Snorkeling and Scuba Diving on or around Sanibel Island & Captiva Island

Sanibel Island - Water Sports

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 Island 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.

Pegasus/Charlie’s Reef is 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 Lee Reefs for more information on reef and ship wreck locations.