Snorkeling and Scuba Diving Around Sanibel Island and Captiva Island
Wrecks and man-made reefs help restock our waters with fish for the benefit of Scuba divers and fisherman alike. More than a dozen artificial reefs lie within a 15 mile radius of Sanibel and Captiva making these Florida barrier islands great for snorkeling and scuba diving.
One of the largest is the Edison Reef, created from the rubble of a former mainland bridge. It was built less than 15 nautical miles from the Sanibel Lighthouse in 42 feet of water.
Closer to home, the Belton Johnson Reef, about 5 nautical miles off Bowman’s Beach, was named for a well-known local fishing guide. A yellow and white marker shows the location of the reef, constructed of concrete culverts.
Peagus/Charlie’s Reef is the newest reef installed July 1999, located 28 miles due west of Red Fish Pass. A large tug boat was added to several railroad hoppers that already have quite an assortment of residences, including barracuda, cobia, nurse shark, grouper, amber jack and a moray eel.
Check out http://www.lee-county.com/naturalresources/artreef.htm for reef and wreck locations.
