Neptune Memorial Reef

One of my favorite dives sites is Neptune Memorial Reef. This unusual reef located three miles off the coast of Key Biscayne is a columbarium containing the cremated remains of approximately 1,500 people. They are memorialized by plaques and stones in the shape of starfish, turtles, etc. The most famous person buried here is celebrated chef Julia Child. 

Dive 1 - Neptune Memorial Reef: The memorial sits in 43 feet of water with towering columns and striking lions statues, modeled after the lost city of Atlantis. This site attracts a lot of marine life and we saw a green moray eel, large southern stingray, lobsters, crabs and lots of schooling fish including very large barracudas. The water is warming up to 80 degrees, with a noticeable thermocline at 30 feet. 

Dive 2 - Rainbow Reef: From Neptune we moved over to Rainbow Reef which was a shallow 25 foot dive site with warmer 83 degree water. Here we saw schooling fish, lobsters, arrow crabs, a huge bearded fireworm and a beautiful goldentail moray eel. 

--Active Divers President and Safety Officer Rachel Davis

Welcome to Tadeo Monterrubio and Viney Regunath making their first dive with the club. We hope to see you both on many more dives in the future! 

Underwater photos by Rodolfo Lopez.