Reef sites range in size from less than an acre to places like the Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary and Biscayne National Park which encompass thousands of acres.

All non-polluting solid material works to some degree, however, costly mistakes have been made with automobile tires and metal objects that rust.

In 1981, Miami-Dade County initiated an artificial reef program with the sinking of an obsolete tugboat. Since then, 'material-of-opportunity' has included more than two dozen ships, including the Tortuga which was sunk during the closing sequence of the movie 'Fair Game,' which began and ended Cindy Crawford's movie career.

There are four designated off-shore areas directly east of Miami Beach. One is for fishing and deep diving. One is suitable for recreational scuba diving. One is for snorkelers and contains the only underwater margarita bar reef in the world. And, one will be used for an innovative reef with an environmental message. Another one - the Key Biscayne Special Management Zone (SMZ), approximately 5 miles southeast of South Beach, contains more than a 40 ships and is the site of the Neptune Reef, the first phase of which was completed in 2007.

Back to Miami Beach Diving

1. Pflueger Reef Site (100+ feet)

2. Anchorage Site with Wreck Trek (40 to 60 feet)

3. SAVE THE REEFS (30 feet)

4. South Beach Site (20 feet)

5. Key Biscayne Special Management Zone (60+ feet)

Deep water sites:

1. The Pflueger Artificial Reef Area, located approximately 3 miles from the beach, stretches from 47th street to 68th street. It has been used primarily to help the fishing industry - the Pflueger company mounted fish in the early days of Miami Beach. All of the material is deeper than 100 feet, although the relief of a ship like the Tortuga - 40 feet - makes it accessible at 70 feet. This is an area for experienced divers only. The Tortuga is considered an excellent 'penetration' wreck because it was cleaned well for the movie.

2. The Wreck Trek is part of the Anchorage Artificial Reef Area. Located approximately 2 miles east of Miami Beach, between 22nd street and 52nd streets. This is a popular area for recreational divers because all of the material is in less than 60 feet of water. It contains a pair of Army tanks, pyramids from an old radio tower and a couple of ships. There is a plan to connect the elements of the trek with the stacks of reef material to be used in the SAVE THE REEFS site.

In the early 90s, Captain Rick Smith (click Rio Miami on left) hammered rebar into the bottom to enable divers to follow a path between the first components of the sites, a couple of wrecks. Thus, the area became known as the 'wreck trek.' The condition of the connecting rebar has deteriorated over the years, however, there is now a plan in motion to make the 'wreck trek' a signature dive site for Miami Beach.

3. The Port of Miami Mitigation Site

Located 1.5 miles east of South Beach and north of the the shipping channel, this site has been designated as the location for the SAVE THE REEFS project. The water depth is 30 feet.

4. The South Beach Artificial Reef site

This area contains the world's only artificial reef in the shape of an underwater bar and twelve large piles of concrete structures called 'tetrahedrons' and limestone boulders. It stretches from the seawall along Government Cut to 5th Street. The area is 150 yards wide (east/west) and 1000 yards long (north/south).