Alligator Reef
Encyclopedia
Alligator Reef is a coral reef
located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
. It lies to the southeast of Upper Matecumbe Key
. This reef lies within a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA).
It was named after the United States Navy
schooner
USS Alligator
, which was wrecked on the reef after an engagement with pirate ships
in 1822. The Alligator Reef Light
stands on the reef.
Approximate coordinates: 24°50′50"N 080°37′11"W
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary in the Florida Keys. It includes the Florida Reef, the only barrier coral reef in North America and the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world. It also has extensive mangrove forest and seagrass fields...
. It lies to the southeast of Upper Matecumbe Key
Upper Matecumbe Key
Upper Matecumbe Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys.U.S. 1 crosses the key at approximately mile markers 79—83.5, between Windley Key and Lower Matecumbe Key....
. This reef lies within a Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA).
It was named after the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
USS Alligator
USS Alligator (1820)
The third USS Alligator was a schooner in the United States Navy. On 6 June 1996, the site of its wreck was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places....
, which was wrecked on the reef after an engagement with pirate ships
Action of 9 November 1822
The Action of 9 November 1822 was a naval battle fought between the American schooner and a squadron of three piratical schooners off the coast of Cuba during the United States Navy's West Indies Anti-Piracy Operation. Fifteen leagues from Matanzas, Cuba, a large band of pirates captured several...
in 1822. The Alligator Reef Light
Alligator Reef Light
Alligator Reef Light is located four nautical miles east of Indian Key, near the Matecumbe Keys of Florida in the United States, north of Alligator Reef itself. The station was established in 1873. It was automated in 1963 and is still operational. The structure is an iron-pile skeleton with a...
stands on the reef.
Approximate coordinates: 24°50′50"N 080°37′11"W
External links
- Barbara H. Lidz, Christopher D. Reich, and Eugene A. Shinn. Systematic Mapping of Bedrock and Habitats along the Florida Reef Tract—Central Key Largo to Halfmoon Shoal (Gulf of Mexico). USGS Professional Paper 1751 Tile 2, Davis and Alligator Reefs
- Benthic Habitat Map