3.64
Dive site Christ of the Abyss, Christ of the Deep or simply the Statue of Key Largo Dry Rocks.
| Name Dive Site: | Christ of the Abyss |
| Depth: | 19-62ft (6-19m) |
| Inserted/Added by: | lars, © Author: Lars Hemel |
| Rated: | Rated 4.5, 4 votes |
| Specifications: |   |
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Christ of the Abyss is a dive site named after a bronze statue sculptured by an Italian artist named Guido Galletti. Christ of the Abyss is the third piece that was created from his mold. The first statue, named "Il Christo Degli Abissi", is located in fifty feet of water in front of Genoa, Italy in 1954. The second sculpture was brought to the St Georges harbour of Grenada in 1961 to remember the rescuing of all passengers from the Italian liner Bianca C. The third one was finally donated to the Underwater Society of America by Egidi Cressi in 1962, who was a famous dive equipment manufacturer. It was connected to a large concrete block and together with the Florida State Park Service the statue was dropped on the white sandy ocean floor in 22 foot of water.
It is located at six miles east northeast of Key Largo Cut right into the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. She lies on the seaward side of the reef with its hands reaching out to the surface. The statue is only nine foot tall and weighs over 4000 pounds. Its left hand points to a marvellous specimen of brain coral, telling us something according to strict Christians. The sculpture of Jesus Christ is probably the most photographed item under water. With more than two hundred underwater weddings, chances are large to see a marriage happening here in front of the statue.
It is one of the best known and most popular dive site for divers and snorkellers which resulted in many boats and heavy traffic. Even with 16 mooring buoys (D1-D16), it is often a struggle to find an empty buoy. Smoky the barracuda has adapted well to this tourism and is one of the common residents. He enjoys being handfed which has domesticated and emboldened him, so be cautious. Snappers, groupers and barracuda are some of the regulars around here with spotted eagle rays and stingrays often patrolling the sand. It is one of the few dive sites in the world where you can actually dive at a statue so together with its Christian importance it is a dive site you shouldn't miss.
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