Underwater Explorations at Biscayne National Park

01This week on our National Parks journey, we head to southern Florida.

02Here, you will find blue-green seas, marine wildlife, and islands that hold thousands of years of human history.

03Welcome to Biscayne National Park.

04Biscayne is not very far from the lights, noise, and excitement of downtown Miami, but it has a very different atmosphere from the big city.

05Biscayne National Park was established as a national monument in 1968.

06It became a national park in 1980.

07That year, its size also increased.

08The park now covers more than 70,000 hectares.

09It includes the northern part of the world-famous Florida Keys.

10Keys are low-lying islands or reefs.

11If you enjoy water, Biscayne is the park for you.

1295% of the park is water.

13Many kinds of animals live within the park.

14Some of them are threatened or endangered.

15You will find the huge, gentle West Indian manatee, the less gentle American crocodile, several kinds of sea turtles, and more than 500 species of fish.

16Four ecosystems come together here, which is what makes the park so diverse.

17The blending ecosystems create what is called edge communities.

18These edge communities support a huge array of wildlife.

19The underwater diversity is what attracts most people to Biscayne National Park.

20Many visitors come here to snorkel or scuba dive in Biscayne's clear and warm waters.

21Human history at Biscayne begins more than 10,000 years ago.

22Scientists say evidence of the area's earliest people is mostly underwater now, as water levels have risen over time.

23Within the last 3,000 years, people began to settle in the area.

24Scientists continue to learn about these people by examining the big hills of shells they left behind.

25The shells contain other waste, too, including early tools and housewares.

26As the population grew, it divided into separate cultures.

27The groups began making pottery and created trade networks.

28These Native Americans are called the Tequesta.

29The Tequesta depended on the rich food source of the sea to survive.

30They were not centered on farming, which requires huge amounts of time.

31So, the Tequesta had more time than other natives for art and religion.

32Very complex social structures developed as a result.

33European explorers began arriving in the area in the early 1500s.

34They brought with them diseases like smallpox and measles.

35Over time, these diseases killed huge numbers of Florida's natives.

36Early explorers arrived in the area on ships.

37The reefs and rough waters made it difficult for ship captains.

38Biscayne's waters contain more than 50 shipwrecks.

39Scuba divers today can explore six of them.

40Among them is the Earl King, which sank in 1891.

41It was built in 1865.

42Earl King was mostly used to transport goods, but it also carried wealthy passengers.

43In its first few years of service, it was used for trading between China and Australia.

44The ship hit Long Reef as it sailed to New Orleans from England in 1891.

45Its machinery and other parts were saved, but Earl King itself sank to the sea floor.

46Another shipwreck that scuba divers can explore is the Lugano.

47The British steamship sank in 1913.

48At the time of its sinking, it was the largest ship ever to wreck in the Florida Keys.

49It was traveling to Havana, Cuba, carrying goods and more than 100 passengers.

50Most of them were Spaniards immigrating to Cuba.

51High winds and heavy seas sent the ship far off course.

52A collision with Long Reef damaged the ship.

53Much of the cargo and all of the passengers were safely removed.

54The captain and crew remained aboard.

55Many people tried to remove the water from Lugano and repair it.

56But after several weeks, they abandoned their efforts.

57Today, the Lugano remains on Long Reef, almost 8 meters below water.

58Many visitors to Biscayne National Park choose to explore underwater.

59Guides lead snorkeling and scuba diving trips.

60These give visitors the chance to get up close to the park's underwater wildlife, as well as its shipwrecks.

61Visitors can also explore the park on a boat.

62Canoeing and kayaking are great ways to enjoy Biscayne's mangrove forests.

63Mangroves are little trees that grow in coastal waters.

64Many people take a kayak or canoe around the islands and lagoons.

65At Elliott Key, visitors can set up camp and sleep in the wild.

66At Boca Chita Key, visitors can explore a lighthouse.

67The lighthouse has become a symbol of Biscayne National Park.

68It was built in the 1930s by Mark Honeywell, one of the island's former owners.

69The deck at the top of the 20-meter-tall lighthouse provides beautiful views of the ocean and the nearby islands.

70The top of the lighthouse also offers views of Miami Beach's famous skyline.

71But visitors to Biscayne National Park probably are not there to see skyscrapers and city lights.

72The beauty in Biscayne is quiet waters, rustling mangroves, and, if you're lucky, a visit with a manatee.

73I'm Katie Weaver.

74And I'm Ashley Thompson.

75I'm Ashley Thompson.

76I'm Ashley Thompson.

77I'm Ashley Thompson.