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Cannonball Cut

Located just 6 miles south of Key West in Monroe County, Florida, Cannonball Cut is an ideal dive site for both drift diving and lionfish hunting. Unlike other dive sites, Cannonball Cut does not have a mooring ball, allowing divers to effortlessly drift along with the current. This underwater wonderland is adorned with breathtaking fields of coral, creating a vibrant and colorful backdrop for divers of all levels.

With a maximum depth of 18m/60 feet and visibility reaching up to 10m, Cannonball Cut offers a rewarding diving experience. As you explore the depths, you'll come across an abundance of marine life, including goliath groupers, eels, turtles, lionfish, sharks, and angelfish. This makes Cannonball Cut a prime spot for lionfish hunting, providing an exciting and challenging endeavor for divers.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, Cannonball Cut welcomes you to discover its underwater wonders. Prepare to be captivated by the beauty of this dive site, located in the United States' enchanting waters.

Diving Conditions Score for Cannonball Cut

7.2
Good

Good diving conditions!
The score is based on a calculation of the current weather and sea conditions.

Dive Site Overview for Cannonball Cut

Depth

8m

Visibility

10m

Experience Level

beginner

Weather Conditions for Cannonball Cut

Wave Height

0.4m

Wind Speed

18.3 m/s

Water Temp

30.7°C

Visibility

19.1km

Cloud Cover

10%

Wave Period

4.5s

Air Temperature

29.3°C

Precipitation

0 mm

Detailed 7-Day Diving Forecast for Cannonball Cut
Alpha

Dive Score Chart for Cannonball Cut

Best time to dive: 15:00 with score 8.068804347826088/10. Water conditions: Waves 0.42m, Wind 11.4 m/s.Best night dive time: 2:00 with score 7.826174074074075/10.

Chart showing hourly dive conditions including wave height, wind speed, water temperature, and visibility throughout the day.

Sunrise at Cannonball Cut: 06:00
Sunset at Cannonball Cut: 18:00

Optimal diving conditions at Cannonball Cut are affected by daylight hours. Sunrise occurs at 06:00 and sunset at 18:00, which impacts visibility and water temperature for scuba diving and snorkeling.

🌞
Best Overall
15:00

Score: 8.1/10
Waves: 0.42m (4.6s), Wind: 11.4 m/s

🌙
Best Night
2:00

Score: 7.8/10
Waves: 0.4m, Wind: 6.4 m/s

Seasonal Analysis for Cannonball Cut
Alpha

Historical patterns and best seasons for diving at Cannonball Cut

The dive score combines all factors to rate overall diving conditions throughout the year. Higher scores indicate better diving conditions.

Monthly Dive Score Analysis - Seasonal Diving Conditions

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Seasonal DiveScore Chart

This chart displays monthly diveScore data throughout the year, showing seasonal patterns. The data is presented as a bar chart with an overlaid line graph.Dive scores range from 1 to 10, with 10 being optimal conditions.

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Best Season for Cannonball Cut

Winter

Avg. Score: 8.8/10

Winter offers the best overall diving conditions with calmer seas and better visibility, despite cooler temperatures.

Best Months for Cannonball Cut

February
Score: 8.8
December
Score: 8.8
January
Score: 8.7

Ideal Conditions for Cannonball Cut

Water Temp

Thermometer Emoji

27.5°C / 81.5°F

June

Visibility

Telescope Emoji

11.6m / 38.1ft

October

Wave Height

Wave Emoji

2.4m / 7.9ft

September

Wave Period

Wave Emoji

8.0s

January

Seasonal Insights for Cannonball Cut

Cannonball Cut shows typical northern hemisphere patterns with July being the warmest month (28.4°C) and January the coldest (18.0°C). The calmest conditions typically occur in September with average wave heights of 2.4m and wave periods of 8.0s. The most comfortable wave conditions are in September with a low wave steepness ratio, creating gentler swells. January offers the longest wave periods (8.0s), creating more comfortable and predictable conditions for boat entries and exits. Ocean currents are slowest in January (0.5m/s) and strongest in January (0.5m/s). February is usually the driest month with 0.1mm of precipitation. For beginners, the best time to visit would be during September to November, when ocean conditions are calmer with long-period waves and currents are typically weaker. Experienced divers might enjoy the challenges and potentially better visibility during the shoulder seasons, with moderate currents that can improve marine life encounters.

Scoring Legend:
9-10 (Excellent)
7-8 (Good)
5-6 (Average)
3-4 (Poor)
1-2 (Dangerous)

Last updated: 1 min. ago - Jun 20, 2026

Note: This dive site is not a verified dive site. Please dive with caution. This dive site might have incorrect information by the community.

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