Pickle Barrel Wreck

The Pickle Barrel Wreck is the most popular site on Pickles Reef. The site gets its name from a large number of barrel shaped boulders here. The barrels were from a Civil War era ship running supplies to Fort Jefferson off of Key West. It ran aground and sunk here on the shallow reef, and the concrete and mortar which was being shipped in barrels eventually hardened and the wood rotted away. The barrel/boulders and pieces of the wreckage are in 15' of water. A field of purple fan corals separate the wreck area from a sand channel which runs seaward to a 25 foot depth and high coral ledges on either side.

The ledges are home to Moray Eels, Soapfish and Florida Spiny Lobsters. A great spot for beginners, juniors and even snorkelers, the depth here is only 10 to 25 feet and very rarely has any current.