southern diver/skin diver

ISLAMORADA:

PRETTY IN PURPLE

Early Spanish explorers are said to have named the small islands of this area islas moradas ("purple islands"), thanks to the profusion of violet sea snails found in the area. Divers can still find these sea snails and lots of other colorful marine life on the reefs and wrecks off Islamorada.

Diving and life here are both a bit quieter than that found just north in Key Largo or in other parts of the Keys. "We'll head out with as few as two divers, which is really unusual for the Keys or anywhere else in the world" says Gloria Teague of Lady Cyana Divers.

Though Islamorada operators often head to a few of the better southern sites visited by Key Largo dive shops (Molasses Reef, the Duane, and the Bibb) , the wrecks and reefs right off their own shores can also keep visiting divers busy for weeks. One unusual fact about Islamorada diving is that, along with several outstanding wrecks, the reef system features shallow, normal, and deeper reef diving. Divers will be purple with envy at the variety of Islamorada's underwater options.

Back in 1985, the Eagle was the first ship deliberately sunk off the Upper Keys as an artificial reef site. This 287-foot freighter is now alive with fish and coral growth, making it one of the best Upper Keys wreck dives and placing Islamorada on the map as a great Keys diving base. A huge resident jewfish, a rare batfish, and big tarpon are the norm here.

Pickles Reef, Conch Reef, and Davis Reef (with a playful moray eel) provide typical Islamorada reef diving, featuring large purple sea fans, as well as lots of queen conchs and pillar coral. The remains of the three 1733 Spanish wrecks, the El Infante, the San Pedro, and the Alligator, are also popular. The large piles of ballast boulders and some timber planking are pretty much all that remain, but all three wrecks have had centuries to fill with coral and fish. This area off Islamorada is often referred to as the San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve.

Other highlights of Islamorada diving include: Crocker Reef and Crocker Valley (some sharp vertical walls); Hammerhead Reef (a favorite among regulars); the Aquarium and Fish Bowl (both filled with fish); and Hens & Chickens (huge and busy coral heads). You'll definitely learn to love the color purple here.

Topside, be sure to stop by the Hurricane Memorial, a roadside monument made of local limestone that marks the mass grave of more than 400 people killed in the massive 1935 Labor Day hurricane (still the record for highest sustained winds and tides). It's a somber reminder of the power of Mother Nature.

Divers and landlubbers alike will all love Islamorada's Theater of the Sea. Founded in 1945 in an old railroad quarry, the Theater of the Sea is the second oldest marine park in the nation (behind St. Augustine's Marineland). With two large lagoons, several smaller open-air pools, specific marine shows, and boat tours, the park is not flashy like many theme parks in Florida. Quite simply, it's interestingly educational and enjoyable, making you want to experience more of Islamorada underwater.

Offshore, when you're not on a diving excursion, two islands make for unique outings. Lignumvitae Key State Botanical Site is a plant-packed 280-acre Florida Bay island with a virgin forest that features lignumvitae, gumbo limbo, strangler fig, and other tropical hammock fauna. The small coral rock Matheson House was once the base for the wealthy yachting set from the Miami area. Also reached only by boat, Indian Key State Historic Site is an abandoned 11-acre island that once housed a small village until it was attacked and burned by Seminole Indians in 1840 (you can still walk the dirt streets and see the remains of buildings).

Thus, as with the other parts of the Florida Keys, Islamorada offers many unique reasons to visit. From the varying reefs and wrecks to topside attractions, it's pretty in purple and any other color.

For further information, contact the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 915 (MM 82.5), Islamorada, FL 33036, (305) 664-4503, or the Florida Keys & Key West Visitors Bureau at P.O. Box 1147, Key West, FL 33041, (800) FLA KEYS or (305) 296-1552.