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Key west beaches pictures1/18/2024 Recent visitors noted the clear waters, making it an ideal snorkeling spot, but travelers also warn that the sand is not soft and that beach shoes are needed to traverse the rocky terrain safely. There, you can sunbathe, hike, bike, fish and get a dose of history all in one place. A community member shared a story about snorkeling Higgs Beach saying that he thought it was the best shore snorkeling in the Keys.For the cleanest beach and best waters in Key West, you should head for the westernmost point of the island to Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. There are the remains of an old dock off the beach and this is where you will see the most life. This is a free access public beach and is inside the Key West Marine Park. TripAdvisor has some reviews of the snorkeling here. Being right on the tip of the island, currents are likely, so if you choose to go outside the breakwater be mindful. There is a manmade breakwater divided into numerous parts in front of this beach that can be a good place to spot some fish and other sea life. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beachįor a fee you can access this Key West snorkeling beach on the southwest tip of the island. Hey, if you are snorkel nut like us, you will love our free monthly snorkeling newsletter. Ask around before you head out about what the current conditions are. These beaches have intermittent issues with seaweed, smelly water, and you may notice signs about the health department testing the water for safety. Neither of them are smooth sandy beaches, but mixed rubble and sand, so water shoes are necessary. So, look for other “structures” that will provide a habitat for the creatures you want to see, like the remains of the dock at Higgs Beach and the breakwater at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach. Underwater just offshore along the south side of the island is primarily sea grass beds, and normally not very interesting snorkeling. If you are looking for free Key West snorkeling from beaches, there are a couple of options. Read our Dry Tortugas page for pictures, details and maps of the snorkeling there. The boat ride out is long, but the park itself is very interesting and the snorkeling is usually in good visibility with some fun sea life to see. It is a full day trip and there is some decent snorkeling at this unique location. Unlike the other boat tour options, you sign up specifically to go to Dry Tortugas. If you are only going to be in Key West and not venturing farther up the Keys, our most recommended Key West snorkeling boat tour is to the Dry Tortugas National Park, which is 70 miles west of Key West. Our Recommended Boat Trip: Dry Tortugas National Park Read more about this recommended option below.įor help in choosing a boat company to go snorkeling with, read TripAdvisor reviews of the tour companies. Or better yet, get on a boat tour to the Dry Tortugas National Park. But, if you can get your tour to Sand Key Lighthouse, that is the preferred reef to the others in terms of health. None of the reefs around Key West are known for great visibility. Cottrell Key is about the same distance away, but northwest in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. The first three locations are near each other out on the edge of the barrier reef about eight miles southwest of Key West. The common Key West snorkeling destinations of this type of tour are: Sand Key Lighthouse, Eastern Dry Rocks, Western Dry Rocks, and Cottrell Key. The companies keep that information to themselves so that they can go where the conditions are best on the day of the tour. Unfortunately as with many Key West snorkeling destinations that require a boat tour, you often will not know ahead of time which reef you will be visiting. There are a number of reefs that the boat tours visit around Key West.
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