BIG PINE KEY, Fla. — Nearly 500 divers and snorkelers
submerged in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary on Saturday
for a "concert" beneath the sea broadcast by a local radio
station.
The 30th annual Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, held at Looe
Key Reef along the continental United States' only living coral
barrier reef, featured four hours of commercial-free music piped
below the surface via a series of underwater speakers.
"We started this as an arts and cultural event 30 years ago (and)
thought it would be a one-time thing," said event co-founder and
coordinator Bill Becker. "It's the only place we know of where
music is put underwater for divers, snorkelers and the marine
life."
The water-themed playlist included such tunes as the Beatles'
"Octopus's Garden" and the themes from Disney's "The Little
Mermaid" and television's classic "Flipper." Participants described
the music as clear and ethereal, with underwater visibility of
about 50 feet.
Snorkeler Uli Clef from Munich, Germany, said he was particularly
impressed with the vivid colors and tropical fish he saw
underwater.
"I've seen colors from red to blue to white, and even the shades of
the sun coming from the water line," Clef said when he surfaced.
"All these colorful fishes — that's perfect."
Some divers were costumed and pretended to play quirky metal
instruments sculpted by Florida Keys artist August Powers. As well
as offering an unusual experience for dive and snorkel enthusiasts,
the broadcast included diver awareness announcements promoting
coral reef protection.
"We try to get divers to be aware of their impact on the coral reef
so that they lessen that impact and this reef can be here for
generations to come," said Becker.
The event was staged by radio station WWUS in partnership with the
Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce.
