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Sand Key

Sand Key

Sand Key is a great place for relaxing and enjoying calm waters. It is well known as a first-class site for snorkeling but also has good diving on the ocean side. For beginners, it is best to stick to the northwest portion of the key. Sand Key is easy to find and is seven miles southwest of Key West. The key is a sand-spit of an island and is marked by a 110-foot light tower. Note that when diving or visiting this site, no anchoring is allowed so boats should tie to a mooring buoy (there are 24 on this site).

A unique and interesting feature of this island was recorded by the Spanish early on and remains true; the island changes with the weather patterns. This means that each dive at this location is different from the next. There is also an incredible view of Key West if one desires to climb the nearby light tower. This key gets its beauty from the crushed coral and small shells that make the sand.

There are ledges that drop from 45 to 70 feet. The are lies within a .5 square nautical mile Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA) which is defined by orange floats. There is a reef around the island which has several rock fingers and gullies and is home to grouper, barracuda, and loggerhead turtles. Elkhorn and fire coral are also abundant. Divers should be forewarned about the potential harm that may come from contact with fire corals.

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