Underwater Exploration at Biscayne National Park

This week on our national parks journey, we head to southern Florida.

Here, you will find blue-green seas, marine wildlife, and islands that hold thousands of years of human history.

Welcome to Biscayne National Park!

Biscayne is not very far from the lights, noise and excitement of downtown Miami. But it has a very different atmosphere from the big city.

Biscayne National Park was established as a national monument in 1968. It became a national park in 1980. That year, its size also increased.

The park now covers more than 70,000 hectares. It includes the northern part of the world-famous Florida Keys. Keys are low-lying islands or reefs.

If you enjoy water, Biscayne is the park for you. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. Many kinds of animals live in these waters. Some of them are threatened or endangered.

You will find the huge, gentle West Indian manatee, the less gentle American crocodile, several kinds of sea turtles, and more than 500 species of fish.

Four ecosystems come together here, which is what makes the park so diverse. The blending ecosystems create “edge communities.” These edge communities support a huge array of wildlife.

The underwater diversity is what attracts most people to Biscayne National Park. Many visitors come here to snorkel or scuba dive in Biscayne’s clear and warm waters.

Human history

Human history at Biscyane begins more than 10,000 years ago.

Scientists say evidence of the area’s earliest people is mostly underwater now, as water levels have risen over time.

Within the last 3,000 years, people began to settle in the area. Scientists continue to learn about these people by examining the big hills of shells they left behind. The shells contain other waste, too, including early tools and housewares.

As the population grew, it divided into separate cultures. The groups began making pottery and created trade networks. These Native Americans are called the Tequesta.

The Tequesta depended on the rich food source of the sea to survive. They were not centered on farming, which requires huge amounts of time. So the Tequesta had more time than other natives for art and religion. Very complex social structures developed as a result.

European explorers began arriving in the area in the early 1500s. They brought with them diseases like smallpox and measles. Over time, these diseases killed huge numbers of Florida’s natives.

Early explorers arrived in the area on ships. The reefs and rough waters made it difficult for ship captains. Biscayne’s waters contain more than 50 shipwrecks. Scuba divers today can explore six of them.

Among them is the Erl King, which sank in 1891. It was built in 1865.

Erl King was mostly used to transport goods, but it also carried rich passengers. In its first few years of service, it was used for trading between China and Australia. The ship hit Long Reef as it sailed to New Orleans from England. Its machinery and other parts were saved, but Erl King itself sank to the sea floor.

Another shipwreck that scuba divers can explore is the Lugano. The British steamship sank in 1913. At the time of its sinking, it was the largest ship ever to wreck in the Florida Keys. It was traveling to Havana, Cuba, carrying goods and more than 100 passengers. Most of them were Spaniards immigrating to Cuba.

High winds and heavy seas sent the ship far off course. A collision with Long Reef damaged the ship. Much of the cargo and all of the passengers were safely removed from the ship. The captain and crew remained aboard.

Many people tried to remove the water from Lugano and repair it. But, after several weeks, they abandoned their efforts.

Today, the Lugano remains along Long Reef, almost 8 meters below water.

Exploring the park

Many visitors to Biscayne National Park choose to explore underwater.

Guides lead snorkeling and scuba diving trips. These give visitors the chance to get up close to the park’s underwater wildlife as well as its shipwrecks.

Visitors can also explore the park on a boat.

Canoeing and kayaking are great ways to enjoy Biscayne’s mangrove forests. Mangroves are little trees that grow in coastal waters.

Many people take a kayak or canoe around the islands and lagoons.

At Elliot Key, visitors can set up camp and sleep in the wild.

At Boca Chita Key, visitors can explore a lighthouse. The lighthouse has become a symbol of Biscayne National Park. It was built in the 1930s by Mark Honeywell, one of the island’s former owners.

The deck at the top of the 20-meter-tall lighthouse provides beautiful views of the ocean and the nearby islands.

The top of the lighthouse also offers views of Miami Beach’s famous skyline.

But, visitors to Biscayne National Park probably are not there to see skyscrapers and city lights. The beauty in Biscayne is quiet waters, rustling mangroves and, if you’re lucky, a visit with a manatee.

I'm Caty Weaver.

And I'm Ashley Thompson.

Ashley Thompson wrote this report with materials from the National Park Service. Caty Weaver was the editor.