SHALLOW DIVING IN THE KEYS MEANS MORE BOTTOM TIME

The only living coral reef in the continental United States lies just a few kicks from the surface. In the Florida Keys, much reef diving is shallow, easy diving.

Ocean depths from the shoreline to the reef rarely reach 20 feet. The reef lives in waters as shallow as five feet and as deep as 50 feet.

Most Keys reef divers log a maximum depth of 20 to 30 feet.

Shallow diving offers two immediate benefits.

First, divers get longer bottom times with greater safety. Shallow dives are inherently less prone to produce decompression sickness. Though highly unlikely, it is possible to get "bent" in 20 feet of water so careful monitoring of depth and time are still mandatory.

But it's not unusual for a reasonably experienced diver to spend an hour or more exploring a shallow Keys reef.

The second benefit is that shallow dives are brighter. More light reaches the divers viewing area.

In just three to four feet of water, about 45 percent of light energy is absorbed, mostly in the green, blue and violet range. At 35 feet about 84 percent of the available light energy is absorbed.

The shallow reefs in the Keys offer divers a variety of structures, including patch reefs, spur and groove formations, mini-walls and drop-offs.

The famous Christ of the Deep statue in Key Largo stands on a concrete base on a sandy bottom barely 25 feet deep. Considered a novice level dive, a visit to the statue is typically logged with a maximum depth of 20 feet.

Dazzling French Reef, also in the Key Largo area, offers depths from 15-40 feet. Divers swim through cliffs and canyons, gullies and archways to see large groupers and moray eels.

To the south, Islamorada features two shallow reefs that have earned well-deserved reputations as underwater paradises.

Davis Reef forms an easily navigable ledge that encourages divers to "cruise the wall" in one direction, then return to see the top of the reef. Divers shouldn't miss the chance to rub Buddha's belly for luck. The small statue has a storied history of being lost and recovered, stolen and replaced. The sand off the ledge is about 25 feet deep. Most dives are in the 20-feet range.

A few miles away is Alligator Reef, another shallow ledge with huge populations of yellowtail snapper, grunts, goatfish and damselfish. Alligator also has a mini-wall where lobsters live unmolested and moray eels hide in crevices.

Alligator and Davis Reefs lie in Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs), no-take zones that have allowed fish and crustacean populations to thrive and grow.

Marathon boasts one of the most beautiful shallow reefs in the Keys: Sombrero Reef. With depths of 6-25 feet, Sombrero welcomes divers and snorkelers to view brilliantly colorful marine life among magnificent coral spurs - long fingers separated by white sand. There's also an eight-foot-tall natural coral bridge, known locally as The Arch. It's the perfect setting for an underwater portrait.

Marathon's middle reefs range from about 10-25 feet in depth. The Coffins Patch (no, there are no coffins scattered about) introduces novice and expert divers alike to an abundance of fish and corals.

Lower Keys divers have the crew of the British frigate H.M.S. Looe to thank for one of the world's most beautiful shallow reefs. The Looe ran hard aground in 1744, lending its name to a reef that's like no other in the Keys.

Looe Key, a spur and groove reef formation rather than an actual key, features dives ranging from 5-35 feet covering novice through advanced experience levels. Perhaps the greatest diversity of fish species in the Keys is found among the corals and sea fans of Looe Key. The area is a designated marine sanctuary, fully protected from spear or surface fishing, and shell collecting.

Offshore from America's southernmost city, Key West, lie Rock Key and the Eastern Dry Rocks. All experience levels are welcome in the area's 5-35 foot depths. These dive areas are coral fingers with sand and corals in between. On occasion, a visiting diver comes up with a 19th century artifact in hand.

Key West diving also offers a great rarity for divers: the shallow wreck dive. Alexander's Wreck, a former navy vessel, lies on its side in 30 feet of water, its hull covered with Leavy oysters. Thousands of fish hang around just waiting to show off for visiting divers.

Finding a shallow dive in the Keys is very easy. If the dive isn't on a wreck, it's probably in 25 feet of water.

To learn more about diving in the Florida Keys or to contact one of the area's professional dive operators, visit the Florida Keys & Key West Web site at www.fla-keys.com