Molasses Reef (North End)
Depths on this section of Molasses Reef range from 10 to 40ft, although a determined swim could bring you to much deeper water. The shallow end of the coral spurs are covered edge to edge with common sea fans and topped with small colonies of elkhorn coral. Pieces of an old tower are scattered across many of the sand channels.
The deeper end of the coral spurs are buttressed by exceptionally large star coral mounds. If you use a half inch per year as the growth rate, these heads are three or four centuries old. Some of them show the ravages of time, undercut by erosion and invaded by boring sponges; others have an even coat of tiny brown or green polyps and are still going strong.
The real magic of Molasses Reef is the fish life. Bring along a waterproof fish ID book and you could easily mark off two dozen species on a single dive—many more if you’re familiar with Florida reef fish. Even snorkeling at the surface, you’ll be face to face with sergeant majors, Bermuda chub, barracuda and yellowtail snappers. In the mid-range, from 20 to 30ft, Molasses is a mob of reef fish.
The MV Wellwood ran aground on the north end of Molasses Reef in August 1984, grinding the coral beneath it into parking lot smoothness. The ship’s owners incurred a settlement of more than $5 million, money that now primarily supports reef restoration efforts.
(Deep)
Three mooring buoys mark the deep reef at Molasses, a distinctly different part of the reef. Depths at the buoys range from 45 to 55ft, and the bottom consists of low coral ridges and narrow sand channels. Corals are plentiful, but are lower profile than on the shallower sections of the reef, except for the lush soft corals that grow to their tallest here. At this depth the sponges begin to dominate, particularly giant barrel sponges and elephant ear sponges. Bring a dive light to appreciate their range of color. Queen angelfish, rock beauties and whitespotted filefish are permanent residents, and hawksbill turtles, spotted eagle rays and nurse sharks are frequently encountered.
If you follow the sand channels seaward, they will guide you down a gentle slope until you reach a lip at 65 or 70ft. At this point a mini-wall drops to about 90ft, joining a relatively flat sand bottom with widely scattered coral heads. The edge of the wall is a highway of sorts for large pelagic fish, so it’s worth spending a little time here if your profile permits.
When a current is present, it can be strong enough to challenge even advanced divers, so take note before you enter the water. Several Key Largo shops make drift dives on the deep section at Molasses, precluding any navigation problems and opening up even more of the reef to exploration.
(South End)
When a current is running at Molasses Reef, it’s usually strongest at the south end. The reef looks much different when being swept by currents, and not only because the soft corals bend with the flow. The myriad grunts, snappers and wrasses that normally fill the mid-water instead hug the sides of the coral ridges in the lee of the reef. There is a curiously empty appearance to the reef, until you realize where all the fish have gone.
The southernmost buoy marks Permit Ledge, a long coral-and-sponge-covered ledge facing sand flats and a low hard bottom. Divers here often encounter large animals, including permits, spotted eagle rays and nurse sharks. Cross the flats south of Permit Ledge and you’ll come to another ledge, this one topped with five or six colonies of pillar coral.
Slightly to the north is a site called Fire Coral Caves, where a deeply undercut coral ledge harbors Atlantic spadefish, dog snappers and schoolmasters. A large jewfish sometimes hovers beneath the ledge, and half a dozen permits frequently hang about the area. Some fire coral grows atop the ridge, but the reddish hue in the caves is due to the encrusting corals and sponges.
The Spanish Anchor is a bit northeast of Fire Coral Caves, lying flat on the bottom. Farther to the north is the Winch Hole, where a large coral-encrusted windlass is all that remains of a ship that ran aground on Molasses long ago. Along the coral ridge, Hole in the Wall is a split that leads into an oval chamber.
Reproduced with permission from Diving & Snorkeling Florida Keys 2001 Lonely Plant Publications www.lonelyplanet.com