Reef Protection Highlights Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival

BIG PINE KEY, Florida Keys — A one-of-a-kind undersea concert spotlighted reef protection Saturday while entertaining divers and snorkelers in Florida Keys waters — home to the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef.

The 39th annual Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival was held at Looe (pronounced Lou) Key Reef, an area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary south of Big Pine Key. The sanctuary protects the waters surrounding the entire Keys island chain.

Designed to encourage environmentally responsible diving and preservation of the Keys’ coral reef, the event was presented by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and staged by US1 Radio 104.1 FM.

Music broadcast by the radio station was piped underwater via speakers suspended beneath boats that were positioned above the reef. Several hundred divers and snorkelers listened to the “sub-sea soundtrack” as they explored Looe Key’s colorful realm of tropical fish, coral formations and other marine life.

The ocean-inspired playlist included the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine,” Jimmy Buffett’s “Fins” and the soundtracks from films “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Little Mermaid.”

Several mermaids — or at least divers dressed as the mythical lovelies — entertained attendees beneath the sea, dancing and pretending to play their own tunes on underwater instruments.

While the festival offered a unique experience, its primary purpose was to inform participants about eco-conscious diving practices and ways they can help protect the Keys’ reef ecosystem. The broadcast featured public service diver awareness messages about how to enjoy the reef responsibly while minimizing negative environmental impacts.