R/v Thunderbolt

The Thunderbolt is a former research vessel, originally built in the 1940s, that was sunk in 1986 as an artificial reef off Marathon in the Florida Keys. It sits upright and largely intact at a maximum depth of around 36.6 metres, rated an advanced dive on a wreck bottom. Grouper are a reliable sighting on the structure, and divers have also reported angelfish, barracuda, jacks and amberjack, reef sharks, and snapper around the wreck. Sponge and coral growth has developed on the hull over the decades since it was scuttled, adding to the structure divers explore at depth.

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

• Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed
• Reef sharkReef sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• Caribbean Bluehead WrasseThalassoma bifasciatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Bicolor DamselfishStegastes partitusReported here · unconfirmed
• Slippery DickHalichoeres bivittatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellowhead WrasseHalichoeres garnotiReported here · unconfirmed
• Redband ParrotfishSparisoma aurofrenatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Brazilian Ocean SurgeonfishAcanthurus bahianusReported here · unconfirmed
• Striped ParrotfishScarus iseriReported here · unconfirmed
• Clown WrasseHalichoeres maculipinnaReported here · unconfirmed
• White GruntHaemulon plumieriiReported here · unconfirmed
• Atlantic Blue TangAcanthurus coeruleusReported here · unconfirmed
• BarracudaBarracudaReported here · unconfirmed
• GrouperGrouperConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• AngelfishAngelfishReported here · unconfirmed
• SnapperSnapperReported here · unconfirmed