Sand Key Lighthouse is the most popular Key West snorkeling spot, by far. And no wonder: the reef comes up to withing a foot of the surface, making the coral, fish, and everything else incredibly vibrant and easy to explore. Snorkeling Sand Key is extremely easy and fun, so everyone can get a taste of the coral reef system, no matter how much of a beginner he or she may be.
Most of the snorkel boats take their passengers out to Sand Key, which is right on the reef, about six miles out. The lighthouse was built in the 1800s and marks the reef where it becomes so shallow it’s even a danger for smaller boats to navigate. Living on the reef at Sand Key are barracuda, sting rays, sargeant majors, angel fish, snapper, grunts, the occasional moray eel hiding under the rocks, gentle nurse sharks sleeping in the sand, and thousands of small reef fish like blennies, wrasses, butterflyfish, and porkfish. Also cruising through you’ll see bar jacks, and if you’re lucky other types of jacks as well.
