Christ of the Abyss

ON AUGUST 25, 1965, A nine-foot-tall bronze statue of Christ was lowered into 25 feet of water off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Known as the Christ of the Abyss, this submerged statue in John Pennekamp State Park was actually the third of its kind cast from the original Italian mold.
The John Pennekamp Park was chosen as the statue’s final resting place after plenty of debate. It arrived in 1965, but had to wait until a huge concrete base was first constructed. Eventually, on August 25, the larger-than-life bronze statue was lowered to the base, the whole ensemble standing in 25 feet of water. It soon became one of the most famous underwater attractions in Key Largo, and naturally attracted plenty of divers.
The top of the statue sits at around 8 to 10 feet below the surface, making it visible to snorkelers. But SCUBA divers get the best views (and the best selfies) of Florida’s Christ of the Abyss, diving down alongside the statue as it stands, arms aloft, among the coral reefs, an occasional barracuda or ray drifting past.