Carysfort Reef - Florida Keys

Il-Merkanti is one of those sites we always try to hit when we're around Comino. It’s a proper reef dive, not too deep, maybe 18 metres at its maximum. You drop onto this rocky plateau, covered in Mediterranean tapeweed, and then it slopes down into a series of gullies and crevices. What we really love here are the Pink Plate Weeds; they just glow. And if you take your time, really poke around, you'll find Glycerine Worms and Lamellose Wentletraps tucked into the cracks. We’ve seen garrupa here a few times, big ones, just lurking. Schools of anchovy pass through, occasionally kicking up a bit of a shimmer in the water. We also get a kick out of watching the Painted Combers going about their business. This site suits divers who appreciate the smaller stuff, those willing to slow down and really look. It’s also great for photographers. The light can be fantastic in the late morning, filtering through the water and hitting those calcareous green alga. It’s generally a pretty calm dive, making it ideal for a relaxed second or third tank of the day.

Location
Florida Keys, United States, North America
Coordinates
25.217500, -80.214720
Type
reef

Marine Protected Area: Carysfort/South Carysfort Reef Sanctuary Preserva Sanctuary

Best Time to Dive in Florida Keys

The warmest water temperatures in Florida Keys occur in July, averaging 31.5°C (up to 34.8°C). The coolest conditions are in January at 19.3°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 19.3°C (air: 18.5°C)
  • February: 20.5°C (air: 21.6°C)
  • March: 23.1°C (air: 22.4°C)
  • April: 25.5°C (air: 24.3°C)
  • May: 27.8°C (air: 25.9°C)
  • June: 30.2°C (air: 27.5°C)
  • July: 31.5°C (air: 28.3°C)
  • August: 31.5°C (air: 28.3°C)
  • September: 30.2°C (air: 27.3°C)
  • October: 27.3°C (air: 26.0°C)
  • November: 24.1°C (air: 22.3°C)
  • December: 20.9°C (air: 19.8°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Florida Keys

Nearest Dive Centres to Carysfort Reef

Marine Life in Florida Keys

Home to 91 recorded species including 69 reef fish, 6 sharks & rays, 3 other, 3 hard corals, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 sea urchins.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Carysfort Reef

Based on average water temperature of 26.0°C, currents 1 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories