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HOW TO DIVE IT
Getting There
Big Pine Key is 26 miles north
from Key West International Airport
and 20 miles south of Florida Keys
Marathon Airport. Shuttle buses,
taxis and car rentals are available
at both airports. As is typical
throughout the Florida Keys, most
air arrivals connect through Miami
International (MIA) 133 miles to
the north. Flying into Miami allows
diving in other Keys spots along the way southward. If you have the time, they have the
dive diversity. Dive operators leave for Looe Key from Big Pine and Ramrod keys.
Conditions
Diving is year-round, though the summer features calmer seas, warmer water and better
visibility. The Keys have a subtropical weather bias — very warm in the summer and mild
in the winter. Air temperatures range from 75°F to 80°F in winter and 85°F to 90°F in
summer. Water temperatures range from a low of 72°F in winter to 85°F in summer.
Topside
The Lower Keys are home to the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex, which
encompass 410,000 acres of protected land and water. The complex comprises four
refuges: Key West National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Great White Heron NWR, Crocodile
Lake NWR and National Key Deer Refuge.
The National Key Deer Refuge is the only habitat of Key deer. This is the smallest
subspecies of the North American white-tailed deer and is federally listed as
endangered. Most easily spotted on Big Pine Key at dawn or dusk, these animals are
highly protected to ensure their survival in their natural habitat. Once almost extinct,
they now number close to 1,000. Speed limits are aggressively enforced in Big Pine Key,
specifically to protect Key deer from being killed by cars.
Bahia Honda State Park, often appearing on lists of the top-10 beaches in the U.S., is
12 miles south of Marathon. The 524-acre park offers boating, camping, kayaking, fishing
and snorkeling trips to Looe Key. The sun setting behind the pilings of the abandoned Bahia
Honda Rail Bridge, a remnant of Henry Flagler’s “Railroad that Went to Sea” (the Florida East
Coast Railway Key West Extension), is a treasured and iconic Keys visual.
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A few days later we dived with
one of the local dive operators.
Unfortunately, the beautiful
conditions we’d experienced earlier
had deteriorated, and visibility was
only 30-40 feet. The dives were
still enjoyable, and we explored
beyond the tips of the coral fingers
in the flat sandy areas thick with
giant barrel sponges and were
fortunate to witness the wondrous
display of spawning sponges. This
spawning may have contributed to
the diminished water clarity, but
it was inspirational to observe the
fecundity of the sea. Our return
to shore was a special treat, as we
enjoyed a close encounter with a
large pod of bottlenose dolphins
joyously surfing our stern wake.
Visitors to the Florida Keys should
not miss Looe Key. A scenic hour-
and-a-half-long drive south from
Key Largo or a half-hour drive north
from Key West will bring you to this
Lower Keys paradise where there are
dives appropriate for all skill levels.
The shallow reefs and bright white
sands provide wonderful lighting for
underwater photography, and the
lovely corals and plentiful marine
life will beguile divers and snorkelers
alike. It’s almost certain you’ll
be welcomed by one of the large
resident goliath groupers, a success
story in marine conservation. AD