| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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 Blacktip reef sharks |  | | | | | | | | | | | |  |
| They're around year-round, but unusual to see out on the reefs. More commonly, they are found close in to shore, even around docks, feeding in the seagrass beds.
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| Bonnethead sharks |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Bottlenose Dolphins | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| They are around, but close sightings underwater are rare. Pods occaisionally visit areas around Key Largo Dry Rocks down to the Benwood Wreck, and are more common to see off the side of the boat while cruising through the creeks.
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| Bull sharks (Zambezi/Whaler) | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Resident on some of the favorite snorkel and dive reefs, including Grecian Rocks, and sighted on deep wrecks like the Duane, but generally shy and can be difficult to approach.
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| Carribbean reef sharks | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Resident on many of the inner bank reefs, and occaisionally sighted on outer bank reefs.
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| Coastal fish & Reef Life | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spotted Eagle Ray. The spotted eagle rays are one of the largest members of the stingray family, and deserve a special mention. Picture a manta ray with white spots and an eagle-like head. Seen in high frequency in the creeks in spring and on the outer bank reefs in summer, but present year-round... (More)
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| Coral Spawning | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| The Florida Keys coral spawn usually occurs about 8-10 days after the first full moon in August a couple hours after sunset, usually in the first couple weeks. Elkhorns spawn first, then one to two days later is the real show: mountainous star corals. Absolutely breathtaking.
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| Great Hammerhead sharks | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Less common than scalloped hammerhead, but sometimes seen on outside of reefs and on deep wrecks.
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| Green turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Found with high frequency on outer bank reefs, particularly Molasses. Protected under federal law -- don't touch!
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| Hawksbill turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Resident in relatively high frequency on outer bank reefs. Protected under the Endangered Species Act -- don't touch!
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| Leatherback turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Very rare sight on the outer bank reefs and in open ocean beyond the reefs. Nest up towards Ft. Lauderdale.
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| Loggerhead turtles | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Only occaisionally sighted on dives, but if you don't see one off the side of the boat on the way out, you aren't looking. Most hang out just inside the reef line, particularly around Molasses Reef, and can be as big as a small dinner table.
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| Manatees | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Can be sighted year-round in the creeks. Usually, manatees are found on the oceanside primarily in winter and on the bay in summer, but this year (2004) they got it backwards. Ask at marinas about sightings.
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| Manta rays | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Very unusual to site, but they are here occaisionally. Usually spotted towards the outer bank reefs, sometimes on deep wrecks.
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| Moray eels | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| The most common in this area are the green morays, some up to six feet long, but we also have spotted morays. These guys are on every reef and most wrecks, but you have to look for them and they aren't seen on every dive. They hide under ledges 75% of the time.
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| Scallopped Hammerhead sharks | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rare sight inshore, but they are here, and will occaisionally visit inner bank reefs and are sighted feeding over seagrass flats in 2-3 feet of water.
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| Stingrays | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Both yellow and southern stingrays are seen on many of the reefs with high frequency, and the yellow stingrays can occaisionally be seen courting in mid to late spring.
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0%, 
0 > 60%, 
60 > 90%, 
90 > 100%