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Diving Key Largo, Plan A Day Trip To Davis Reef And It's Buddha

When diving Key Largo there are many exciting sites to explore, but Davis Reef has something particularly unusual. Here you'll find a submerged and rather large smiling Buddha.

The Buddha placed at this Key Largo dive site was positioned in 1989.

Perhaps the peculiar reasoning behind this statue's placement was to act as a juxtaposition to the Christ of the Abyss at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

When reef diving Key Largo, the Buddha you see today is also not the original one. This statue was placed here after the original Buddha was stolen, most likely as a prank.

As part of the fun, divers are encouraged to rub the statue's head for wisdom and good luck, or to rub the Buddha's stomach to promote fertility.

Perhaps the fish find the Buddha to be lucky too, because the area swarms with a vast number and variety of tropical and game fish.

In particular, the area is home to huge masses of schooling grunts and schoolmaster snapper. The sheer quantity of their numbers can be enough to take your obstruct your vision and take your breath away.

The Ledge is also home to a large number of fish and coral. The Ledge at this reef is also relatively close to the water's surface, making this the perfect dive trip destination for novice divers or Florida Keys snorkeling enthusiasts.

Davis Reef Map

Davis Reef Map
Courtesy of http://floridakeys.noaa.gov





At-A-Glance Reef Diving Description
And GPS Coordinates

Name
Davis Reef
Location
Just south of Conch Reef
GPS Co-ordinates
24 55.50N 080 30.21W
Markers
Several mooring buoys
Level
Novice - Advanced
Depth
5 - 80'
Visibility
Good
Dive Site Description
Fishermen frequent most of the area as only a small portion is SPA protected. This is also one of the better Key Largo diving sites for at night. This is because the Ledge runs the length of the area, and is 5 - 10' high making it easy to navigate. You'll find that both the Ledge and the Buddha sit in 20' of water, and are the two more popular dive features at this Key Largo diving site. The Ledge is also heavily populated with a large variety of game and tropical fish. You'll also find numerous coral ridges and sandy channels to explore
Snorkel Site
Good snorkel site

Marine Life
Large brain coral, sting rays, nurse grunts, nurse shark, green moray eels and spiny lobsters, brain coral, tropical fish including butterfly fish, angelfish, damselfish, blue tang, and parrotfish





When in Key Largo diving, this is one reef that will typically offer unexpected surprises. When scuba diving the area around the ledge you should be prepared for the occasional run in with nurse shark or moray eels.

Of course you'll want to check out the Buddha, but remember to be selective where you rub. You may get more than you bargained for!

Once you've paid a visit to the Buddha, make sure you plan a dive trip to Christ of the Abyss at popular John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park!






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Local Weather Zip Codes

Key Largo - 33037
Marathon - 33050
Key West - 33040