BIG PINE KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hundreds of divers and snorkelers listened to an underwater concert in support of coral reef protection in the Florida Keys on Saturday.
The Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, which also featured environmentally responsible diving, was held on Looe Key Reef, an area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary about 10 kilometers south of Big Pine Key.
Established in 1990, the sanctuary protects 3,800 square miles (9,800 square kilometers) of water, including the barrier reef that runs parallel to the 125-mile (201-kilometer) island chain.
Participants swam among Looe Key’s colorful marine life and coral formations while listening to aquatic-themed music broadcast by a local radio station. The music was broadcast underwater via waterproof speakers suspended beneath boats over the reef.
The oceanic playlist included The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’, Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Fins’ and the theme from The Little Mermaid.
The tunes were punctuated with messages to raise awareness among divers about ways to minimize the environmental impact on the world’s coral reefs, whose rich biodiversity has led to their being referred to as the rainforests of the sea.
While the main aim of the festival was to promote reef protection, it also offered a unique underwater experience. “Mermaids” and other costumed characters added unique visual elements to the audio offering on a portion of the continental United States’ only living coral reef.
The four-hour musical event was hosted by local radio station 104.1 FM and the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce.
