ALLIGATOR LIGHTHOUSE

A favorite snorkeling site for both novice and experienced snorkelers is Alligator Lighthouse located about 3.5 miles offshore on the outer reef. It is about 4 miles from the Gulf Stream which keeps the water clear and warm. Depths around the lighthouse range from 3 to 8 feet. The lighthouse was completed in 1873. It is 136 feet tall and stands on of 8 steel legs with a central column. *

A shallow bank barrier reef runs in a northwesterly direction about 20 feet from the seaward side of the Lighthouse. The bank is covered with small hard corals and numerous flexible (soft) corals such as purple sea fans, sea whips, and sea plumes which wave back and forth with the ocean swells. 

If you snorkel right up to the steel girders of the lighthouse, you will see numerous schools of fish of various sizes. Tiny silver fish that form a cloud so dense that you think you would be unable to swim through them. However, the school parts when you do and closes up behind you. Schools of snapper hover under the lighthouse, and numerous blue tang and huge parrot fish pick algae off the girders. Numerous barracuda cruise around the lighthouse in search of fish. They are no threat to snorkelers since they have plenty of fish to eat.

Colorful tropical fish live among the corals of the bank reef and on the ballast stone pile of the famous USN Alligator which lies about 500 yards in a southeasterly direction from the lighthouse. Schools of yellow tail snapper hover and jewel fish dance about the ballast stones, while a harmless nurse shark, a green moray eel, and lobster hide in a crevice that divides the pile.

The Upper Keys Historical Society left a marble plaque to honor the brave men of the USN Alligator who played an important role in establishing the Republic of Liberia and in ridding the Keys of pirates. The story of the Alligator may be found at www.keyshistory.org/USS-Alligator.html, written by Jerry Wilkinson of the Upper Keys Historical Society.

More photos of Alligator Lighthouse may be found in the Easy Adventures Photo Gallery.  A 360 degree view of the bank barrier reef at Alligator can be seen at this link http://360floridakeys.com/dive-locations/mm80-alligator/

*For more information about the Lighthouse consult these links:
• http://www.floridalighthouses.org/ReefLights/AlligatorReef.htm
• http://users.erols.com/lthouse/arhs.htm
• http://users.erols.com/lthouse/artr.htm
• http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=702