Cottrell Key - A Part of the National Wildlife Refuge
Cottrell Key is one of three Outlying mangrove islands nine miles northwest of Key West within the National Wildlife Refuge. It is the northernmost of the group of keys known as Mule Keys.
It is named for Captain Jeremiah Cottrell, who was the captain of a lightship that was anchored at the key in the early 19th century.
No-motor buffer zones of 300 feet surround Cottrell Key and Big Mullet Key, with a 300-foot no-access buffer zone around the nearby Little Mullett Key to protect wildlife.
Cottrell Key is home to a variety of wading birds and mangrove terrapins.
Snorkeling in the shallows of the Out Islands offers a very different experience than the reef. The habitat here is filled with new growth coral, sea fans and sea sponges. You may observe diverse marine life including reef sharks, nurse sharks, stingrays, tarpon, parrotfish and butterflyfish. Visibility can be limited due to the shallow depths.
The POV video of Key West snorkeling was produced by SNORKELINGDIVES.COM in May 2014.