misunderstood and more. Start online today!

Marine Ecology

The SSI Marine Ecology Specialty program is the best way to discover the exciting science of marine ecology and become an underwater naturalist. Enhance your dives in a new way. Earn the SSI Marine Ecology specialty certification now!

Sea Turtle Ecology

You will learn to identify sea turtles species, discover their history and role in marine ecosystems, and threats to their survival. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty certification.

Manta And Ray Ecology

Diving with mantas and other rays is one of the best dive experiences you will have. Learn how to safely interact with rays and recognize different species with the SSI Manta & Ray Ecology Specialty program.

Fish Identification

Learn how to identify fish with the SSI Fish Identification specialty program and enhance your dives! Discover all you need to identify common families of Caribbean, Indo-Pacific and Red Sea reef fish and earn your SSI Fish Identification specialty certification.

Extended Range Nitrox Diving

Do you enjoy diving with nitrox? Are you ready to take your enriched air diving deeper? The SSI Extended Range Nitrox program will certify you to dive to a depth of 40 meters / 130 feet with limited decompression while using nitrox. Start online today!

Extended Range (Twin Set)

Utilizing either an XR Sidemount or Twinset Total Diving System this program prepares you to plan and conduct decompression dives to a depth of 45 meters / 145 feet.

Extended Range Wreck Diving

Descend deeper and further into the world of shipwrecks! Whether you dream of finding buried treasure on an ancient Spanish galleon or exploring WWII relics in Truk Lagoon, becoming an Extended Range wreck diver is the start of a fantastic adventure.

Technical Wreck Diving

Want to experience amazing wreck dives? Increase your technical dive skills to conduct wreck penetration dives to 80 meters and join the world’s elite deep decompression divers. Become an SSI Technical Wreck Diver today!

Dive Guide

Do you want to lead certified divers underwater, begin the path toward becoming a scuba diving professional, improve your skills, or get closer to the coveted Divemaster rating? Become a Dive Guide and upgrade to Divemaster today!

Dive sites nearby

© Virginia Scuba, 20109 Manassas

Cayman Salvager (Wreck)

Cayman Salvager is one of the three Key West dive sites that are part of the Florida Keys Wreck Trek program, Fishing and diving site a short distance from Key West.

State Harbor

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.

The Haystacks

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.

Rock Key

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.

FKCC Lagoon

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.

Eastern Dry Rocks

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.

Sand Key Lighthouse

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.

© Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center, 33042 Ramrod Key

Adolphus Busch (Wreck)

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.

© Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center, 33042 Ramrod Key

Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary

This spur and groove reef formation sitting 5 miles off of Ramrod Key, in the Florida Keys, is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Due to it’s protected status, reef life is very healthy and active here. Excellent for beginner to expert divers and snorkelers. Max depth 30 ft (10m).

Sombrero Reef

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.