The Christ of the Abyss is a submerged bronze statue of Jesus Christ, the original of which is located in the Mediterranean Sea, off San Fruttuoso, between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera. Various other casts of the statue are located in other underwater places worldwide.
The Key Largo statue was presented to the Underwater Society of America in New York in 1962, and shipped by boat to Chicago, where it was set up for unveiling in the ballroom of the Palmer House Hotel at the Underwater Society of America’s 1962 convention. On August 25, 1965, it was placed approximately in 25 feet of water off the coast of Key Largo, near Dry Rocks reef, approximately six miles east of Key Largo in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The statue weighs around 10 tons and is covered in coral.
It is visible from the surface only when the seas are very calm and underwater visibility is good, but it becomes immediately visible through the lens of mask.
It’s a popular spot for snorkelers and divers and is visited daily by several upper keys dive and snorkel operators. The statue is surrounded by a shallow reef known as “Dry Rocks”. The reefs name refers to the fact that during extreme low tide, a portion of the reef rises above the surface causing a surf-break and hazard to navigation.
The shallow waters surrounding the statue allow plenty of light to filter through the water, creating the appearance of divine rays of light. It is a great snorkel or dive option for novices and offer breathtaking photo opportunities.
