Looe Key Divers
The best reef in the US!
Looe Key
The Looe Key Reef area contains some of the most beautiful and heavily visited reefs in the continental United States.Looe Key reef was named for a British 44 Gun Frigate the H.M.S. Looe, which wrecked in this vicinity in 1744. It is part of the Florida Reef Tract, the third largest barrier reef system in the world. In 1981, Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary was Congressionally designated. This sanctuary was formally incorporated into the larger Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in July 1997.
Looking at Looe Key from the South. The Keys are to the north at the top
of the photo.
Tips when visiting Looe Key Reef
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<10 knot winds are preferred but the reef is nice up to 15. Over 15 knots you should visit the mooring balls on the back side (north).
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Never cross the reef in a boat! When approaching from land go to the East end where there is a stationary red marker. Go around the marker to the east, head south 50 yards, go west along the reef to chose your mooring ball then idle south slowly to your ball.
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There are often many divers and snorkelers in the water, not to mention turtles, huge groupers and sharks. GO SLOW and have a lookout on the bow.
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Tie off to a mooring ball, do not anchor. If you are snorkeling, select an inshore (northern) ball where the water is shallower.
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You may not fish, spear or collect at Looe Key. You may see sharks, mostly reef or nurse sharks however very rarely we have seen bull, lemon, tiger and hammerheads here. The water is so clear, and the food so plentiful that there is little to no risk. When you see a shark on Looe Key, they avoid you, you are not their prey.
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Our water is always warm (today 1/9/13 it was 72 and in the summer it is over 80) and there is rarely a current. Always snorkel or dive up current, if there is one, so if you are tired you return to your boat with the current.
We have been to Looe Key so many times, we ended up in someone else's photo on Google Earth!
We've been to Looe Key a few times...
With each of us having over 1000 recreational dives on Looe Key, and many more professional dives, we have more experience on the reef than almost anyone in the area.
Looe Key Divers is committed to sharing our experiences on this wonderful reef.
One thing that has struck us is that almost all of the people we have the pleasure of taking to the reef, including world travelers, have said Looe Key is their favorite, or in their top 3 favorite dives world wide.
All of the photos here, except aerials, were taken by Rich or Marcie Werner.