This dive site, Christmas Tree Cave, is a prominent and enjoyable swim-through located within the renowned French Reef Sanctuary Protected Area. It earned its festive name from a distinctive, large Star Coral formation that adorns its top, resembling a Christmas tree. Divers can easily explore this main passage, alongside several other intriguing swim-throughs nearby, making for a fun and engaging navigational experience through the reef's natural architecture.
The waters around Christmas Tree Cave are teeming with marine life, offering frequent encounters with impressive nurse sharks and graceful eagle rays, highlighting the health of this protected ecosystem. Beyond these larger species, the reef is home to a diverse array of colorful reef fish typical of the Florida Keys, alongside vibrant hard and soft corals, most notably the namesake Star Coral.
The optimal time to dive Christmas Tree Cave is generally from spring through fall when water temperatures are warmest and visibility is at its best, although it's a year-round destination. Its shallow depths make it exceptionally suitable for beginners, snorkelers, and freedivers. For photographers, the swim-throughs and large coral formations provide excellent opportunities for wide-angle shots.
