Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival advocates coral reef protection

The Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival on Saturday offered hundreds of divers and snorkelers a chance to indulge in a unique experience, allowing them to listen to an underwater concert that promoted awareness of coral reef protection.

The event also brought eco-conscious diving under the spotlight. It took place at Looe Key Reef, an area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Established in 1990, the sanctuary is located around 10 km south of Big Pine Key. It includes an extensive mangrove forest and seagrass fields, in addition to being home to the Florida Reef, the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world and the only barrier coral reef in North America.

Dozens of participants listened to water-themed music broadcast by local radio station 104.1 FM, while swimming among colourful marine life and coral formations. Costumed characters, including ‘mermaids’, added unique visual elements to the auditory offering.

Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Fins’, The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’, and the theme from ‘The Little Mermaid’ were part of the oceanic playlist. Waterproof speakers suspended beneath boats above the reef piped the music undersea.

The four-hour musical event, staged by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and the local radio station, primarily aimed to encourage reef preservation. Diver awareness messages about ways to minimise impacts on the reefs were delivered, along with the music.