Coral Lagoon Vacation Rentals

MARATHON & KEY COLONY BEACH FLORIDA KEYS DIVING

Delta shoal is east of the Sombrero Lighthouse and is highlighted by massive coral fingers. Of interest are the two wrecks, the Delta Shoal barge and the Ivory Coast Wreck. The barge lies in shallow waters and is perfect for snorkelers. The Ivory Coast Wreck is a sunken slave ship from 1853.

MARATHON, KEY COLONY BEACH FLORIDA KEYS DIVE

This is a 188 foot ship sunk in 1986 and it rests sitting upright and in 120 feet of water. She is 85 feet long and it is possible to enter the hull.

The Thunderbolt was intentionally sunk on March 6, 1986, as part of the Florida Keys Artificial Reef Association project. She now lies intact and upright on a sand bottom in 120 feet of water four miles south of Marathon and Key Colony Beach.

According to the National Marine Sanctuary site:

The Thunderbolt’s hull is 189 feet long with a forecastle, which served as the cable handling area, and has a cruiser stern. Prior to being sunk, the ship was stripped of all but a few major pieces of equipment. The most-prominent remaining features are a horizontal cable handling reel which lies at 80 feet and is centered on the after-end of the forecastle deck and the remains of the ship’s superstructure, including the observation deck located at 75 feet.

The aft-end of the superstructure has been cut away, exposing the interior of the hull at the engineering space. The rudder and propellers, which lie at 120 feet, also remain to complement the stern section of the hull.

Charter your own boat with Captain Hook’s Boat Rentals. Since the 1950s, Captain Hook’s Marina and Dive Center has been the place to get everything you need for a day on the water.

Charters for fishing, diving, snorkeling, dive instruction and certification; bait and tackle; scuba equipment and air tanks; boat rentals; snacks and beverages—they have all the supplies you’ll need to enjoy an area celebrated for world-class fishing, diving and all water sports.

They are conveniently located oceanside on the Overseas Highway at the Vaca Cut bridge (MM53), which puts them just minutes from Marathon’s incredible reef and prime fishing waters.