South Beach Underwater Bar Celebrates 7th Anniversary

 Twenty-one days to go…

When you’re ready to dive in the deep blue sea,
’cause you want to see fish, well it just might be
a sandy bottom is all you’ll find
’cause the fish need a home, it’s the bottom line.

That’s the first stanza of my first song about an artificial reef. I’ll treat you to more, later.

While it has a ‘country-feel’, the song is can be sung in a variety of styles.

I called it ‘Rapture of the Reef,’ because, at that time, I was ’rapping’ about about Miami-Dade County’s artificial reef program, which ‘began in 1981, with the sinking of the tugboat Orion.’ I didn’t make it as a rapper, but I am stilling talking about putting ‘art in an artificial reef.’

Over the years, a variety of material has been used to provide habitat for homeless fish, with differing degrees of success. Nearly all manmade material provides adequate marine habitat, except, of course, for the million, or so, automobile tires used in the mid-80s along Fort Lauderdale’s coastline.

As the 7th anniversary of the world’s only underwater margarita bar draws near – 5 May 2007 – I thought I’d mention a few of my favorite artificial reefs.

As we go along, I will tell you about a new idea to build an underwater art gallery in the shallow water just east of South Beach. A British artist/diver by the name of Jason Taylor is finishing up a gallery in the water near Grenada. Other artists who have their head in the water are Kim Brandell, Simon Morris and, Cayman Brac’s Foote. If you know of other artists putting ‘art’ in an artificial reef, please let me know.  

The most useless artificial reef was a jet - a Boeing 727 sunk in 70′ of water near Key Biscanye, Florida. Aside from some classroom projects, the fuselage was empty, resembling a tunnel with windows. The fish had no place to hide. Divers had little to look at, other than the cockpit.

However, if you consider international media coverage of value, the ‘Spirit of Miami’ drew more attention to Miami’s underwater theme park than any other artificial reef to date. The plane was a destination for recreational divers, until a wicked little storm ripped the wings from the fuselage and broke it in two.

The South Pointe Water Tower is an artificial reef with a story. As is the Miami Beach Wreck Trek, which includes the ‘ultimate two tank dive.’ Yes, there are two army tanks in fifty feet of water.

Get ready for Sinko De Mayo. Remember Liquid Lounge and our slogan: Don’t drink and dive, don’t stay too long; don’t mess with the fish, or they’ll soon be gone.