Sand Key

Sand Key

Many divers flock to the Florida Keys each year for the abundance of diving spots available. The warm, glass-clear waters and chance to view some of the fabulous wildlife that thrives in this environment characterize gulf diving. Sand Key, with its unmistakable red iron lighthouse rising above the waves, boasts some of the most unique and spectacular diving opportunities in a region rich with them. Rising just above the warm seas, only seven miles south of Key West, this shifting islet, composed of sand and crushed coral continuously offers constantly changing opportunities to both divers and snorkelers alike. Its south side is typically favored for scuba diving adventures.

Features

Divers will generally want to bypass the gentle, but crowded beauty of the leeward side of the island, since it offers the most attractions to snorkelers, with their more limited depth range. On the southern coast, which faces the ocean, a diver’s paradise awaits. While anchoring is strictly prohibited, due to the fragile marine ecosystems, more than 20 mooring buoys are available over the surrounding area.

The submarine drop-off of between 40 and 65 feet makes the area an ideal spot to dive in and explore. Visitors will notice the bright orange marker buoys in the area that betoken a .5 square mile strategic preservation area (SPA), where marine fauna and coral are protected from human depredation. These waters are home to some of the most fantastic species of coral and other marine life, such as batfish, barracuda, Loggerhead turtles, Nurse sharks, and manta raysandmdash;to name only a few species.

Another unique feature of Sand Key that makes it a diver’s delight, is that from year to year, the shape of the land and the surround formations changes with the weather patterns. The unique submarine geography that renders the region ideal for the formation of coral reefs and their associated ecosystems also provides many fascinations for divers. Rock outcroppings, secluded gullies, and twisting pathways between colonies of coral create a challenging and beautiful environment for any diver. However, all individuals should be able to identify fire coral and keep their distanceandmdash;it can cause a powerful case of contact dermatitis that could cut short a diver’s exploration.

Overall, Sand Key provides everything that divers of all experience levels could wish in an experience. With warmer waters than some of the more northerly Keys, and an abundance of natural beauty, it’s a perfect dive spot.