Molasses Reef
Molasses Reef is considered by some to be the most beautiful dive spot in the Florida Keys, if not the entire state of Florida. Molasses Reef isn’t just one reef, it’s an entire ecosystem of reef networks marked by hard and soft corals, dropoffs to 100 feet, hard bottom, sponges, caves, and almost every type of reef formation you can think of. The northern end of Molasses Reef is as shallow as 15 feet, and excellent for snorkelers. The other end will be where most scuba divers go, to explore formations such as caves, spur and groove formation corals, walls, ledges – so many are famous that they have names.
There’s a wreck at Molasses Reef called the Slobodna. It ran aground on Molasses on March 15, 1887 and its remnants are still visible here and there. This wreckage is mistakenly thought to be from a barge thought to be carrying barrels of molasses, hence the name of the reef system. However, it’s really the Slobodna, and Austrian ship 170 feet long and 35 feet beam. It was actually carrying cotton from New Orleans- 4500 bales of it! She ran aground and a wrecking ship City of Key West, was unable to pull her off so they salvaged the cargo instead. About half the cotton bales ended up in Key West and the rest was wet and ruined. They removed the fittings, and left the Slobodna high and dry. She eventually broke apart and sunk.
She’s now in 22 feet of water near the south side of Molasses Reef Tower. Some people call it the “Mast Wreck”, and it lies on a sandy bottom. It’s rigging and some pieces of iron and a metal mast, hence the name. There are other bits and pieces as well, scattered about. Much of the wreckage is buried in sand.
