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NOAA's Heritage Success Stories
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Trail
The Shipwreck Trail Website provides a venue for visitors to learn the remarkable historic romantic tales of nine ships that sought to pass through the treacherous Straits of Florida. |
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, managed by NOAA and the State of Florida, is home to many historic shipwrecks. In an effort to highlight the area's rich maritime history and promote heritage tourism, the sanctuary developed a Shipwreck Trail. The trail includes nine carefully chosen, mapped, and interpreted wreck sites within the 3,800-square-mile sanctuary. Each of the nine sites was chosen based on its historic, biologic, and aesthetic value. All are identified with buoys and are easily accessible by private boat or dive charters.
In 2000, the sanctuary enhanced the public's access to the Shipwreck Trail through a special Web site. The site tells the story of each of the ships on the trail, discusses its condition, and highlights the marine life commonly observed on the wreck. The Web site also educates visitors about the threats facing the wrecks and tips for protecting them for others to visit, study, and enjoy.
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