Snorkeling the Shipwreck Trail, Florida

Sparkling, aquamarine water, an abundance of shallow coral reef systems, myriad tropical fish species and clear visibility make the Florida Keys a snorkeler's paradise. Picking a spot to don a mask and fins can be daunting, but the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary's Shipwreck Trail is a great place to start. A series of nine near-shore shipwrecks stretches from Key Largo to Key West, with a handful in water shallow enough to provide stunning views for snorkelers of the remains of ships dating as far back as the 18th century -- and the marine life that has since moved in.

  1. Scattered Remains

    • The San Pedro is the oldest wreck on the Shipwreck Trail, having met its fate in 1733. The ship was part of a Spanish treasure fleet that faced a hurricane off the coast of Islamorada. Replica cannons, the ship's original anchor and ballast mounds are clearly visible in just 18 feet of water. Small coral colonies populate the area as well, so keep an eye out for reef dwellers such as parrot fish and angel fish. Dive shops and snorkeling charters in Islamorada make daily trips to the wreck.

    Ship Shape

    • The Benwood is the most intact wreck for snorkelers on the Shipwreck Trail. The Benwood sunk off Key Largo in a collision with another ship in 1942, when the ships darkened their running lights after reports of German U-boats in the area. The hull, which lies in 20 to 40 feet of water, fills your entire view from the surface. Goliath grouper have made homes in the ship's crevices, and barracuda often lurk around the edges of the wreck. The Benwood is a regular stop for snorkelers and scuba divers who hit the water with Horizon Divers in Key Largo.

    World War II Gem

    • The USS Amesbury, a destroyer escort that took part in the 1944 invasion of Normandy, is one of the highlights of the Shipwreck Trail. The ship sank in 25 feet of water five miles west of Key West while being tugged out to be sunk in deeper water as an artificial reef. The hull was sheared in half by a storm, but its deck guns are intact and can be clearly seen by snorkelers -- along with the nurse sharks that tend to hang around its hull. Key West Scuba Dive in Key West takes snorkelers and divers to the Amesbury, also called Alexander's Wreck, when conditions are favorable.

    Coral Colonies

    • Snorkeling charters and dive shops in Marathon, in the Middle Keys, take frequent trips to the wreck of the Adelaide Baker. The three-masted ship sank off Duck Key in 1889 when hauling timber to Savannah, Georgia. The wreckage is dispersed over a quarter-mile of the sea floor in 20 feet of water, with the main mast still distinguishable from the coral that thrives in the area. Various riggings and a bilge pump are scattered among sea fans and brain coral, and snorkelers might even catch a glimpse of moray eels poking out from the coral.