The Elbow

The Elbow is a kink in the outer reef tract north of Key Largo where the line of reef bends from a north-south to an east-west orientation. The change in geometry has trapped several ships over the centuries and the site is famous for the wreck remains scattered along the spurs: the City of Washington, a 99-metre US passenger steamer driven onto the reef in 1917 while under tow, lies broken up across the shallow spurs in 7 to 12 metres; the Tonawanda, a Civil War-era paddle-wheel steamer lost in 1866, contributes the boilers and walking-beam engine that crown the highest spur; and the Civil War munitions ship Hannah M. Bell adds ballast and iron knees in the deeper grooves. Reef life is excellent: large goliath grouper, schools of horse-eye jacks, hawksbill turtles, queen angelfish and southern stingrays. Depths run from 7 metres on the wreck remains to 21 metres on the outer ledge. Currents can be brisk on the corner; the site is moored only inside the Florida Keys NMS.