Unlock the Door to a Great Dive
Vacation
The Keys Await You
Want that dream vacation but think you can’t afford it?
You can still have that tropical island dive vacation you
had hoped for without breaking the bank. Just hop in your
car and take a road trip to the Florida Keys - one of the
world’s most popular dive destinations.
The Florida Keys island chain is made up of 1,600
mangrove-fringed islands. Just offshore is the third largest
barrier reef on the planet, stretching from St. Lucie Inlet
past Key West. Offering coral reefs, shipwrecks and clear
water, the Florida Keys are a dive destination with plenty
to offer novice and expert divers.
Reefs are alive, constructed by colonies of tiny coral
polyps, relatives of anemones and jellyfish. The coral
reef ecosystem of the Florida Keys supports more than
6,000 species of marine plants, fishes and
invertebrates. Diver favorites such as dolphins,
barracuda, moray eels, angelfish and manta rays can all
be found here. Coral reefs are inhabited by a quarter of
all marine fish species worldwide and Florida’s reefs
are home to a third of all endangered species in the
state.
Popular underwater attractions include the Spiegel Grove, the
largest ship to be intentionally sunk as an artificial reef; Jules
Undersea Lodge, the world's first underwater hotel; the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration's Aquarius, the world's only underwater
research station; "Christ of the Abyss", an underwater statue of Jesus Christ;
and the "Stargazer" reef sculpture, a tribute to ancient mariners.
In 1990, Congress dedicated the waters surrounding the Florida Keys as a
National Marine Sanctuary to protect these valuable resources for future
generations. Covering 2900 square nautical miles, the promotes long-term
resource protection while balancing recreational and commercial uses in
the area.
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