White Banks
Visited almost exclusively by snorkel boats, this site is also called White Bank Coral Garden and White Bank Dry Rocks. The site includes two shallow reefs separated by a narrow channel. The reeftop is within a few feet of the surface in many spots, and the maximum depth is about 18ft. The northern section of White Bank is composed of one large, dense area of corals with several smaller adjacent patches, while the southern section is made up of smaller clusters. Reef grazers such as butterflyfish and parrotfish are plentiful here, as well as bicolor and yellowtail damselfish.
White Bank is more than a mile closer to shore than French Reef, affording it more protection from waves when the wind is up. The tradeoff is limited visibility. Green water and 20ft of visibility are about average for the site.
The reef here gets lots of abuse, as it is visited primarily by snorkelers trying the sport for the first time. Too many beginners over the years have gotten a mouthful of water, panicked and stood up on the coral, but White Bank continues to fascinate.
Reproduced with permission from Diving & Snorkeling Florida Keys 2001 Lonely Plant Publications www.lonelyplanet.com