Author Topic: Sombrero Reef & Lighthouse-Fla. Marathon Key (pics intense) (Read 4652 times)

aquavista99 · « **on:** June 22, 2008, 00:42:55 »

My wife & I just returned from vacation in the Florida Keys. We visited Sombrero Reef and light house (Marathon Key) on Friday. Sombrero Reef is an extensive spur-and-groove reef system with a maximum depth of about 30 feet. The famous lighthouse was built before the Civil War.

aquavista99 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2008, 00:46:19 »

aquavista99 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2008, 00:49:05 »

aquavista99 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2008, 00:52:37 »

aquavista99 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2008, 00:58:51 »

aquavista99 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2008, 01:26:38 »

Joel · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2008, 08:33:54 »

Awesome pics Tim, I jealous. That is one of my favorite places to dive / snorkel when I'm down there

Surprised you didn't get any shots of Blue & queen angels, they are (or were) very plentiful there.

Joel

Slicktrax · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2008, 09:29:30 »

very cool. did you scuba or snorkel?

ohioreef · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2008, 10:09:26 »

Awesome pics!!!

Somebody needs to replace their flag!!

aquavista99 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2008, 10:41:01 »

Quote from: Slicktrax on June 22, 2008, 09:29:30

very cool. did you scuba or snorkel?

We snorkeled this trip which makes taking good pictures more difficult but my goal is to become a certified recreational scuba diver soon.

aquavista99 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2008, 11:10:59 »

Quote from: ohioreef on June 22, 2008, 10:09:26

Awesome pics!!!

Thanks! We purchased a new underwater camera before we left for the Keys and I am still learning how to take better wide-angle and close-up/macro photographs.

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #11 on:** June 22, 2008, 11:15:15 »

I'm jealous!!!

aquavista99 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 22, 2008, 11:44:23 »

Quote from: Joel on June 22, 2008, 08:33:54

Awesome pics Tim, I jealous. That is one of my favorite places to dive / snorkel when I'm down there

Surprised you didn't get any shots of Blue & queen angels, they are (or were) very plentiful there.

Joel

Joel, did you notice the sparking blue water around this reef? A major storm blew past the Lower Keys the day before our trip to Sombrero reef which provided divers with "picture perfect" sparkling blue water (see pic below) conditions around the reef....caused by the Gulf Stream.

We did see a few blue and queen angels but I could not get good pictures of them.

aquavista99 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 22, 2008, 12:08:51 »

Quote from: Reef'd Up on June 22, 2008, 11:15:15

I'm jealous!!!

We had a blast in the Keys. Fun, excitement and adventure above and below the water. We wanted to dive Looe Key on Thursday but the dive boats would not go out due to bad the weather conditions. However, we ended up discovering an awesome beach at Mile Marker 37 on Bahia Honda Key (attached a few pictures of the beach below).