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  • Nº44 # Date: 2009-07-08 - 01:20
  • # Max Depth: 7.9m Duration: 31mins
Diver's Notes

Looe Key is a coral reef located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It lies to the south of Big Pine Key. This reef is within a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA).

Part of Looe Key is designated as "Research Only," an area which protects some of the patch reefs landward of the main reef.

The reef is named after the HMS Looe, which ran into the reef and sank in 1744.

In August 1994, the R/V Columbus Iselin, a research vessel owned by the University of Miami, ran aground on Looe Key and damaged approximately 164 m2 of living coral and a larger area of reef framework. In 1997, the University paid $3.76 million in natural resource damage claims to NOAA. In 1999, a restoration project involving placement of limestone boulders, pouring of concrete, and reintroduction of benthic species was undertaken by NOAA and its subcontractors.[1]

Dive Profile
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  • Temp: Bottom 29°C
  • Dive type : Recreational
  • Water: Salt
Specific gear used
  • Weights: 5 kg
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  • Dive buddies: Rob Williams
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Dive Profile

Data provided by EOL.org

Species Identified

Glaucosoma hebraicum Richardson, 1845 (Westralian jewfish) Westralian jewfish live in shallow inshore waters and depths to over 200 m . They are present over hard, flat sea beds and in reefs, wrecks and underwater caverns and gutters. Adult fish move into shallower waters in th...
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Acanthurus coeruleus Bloch and Schneider, 1801 (Blue tang surgeonfish) Inhabits coral reefs, inshore grassy or rocky areas. Forms small groups . Mainly diurnal. Feeds entirely on algae . At Fernando de Noronha Archipelago in southwestern Atlantic, juveniles hold cleaning stations togeth...
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Scarus psittacus Forsskål, 1775 (Common parrotfish) Inhabit reef flats and lagoon and seaward reefs to at least 25 m depth . Found over corals . Benthopelagic . Initial-phase fish stage usually form small feeding schools . Graze on benthic algae . Secrete a mucus cocoon .
Sparisoma viride (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Dark green parrotfish) Inhabits coral reefs with clear water . Young may be found in seagrass beds and other heavily vegetated bottoms. Feeds mainly on soft algae, but has been observed to graze on live corals like, Montastraea annularis . Pr...
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Heteractis aurora (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833) (Beaded sea anemone)
Melongenidae (crown conchs)

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