About Revisions 1 Marker Reef / Toppino’s Reef N 24° 28.430’W 081° 42.970’, Key West, FL Max Depth: 21-25ft/6-8m Average Viz: 71-80ft/22-24m Entry Type: Boat Bottom Composition: Sand/Rock Aquatic Life: Plenty To See 2/02/2012 12:27 PM

N 24° 28.430’
W 081° 42.970’


1 Marker Reef / Toppino’s Reef

Toppino Reef is marked with the number 32 on a red channel marker. The depth of the water ranges from twenty feet to twenty five feet. There are three mooring buoys, T1 thru T3. It’s located five miles south of Key West. And it’s only four tenths of a mile south of the Aquanaut Wreck. This is not a Sanctuary Preservation Area. It’s OK to take fish and lobster as long as you have a Florida Saltwater Fishing License and a lobster stamp for taking the lobster. The GPS Coordinates are 24’28.457N and 081’44.561W.

This reef used to be known as Marker Reef #1, because it had a channel marker with a number one on it. Today that channel marker has the number 32 on it, so now it also called Marker Reef number 32. The channel marker also has a light on it. This helps you to find this dive site if you’re going to dive at night.

Toppino Reef coral This is one of the prettiest shallow reef dive sites off Key West. It’s made up of beautiful spur and groove formations. Some of these coral fingers rise ten to fifteen feet out of the sandy bottom. It gives protection to lots of marine life. There are many different species of colorful fish. Schools of grunts and yellowtail snapper, parrotfish munching on the coral, tangs, butterfly fish, damselfish, green moray eel, sea turtles and an occasional nurse shark are all common sights. Of course many of these fish are sleeping if you’re here on a night dive. You’ll get to see all the coral polyps open and feeding.