Sand Key Reef
Photo Monitoring Observations
June 18, 2001
This is the first in a series of coral reef observations that we will be presenting on line shortly after each dive takes place. We are currently diving in the Key West area and will be returning to sites that have been part of the Reef Relief Photo Monitoring Survey for the past eight years.
For background information go to the Coral Stress section on this web site in order to get a better understanding of the events that have taken place on this reef over the past eight years.
Sand Key 1993 --> aerial 1
Sand Key Reef is located approximately six miles south southwest of
Key West, Florida. This is one of the seven reefs in the Lower Keys
where Reef Relief installed reef mooring buoys fifteen years ago. The
buoys are now part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. In
the picture above, the dark shadows in the red outlined area are some
of the largest coral formations in the Keys that are in such close proximity
to a shallow reef crest.
Dive Mission:
This is not a routine monitoring dive. It is a mission to take slide images that will be be used for Craig Quirolo's 2001 State of The Reef Address to be presented at the Annual Membership meeting on Monday July 23 in in Key West. We will be diving in very familiar territory, in about 30 feet of water, looking at some of our old coral subjects and inspecting the overall health of the reef. Our course will include a pass by the shallow face of the reef to photograph new elkhorn coral growth that was observed there in April of this year.
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