Things to do nearChrist Of The Deep

The Christ of the Deep is a bronze underwater statue installed in 1965 near Key Largo, Florida, within what is now John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. It is a copy of the Christ of the Abyss statue that stands in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Genoa, Italy, and was gifted to the Underwater Society of America by Italian diver and businessman Egidio Cressi. The original Italian sculpture was created by Guido Galletti and placed in the Mediterranean in 1954, and the Florida version carries that same spirit of reverence for the sea and those who have lost their lives in it.

Standing about eight and a half feet tall and weighing nearly four thousand pounds, the figure rises from a concrete base on the sandy seafloor at a depth of approximately twenty-five feet. Divers circle the statue slowly, taking in the upward gaze and the open arms, while fish drift through the surrounding water and coral encrusts the lower portions of the bronze. The site sits within a protected marine sanctuary, which means the reef and its inhabitants are in notably good health compared to many Caribbean dive sites.

Reaching the statue requires a short boat ride from the park's marina, and several operators offer guided snorkel and dive trips that include the site as part of a broader reef tour. The park itself offers glass-bottom boat excursions for those who prefer to stay dry, though the statue is best appreciated up close underwater.

The Christ of the Deep endures as a genuinely singular landmark, combining natural beauty with a quiet human meaning that rewards the effort of any diver or snorkeler willing to make the trip to Key Largo.