While we know we’re way behind on editing images and video from our 2013 expedition, we did get the rare opportunity to work on some. Here’s some video from one of our dives on the Flagler Barge artificial reef near Sombrero Key.
Tag: Sombrero Key
2013 Expedition Sneak Peak
The 2013 Expedition was easily our best yet and yielded hundreds of fantastic images and dozens of video clips! We’re busily processing them and beginning page layout for the book so we’ve been head down and nose to the grindstone, but we thought we’d take a quick break to share some of our favorites:
Another Video Teaser!
As we’ve mentioned previously, we can’t put video in the book, but that’s not stopping us from taking it on our expeditions! We’ll be making video available to our project supporters and also possibly offering a DVD for sale later. In the mean time, here’s another video teaser from one of our 2012 dives:
Teaser Video!
While we obviously aren’t going to be putting video in our book, we are collecting video on our expeditions and dives. We’ll be using this, at a minimum, to reward our project supporters and possibly even to create a salable DVD which would also be used to benefit our target charity Reef Relief! Here’s a short teaser of some of the video we captured on one of our 2012 dives.
Somrero Key and Reefs – 2012
Sombrero Key Florida, about 5 miles south of Vaca Key and the City of Marathon is home to an extensive array of spur and groove coral formations which extend seaward from the Key’s lighthouse. These are some of the most beautiful coral formations in the keys. Enjoy our gallery of images from our 2012 expedition here!
Sombrero Key and Reefs – 2009
Sombrero Key Florida, about 5 miles south of Vaca Key and the City of Marathon is home to an extensive array of spur and groove coral formations which extend seaward from the Key’s lighthouse. These are some of the most beautiful coral formations in the keys. Enjoy our gallery of images from our 2009 expedition here!
Sombrero Key Lighthouse
Here’s some fun facts about the area of the Underwater Sombrero book project!
The Sombrero Key Lighthouse is located on Sombrero Key about five miles south of Vaca Key, home to Marathon Florida. The name Sombrero Key goes back to the Spanish, and old charts show a small island at the spot, but by the later 19th Century the island had eroded away and all that remains is some parts of the reef exposed at low tide. As a result, the reef and the lighthouse have also been called Dry Banks.
The lighthouse was put in service in 1858, automated in 1960, and is still in operation. The foundation is iron pilings with disks, and the tower is a skeletal octagonal pyramid of cast iron. It is 142 feet tall and is painted brown. It has two platforms. The lower one, 15 feet above the water, held water and fuel tanks, the generator (after the light was electrified), boat hoists and a workshop. The upper platform, 40 feet above the water, held the quarters for the staff. The original lens, a first order Fresnel lens, is now on display in the Key West Lighthouse Museum. The Sombrero Key Light is the tallest lighthouse in the Florida Keys, and was the last lighthouse constructed under the supervision of Lieutenant George Meade of the Bureau of Topographical Engineers.
The reefs featured by the Underwater Sombrero book project are located to the south and east of the lighthouse.