Alt Text Map of Biscayne National Park in Florida. The park area, enclosed in a green rectangular shape with the top left corner removed, includes a sliver of coastline and the islands between Key Biscayne and Key Largo. Park areas are shown as green within the blue water, and surrounding land is beige. Extended Description The main western park boundary runs approximately from the city of Cutler Ridge south to Key Largo. The north-central boundary aligns with the Intracoastal Waterway. The northernmost boundary passes just beneath the southern tip of Key Biscayne, and the eastern boundary is just beyond, from north to south, Brewster Reef, Star Reef, Long Reef, and Ajax Reef. Scores of channel markers, coordinates, aids and landmarks, spoil areas, and reefs are labeled throughout the park area and surrounding coastline. Red text at the top of the map reads, “Do not use this map for navigation. Zones and regulations are subject to change. For safe boating, National Ocean Survey charts are indispensable. Use chart 11451 (purchase at visitor center) or charts 11462, 11463, and 11465.” This description will focus on the park areas and bodies of water, starting from north to south on the mainland and then down the keys from north to south. It will note some of the surrounding features, followed by a transcription of the legend. Mainland Near Old Cutler Road, between SW 168th Street and SW 184th Street, sits the mainland’s western park boundary along Biscayne Bay. Parallel to this, a yellow line within the water follows the coastline, and text near it reads “Slow Speed Zone within 1000 feet of shoreline.” The first major site is Black Point Park (operated by Miami-Dade County), which is found near the intersection of SW 87th Avenue and Coconut Palm Drive (SW 248th Street). The park has a boat launch, marina, gas dock, restrooms, picnic area, and restaurant. Farther south is the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, located on Convoy Point at the eastern end of SW 328th Street. Text near this street reads “To Homestead and U.S. Highway 1.” This site has the park headquarters, a ranger station, restrooms, picnic area, and self-guiding trail. Just south of the visitor center is Homestead Bayfront Park and Herbert Hoover Marina (Miami-Dade County), which has a boat launch, marina, gas dock, restrooms, picnic area, and restaurant. The boundary skirts around Turkey Point and the power plant there, then continues back on land down the coast to Mangrove Point. Nearby islands include Long Arsenicker and East Arsenicker, Mangrove Key, West Arsenicker, and Arsenicker Key, which are all closed areas. Keys Now back in the north to explore the islands, the bottom tip of Key Biscayne dips into the map. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park there has restrooms and a picnic area. Below this, a long stretch of shoal or spoil area is shown as pale pink streaks, with Soldier Key, a closed area, situated about two-thirds of the way down the expanse of shoals. East of Soldier Key and close to the eastern park boundary are Fowey Rocks, the Arratoon Apcar wreck, and Brewster Reef. Lining up approximately with Black Point Park on the mainland are Ragged Keys, which are private land; and Boca Chita Key, which has restrooms, a picnic area, self-guiding trail, and primitive campground. A non-combustion engine use zone sits within another collection of shoals or spoint areas along the Intracoastal Waterway just west of Boca Chita Key. Below Boca Chita is Sands Key, which has a popular anchorage, followed by the long Elliott Key. On the island’s northwestern shore, a popular anchorage sits at University Dock, within an Idle-speed, no-wake zone designated from Sands Key to Elliot Key Harbor. A hiking trail runs the length of Elliott Key, and near the harbor is a primitive campground, restrooms, picnic area, and self-guiding trail. East of the key from here to the bottom park boundary are scores of coral reefs near the water surface, as well as several historic wreck sites: the Lugano, Mandalay, Erl King, Alicia, and a 19th-century wooden sailing vessel wreck, all of which are Maritime Heritage Trail locations. Text along the eastern boundary notes that it extends to 60 feet (18 meters) depth. Next is Adams Key, which has a day-use area with restrooms, a picnic area, and self-guiding trail; followed by a cluster of small keys and then Totten Key and Old Rhodes Key, which are separated by Jones Lagoon, a non-combustion engine use zone. Right below this island pair, Swan Key and Gold Key sit above the park boundary. Surrounding Areas Beyond the park’s eastern boundary, from about Elliott Key down to the bottom of the map, is the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (protected area). Below the southern park boundary and between Key Largo and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Key Largo Existing Management Area (protected area) is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (protected area). In the northern portion of the mainland, in South Miami, is Matheson Hammock Park (Miami-Dade County), which has a boat launch, marina, gas dock, restrooms, and picnic area. Legend The legend in the upper right corner of the map is divided into three main sections. The first, “Map Key to Facilities”, contains symbols for Ranger station, Restrooms, Picnic area, Restaurant, Boat launch, Gas dock, Marina, Self-guiding trail, Primitive campground, and Popular anchorage, as well as Maritime Heritage Trail locations, represented by a horizontal line with three vertical lines Within an oval dotted line. Next, “Map Key to Water Features and Landmarks” contains the following subsections with symbols and color markers: Water Depths: White for 0 to 6 feet (0 to 1.8 meters), Light blue for 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters), and Blue for over 12 feet (over 3.6 meters). Shallows and Reefs (coral reefs also lie deeper below water surface): Pale pink for Shoal or spoil area, Diagonal pink stripes for Coral Reef Protection Area, which is marked with an asterisk, and Thin black asterisk inside a gray circle with black dots around its perimeter for Coral reef near water surface. Text with an asterisk reads, “Traps and lobstering prohibited year-round. Visit MyFWC.com/BNP for CRPA coordinates.” Channel Markers (entering from seaward): Pink triangle for Red starboard daymarker (even numbered), Green square for Green port daymarker (odd numbered), Pink diamond shape with outlined circle for Starboard buoy, Green diamond shape with outlined circle for Port buoy, Outlined diamond and circle for Other buoy, and Outlined square for Daymarker. Other Aids and Landmarks: Pink teardrop shape and black dot for Light, Orange diamond for Danger Shoal, Lighthouse icon, Light color: R for Red, G for Green, W for White, and Y for Yellow. White cylinder with diamonds on top and bottom for Mooring buoy, and Tower icon The third section, Boating Markers and Flags, contains text and symbols as follows: Know these common buoys, signs, and flags. They are essential to safe navigation. Channel Markers (entering from seaward): Green square with odd number for Port (odd numbered), Lights flash green, Red triangle with even number for Starboard (even numbered), Lights flash red, and Red flag with white diagonal stripe for Diver’s Flag. Regulatory Markers: Orange diamond with a cross inside for Keep Out, Orange diamond with white center for Danger, Orange circle with white center for Speed Limit (no wake - 5 mph). Storm Warning Flags: For up-to-date weather forecasts, phone 305-229-4522 or monitor marine radio reports on VHF channels 75. Channel 16 broadcasts special weather warnings. Flagpole with one red pennant for Small-craft advisory (20 to 38 mph winds), Flagpole with two red pennants for Gale (39 to 54 mph winds), Single square red flag with a black square inside for Storm or whole gale (55 to 73 mph winds), and Double square red flag with a black square inside for Hurricane (74 mph winds or higher). Text below reads “Restricted Area” in red text, followed by bold, “Legare Anchorage.” Text continues, “Do not anchor vessels, stop, swim, dive, or snorkel. Underwater viewing devices like cameras and glass-bottom buckets are prohibited. Drift fishing and trolling are allowed.” A scale at the bottom right corner of the map shows distances of 1 and 2 kilometers, 2 statute miles, and 2 nautical miles.