Why the Islands in South Florida are called Keys

Have you been to South Florida?

I visited this beautiful part of Florida known for its sand and sun.

  However, I found much more than the beach.

From Palm Beach’s performing arts culture to Miami’s international food scene, this balmy destination offered a culture vulture more than I could ever imagine.

When I landed, the first question I asked my host was, why the islands in South Florida are called Keys?

  I was tutored

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The Florida Keys are known as an archipelago that juts off from the southern tip of the Florida peninsula and moved southwest.

Then, an archipelago comprises islands that come in different sizes and marked the border between the Gulf coasts and Florida’s Atlantic.

It would interest you to know that all keys are islands; however, not all islands can be called keys.

  To make it easier for you to understand, a key is a unique island made from built-up coral deposits.

 As a result, they appear quite different from other islands.

I can say that keys come from biological activities from corals, while other islands come from geological origins.

Many people might want to know what am I talking about?

  What makes keys different from islands?

Does being built from coral make the islands stronger or weaker than a volcanic island or barrier island?

In this article, you

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Also, you will understand why keys are an important part of the region.

If you want to scuba dive, you might consider trying it in the teeming reefs that protect the keys.

Florida Keys – Why Not Islands?

Coming to Florida offers you a number of islands you might want to visit.

Some of these islands include Gasparilla Island, Merritt Island, and Anna Maria Island,

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You might get caught in between the line of keys and islands.

Sometimes, everything gets messy because you might not know the difference between the keys and islands.

  However, the technical difference between an island and a key is in their origin.

Just like I explained, islands come from hydrological or geological activities, and they are created from rocks and earthen materials.

Furthermore, keys come from the activity of living corals as they build a reef.

Therefore, National Geographic states that a key is a “small, low-lying coral island.

Why Are There No Waves in the Florida Keys?

I know you might want to ask this question.

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The reef protects the archipelago from the heavy waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

As a result, when the waves

tranquil and relatively calm.

  The separation ensures that the Keys become great for your fishing, boating, sailing diving, and other water activities.

Hence, you can have water adventures that you might not try on the heavy seas.

  It might interest you that the barrier reef off the coast of Florida extends from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas.

The barrier reef keeps the

safe from heavy surf causing flooding or erosion.

In addition, the reef is a sanctuary that houses incredible marine life and has become a haven for scuba divers.

Are you wondering why the reef is a great spot for diving?

  First, the reef is teeming with great marine life, which fascinates divers in the undersea world.

Second, the natural coral formations and the numerous shipwrecks make it fun and exciting to dive into a reef.

Today, the shipwrecks have become a part of the sea and create another interesting aspect of the reef.

While some of these shipwrecks happened accidentally, others were sunk to create artificial reefs.

Before you jump inside the coral reef, you should know that they are protected and you are not allowed to touch the bottom of the seabed or the corals.

Meanwhile, you can find this place stunning even with the limitations placed.

Did I tell you that you can find a variety of creatures like tarpon, rock lobsters, cobia, octopus, and even sea turtles?

The Key Point: Biology, not Geology

I want you to know that the Florida Keys are among the most beautiful islands in the world.

  Some of the treasures you can find include local culture, great

for your getaway bucket list.

While tourists have the best of their time in the keys, don’t forget that islands and keys have their difference.

As a result, their differences lie in their origins.

While the island comes from rocks, keys come from coral activities.

So a key comes from a biological origin, which an island lacks.

  The uniqueness of the key makes them engaging and vibrant.

Finally, whenever you come to Florida South, you can head to any of the keys and islands to learn about their formation.

FAQ

Why is it called a key instead of island?

The difference between a key and an island lies in their origin.

Keys are formed from the activities of living corals as they build a reef, while islands come from some form of geological or hydrological activity.

As a result, islands are formed by rocks and earthen materials.

What does key mean in islands?

A key can be defined as a small, low-lying coral island.

In other words, keys can be said to the remnants of ancient coral reefs.

You can find many keys ringed by healthy reef ecosystems.

 Over time, the top of a coral reef becomes exposed to the surface.

Why the islands in South Florida are called Keys

The Calusa and Tequesta tribes originally inhabited the keys and were charted by Juan Ponce de León in 1513.

De León named the islands Los Martires (“The Martyrs”), as they looked like suffering men from a distance. “Key” is derived from the Spanish word cayo, which means small island