Key West Reef Report 2

The winter months in Key West see a strange mixture of perfect balmy days and chilly windy days. Key West snorkeling and diving trips try to go out to the reefs every day, provided the visibility is good and the winds are not too strong. There will be some days in February and in the beginning of March where the water temperature dips below it's usual over-70 mark and hit the mid 60's. For people coming from the Northern areas of the United States, where the ocean waters are icy cold throughout the year, water temperature at 65 degrees is no big deal.

For snorkelers and divers coming from warmer places like Florida, they may get turned off by water temperature in the 60's. But for this week's reef report, we will say and report that the water might seem cold at first, but with the non-stop Key West sun shining on you, your body will get accustomed to the water rather quickly. 

The best thing to do when doing a Key West diving trip or a snorkeling trip on a day when the water temperature is slightly below normal is to bring a lot of towels. The most difficult part of snorkeling, diving or swimming in chillier tropical waters is the actual getting out of the water. Upon entering the water, your body will accustom itself to the surrounding water temperature and within ten minutes, you will feel comfortable swimming through the water. When getting out, you will want to have thick warm towels ready to wrap yourself up in. Your body would have accustomed itself to the temperature in the water, so getting out and placing your body in the temperature outside of the water will feel like a shock at first. Sit in the sun and let the sun's rays warm you up as you wrap yourself in your towels.