Cottrell Key is on the Gulf side of Key West, so it makes a good snorkeling spot for days when the reef is just too rough. Scuba divers will find that this spot is too shallow since it’s about 10 to 20 feet deep. There are mooring buoeys here, and you just follow the northwest passage out of Key West harbor, so it’s a convenient spot to aim for.
Cottrell Key is part of chain of uninhabited islands leading from Key West out to the Marquesas, and has lots of little coral patches as well as a wreck near it. Just tie up at the second bouey you come to from Key West and look for debris on the bottom, evidence of some old wreck. There are lots of hogfish at Cottrell Key, as well as lots of really healthy looking coral and schools of fish. If you’re used to diving or snorkeling on the Atlantic side of Key West, you’ll notice a difference in the abundance of coral and, in season, schools of bait fish. Look for the large jewfish under a rock at the first bouey.
Small Bait Fish at Cottrell Key
