Key Largo
The long key, home of America's first undersea park.
- Population
- 12,447 (2020 census)
- Name
- Cayo Largo, “long key”
- Pennekamp park
- Opened 1963
- Tides
- Two highs, two lows a day
Then
- 1960
President Eisenhower proclaims the Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve offshore.
- 1963
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park opens, the first undersea park in the United States, named for the Miami Herald editor who fought to protect the reef.
- 1965
The bronze Christ of the Abyss statue is placed in about 25 feet of water near North Dry Rocks.
- 2004
More than a million people visit Pennekamp, the most of any Florida state park that year.
Now
Pennekamp reaches three miles into the Atlantic, with glass-bottom boats, snorkeling and diving. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary lies beside it.
On the water
From NOAA's predictions for Rock Harbor, Key Largo, FL over the next 365 days. Heights are in feet above mean lower low water (MLLW).
- Pattern
- Two highs and two lows a day, close in size
- Typical daily range
- 2.3 ft
- Biggest swing
- 3.5 ft on Jan 23
- Smallest swing
- 1.1 ft on Oct 18
- Highest high
- 3.2 ft, Sep 30 at 9:43 AM
- Lowest low
- −0.9 ft, Jan 23 at 2:58 AM