The Florida Keys are known around the globe for their array of underwater adventures that can be enjoyed only in the island chain.
Annette Robertson explores a portion of the artificial reef Spiegel Grove in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Key Largo. (Photo by Stephen Frink, Florida Keys News Bureau)
For example, you can snorkel or dive on the continental United States’ only contiguous living coral barrier reef — which, naturally, makes the Keys a paradise for ocean enthusiasts.
This barrier reef is home to stunning coral formations and brilliantly hued tropical fish. And much like a tropical rainforest, it supports an incredibly diverse population of plants and animals that can be observed by divers and snorkelers.
FYI, the coastal waters surrounding the precious reef — and the entire Keys island chain — are protected within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Dive and snorkel operators from Key Largo to Key West offer excursions led by experts who are passionate about the underwater realm.
You can explore a portion of the iconic reef while rocking to a sub-sea concert (yes, really!) during the annual Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival. Staged July 7 this year, the quirky songfest takes place at Looe Key Reef, an area of the sanctuary that lies about 6 miles south of Big Pine Key. Music from a local radio station is broadcast underwater via special speakers suspended beneath boats at the reef.
While enjoying the marine-themed melodies, you might even spot whimsically costumed divers or “mermaids” tooting their own horns on the ocean floor — pretending to play underwater musical instruments like a trom-bonefish and clambourine sculpted by local artist August Powers.
An employee from the Coral Restoration Foundation works underwater in the organization’s coral nursery. (Photo by Tim Grollimund, Florida Keys News Bureau)
The festival, by the way, doesn’t just offer a unique adventure for dive enthusiasts — it also carries a serious message of reef preservation. The broadcast includes announcements that emphasize ways to experience the reef while minimizing impacts on the underwater environment.
To make a positive impact on the Keys’ water world, consider getting involved in dive voluntourism. Certified divers can join hands-on dive activities in underwater coral nurseries, outplanting corals to Keys reefs, or monitoring the wellness of corals in existing coral colonies.
Mote Marine Tropical Research Laboratory, the Summerland Key–based field station of Sarasota–based Mote Marine Laboratory, and Key Largo’s Coral Restoration Foundation each invite “citizen scientists” to assist with the endeavor. It’s a great way to give back to the living, dynamic ecosystem you enjoy.
To help enthusiasts discover the Keys’ ocean realm, two underwater programs were created to spotlight the region’s reefs and shipwrecks. And each offers a specially created souvenir journal for recording the adventures.
The official Florida Keys Wreck Trek logbook lists nine of the island chain’s most iconic wreck sites: Duane, Benwood, Eagle, Thunderbolt, Adolphus Busch Senior, Cayman Salvager, Joe’s Tug, and two of the world’s largest shipwrecks intentionally sunk as artificial reefs: Spiegel Grove and Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg.
British Army Sergeant Thomas Mould and Sandra Hyde “dive into matrimony” in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Key Largo. (Photo by Frazier Nivens, Florida Keys News Bureau)
Advanced or wreck-certified divers who complete at least one wreck dive with a participating dive operator receive the logbook — plus a personalized print of Florida Keys shipwrecks.
First-timers, families and fun-loving outdoor groups can join the Become a Reef Explorer program. Participants collect validation stamps from professional dive or snorkel operators, indicating they’ve visited one (or all!) of the coral reefs highlighted in the journal.
And if you’re a scuba aficionado ready to dive into matrimony, you can do it at the Keys’ living coral reef (maybe with exotic sea creatures in attendance). Your wedding party and guests can don gowns, tuxedos, boutonnières and bathing suits for a unique sub-sea ceremony.
A famous submerged spot to exchange vows is the 9-foot-high shrine of “Christ of the Abyss,” a 4,000-pound bronze statue within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in waters adjacent to Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The statue is one of the most photographed underwater sites in the world, and its welcoming arms make a perfect place to say your “I do’s.”
Want more information about the dive and snorkel attractions found only in the Keys? Just click here.
