French Reef

French Reef sits within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park off Key Largo in the upper Florida Keys, part of the same reef tract as neighboring Molasses and Dixie Shoals. It is known for a series of low limestone ledges, swim-throughs, and small caverns cut into the spur and groove formations, which make it popular for both diving and snorkeling. The site reaches a maximum depth of about 13.7 metres and is rated a beginner dive, with light current and great visibility over a reef bottom. Divers regularly encounter angelfish, barracuda, damselfish, eagle rays, grouper, nurse sharks, parrotfish, reef sharks, and snapper, and there have also been reports of jacks, lionfish, lobster, moray eels, sea turtles, and stingrays around the ledges. Boat traffic is the main practical consideration, but conditions here are generally mild compared to sites further offshore.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Reef sharkReef sharkConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
• StingrayStingrayReported here · unconfirmed
• Nurse SharkGinglymostoma cirratumReported here · unconfirmed
• Moray eelMoray eelReported here · unconfirmed
• LobsterLobsterReported here · unconfirmed
• Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed
• Caribbean Bluehead WrasseThalassoma bifasciatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Redband ParrotfishSparisoma aurofrenatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Bicolor DamselfishStegastes partitusReported here · unconfirmed
• Striped ParrotfishScarus iseriReported here · unconfirmed
• Brazilian Ocean SurgeonfishAcanthurus bahianusReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellowhead WrasseHalichoeres garnotiReported here · unconfirmed
• White GruntHaemulon plumieriiReported here · unconfirmed
• Clown WrasseHalichoeres maculipinnaReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellowtail SnapperOcyurus chrysurusReported here · unconfirmed
• Slippery DickHalichoeres bivittatusReported here · unconfirmed
• AngelfishAngelfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• SnapperSnapperConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• Nurse sharkNurse sharkConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• LionfishLionfishReported here · unconfirmed
• ParrotfishParrotfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• DamselfishDamselfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• Eagle rayEagle rayConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• GrouperGrouperConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• BarracudaBarracudaConfirmed present · 2 independent sources