Alligator Reef Light stands quietly in early light as it has since 1873 guarding the shallow reef where its namesake wrecked.
Alligator Reef Lighthouse marks the reef named for the 1822 wreck of the US Alligator, a naval vessel commissioned to suppress piracy. The tower is located about 4 miles off the coast of Indian Key and the town of Islamorada. The lighthouse was built in 1873 for a cost of $185, Some of the most powerful tropical storms have passed over the lighthouse with some winds reaching 200 mph. Even with all this fury the lighthouse survived the storms, due in most part to its skeletal design allowing winds to blow through. The structure rises 136 ft over the water and remains an active navigational aid owned and operated by the US Coast Guard. Coordinates: 24 51 06N 80 37 06W
Size: 4206px × 2876px
Location: Alligator Reef, 4 miles off Islamorada, Florida Keys,Atlantic Ocean
Photo credit: © Judy Lovell-Janthina Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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