水下探索佛罗里达比斯坎湾国家公园

Underwater Exploration at Biscayne National Park 水下探索佛罗里达比斯坎湾国家公园

This week on our national parks journey, we head to southern Florida.

Here, you will find blue-green seas, marine¹ wildlife, and islands that hold thousands of years of human history.

Welcome to Biscayne National Park!

Biscayne is not very far from the lights, noise and excitement of downtown Miami. But it has a very different atmosphere from the big city.

Biscayne National Park was established as a national monument in 1968. It became a national park in 1980. That year, its size also increased.

The park now covers more than 70,000 hectares. It includes the northern part of the world-famous Florida Keys. Keys are low-lying islands or reefs.

If you enjoy water, Biscayne is the park for you. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. Many kinds of animals live in these waters. Some of them are threatened or endangered.

You will find the huge, gentle West Indian manatee², the less gentle American crocodile, several kinds of sea turtles, and more than 500 species of fish.

Four ecosystems³ come together here, which is what makes the park so diverse. The blending ecosystems create “edge communities.” These edge communities support a huge array of wildlife.

The underwater diversity is what attracts most people to Biscayne National Park. Many visitors come here to snorkel⁵ or scuba⁶ dive in Biscayne’s clear and warm waters.

Human history

Human history at Biscyane begins more than 10,000 years ago.

Scientists say evidence of the area’s earliest people is mostly underwater now, as water levels have risen over time.

Within the last 3,000 years, people began to settle in the area. Scientists continue to learn about these people by examining the big hills of shells they left behind. The shells contain other waste, too, including early tools and housewares.

As the population grew, it divided into separate cultures. The groups began making pottery⁷ and created trade networks. These Native Americans are called the Tequesta.

The Tequesta depended on the rich food source of the sea to survive. They were not centered on farming, which requires huge amounts of time. So the Tequesta had more time than other natives for art and religion. Very complex social structures developed as a result.

European explorers began arriving in the area in the early 1500s. They brought with them diseases like smallpox⁸ and measles⁹. Over time, these diseases killed huge numbers of Florida’s natives.

Early explorers arrived in the area on ships. The reefs and rough waters made it difficult for ship captains. Biscayne’s waters contain more than 50 shipwrecks¹¹. Scuba divers⁴ today can explore six of them.

Among them is the Erl King, which sank in 1891. It was built in 1865.

Erl King was mostly used to transport goods, but it also carried rich passengers. In its first few years of service, it was used for trading between China and Australia. The ship hit Long Reef as it sailed to New Orleans from England. Its machinery¹³ and other parts were saved, but Erl King itself sank to the sea floor.

Another shipwreck¹⁰ that scuba divers can explore is the Lugano. The British steamship¹⁴ sank in 1913. At the time of its sinking, it was the largest ship ever to wreck¹² in the Florida Keys. It was traveling to Havana, Cuba, carrying goods and more than 100 passengers. Most of them were Spaniards immigrating¹⁵ to Cuba.

High winds and heavy seas sent the ship far off course. A collision with Long Reef damaged the ship. Much of the cargo¹⁶ and all of the passengers were safely removed from the ship. The captain and crew remained aboard.

Many people tried to remove the water from Lugano and repair it. But, after several weeks, they abandoned their efforts.

Today, the Lugano remains¹⁷ along Long Reef, almost 8 meters below water.

Exploring the park

Many visitors to Biscayne National Park choose to explore underwater.

Guides lead snorkeling and scuba diving trips. These give visitors the chance to get up close to the park’s underwater wildlife as well as its shipwrecks.

Visitors can also explore the park on a boat.

Canoeing and kayaking are great ways to enjoy Biscayne’s mangrove¹⁸ forests. Mangroves are little trees that grow in coastal¹⁹ waters.

Many people take a kayak or canoe around the islands and lagoons²⁰.

At Elliot Key, visitors can set up camp and sleep in the wild.

At Boca Chita Key, visitors can explore a lighthouse. The lighthouse has become a symbol of Biscayne National Park. It was built in the 1930s by Mark Honeywell, one of the island’s former owners.

The deck at the top of the 20-meter-tall lighthouse provides beautiful views of the ocean and the nearby islands.

The top of the lighthouse also offers views of Miami Beach’s famous skyline.

But, visitors to Biscayne National Park probably are not there to see skyscrapers²¹ and city lights. The beauty in Biscayne is quiet waters, rustling²² mangroves and, if you’re lucky, a visit with a manatee.

Words in This Story

marine - adj. of or relating to the sea or the plants and animals that live in the sea

key - n. a low island or reef

array - n. a large group or number of things — usually singular

network - n. a group of people or organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other

cargo - n. something that is carried from one place to another by boat, airplane, etc.

mangrove - n. a tropical tree that has roots which grow from its branches and that grows in swamps or shallow salt water

canoe - v. to go or travel in a canoe, a long narrow boat that is moved by a paddle with one blade

kayak - v. to go or travel in a kayak, a long narrow boat that is moved by a paddle with two blades

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 manatee   

n.海牛

参考例句：

• We watched dolphin,manatee,sea lion and whale shows.我们看了海豚、海牛、海狮和鲸的表演。
• One of the most extraordinary river creatures is Amazonian manatee.其中河里最特别的生物之一要数亚马孙海牛。

3 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

4 divers   

adj.不同的；种种的

参考例句：

• He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人，要他们和他作伴。
• Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作，同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。

5 snorkel   

n.泳者所戴的通气管，潜水艇的吸、排气装置

参考例句：

• With a snorkel,however,a diver can stay under water for quite a long time.潜水员携带一根通气管就可以在水下呆很长时间。
• I did buy a mask and fins and a snorkel.我买了面镜、蛙鞋和一个呼吸管。

6 scuba   

n.水中呼吸器

参考例句：

• I first got hooked on scuba diving when I was twelve.12岁时我开始迷上了带水中呼吸器潜水。
• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。

7 pottery   

n.陶器，陶器场

参考例句：

• My sister likes to learn art pottery in her spare time.我妹妹喜欢在空余时间学习陶艺。
• The pottery was left to bake in the hot sun.陶器放在外面让炎热的太阳烘晒焙干。

8 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

9 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

10 shipwreck   

n.船舶失事，海难

参考例句：

• He walked away from the shipwreck.他船难中平安地脱险了。
• The shipwreck was a harrowing experience.那次船难是一个惨痛的经历。

11 shipwrecks   

海难，船只失事( shipwreck的名词复数 )； 沉船

参考例句：

• Shipwrecks are apropos of nothing. 船只失事总是来得出人意料。
• There are many shipwrecks in these waters. 在这些海域多海难事件。

12 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

13 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

14 steamship   

n.汽船，轮船

参考例句：

• The return may be made on the same steamship.可乘同一艘汽船当天回来。
• It was so foggy that the steamship almost ran down a small boat leaving the port.雾很大，汽艇差点把一只正在离港的小船撞沉。

15 immigrating   

v.移入( immigrate的现在分词 )；移民

参考例句：

• I have to tie up loose ends before immigrating to America. 移民美国前，我先要处理手头上的一些琐事。 来自互联网
• Marrying an American citizen is a guaranteed ticket to immigrating to America. 与美国公民结婚是移民美国最佳的门票。 来自互联网

16 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

17 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

18 mangrove   

n.(植物)红树，红树林

参考例句：

• It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
• Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。

19 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

20 lagoons   

n.污水池( lagoon的名词复数 )；潟湖；（大湖或江河附近的）小而浅的淡水湖；温泉形成的池塘

参考例句：

• The Islands are by shallow crystal clear lagoons enclosed by coral reefs. 该群岛包围由珊瑚礁封闭的浅水清澈泻湖。 来自互联网
• It is deposited in low-energy environments in lakes, estuaries and lagoons. 它沉淀于湖泊、河口和礁湖的低能量环境中，也可于沉淀于深海环境。 来自互联网

21 skyscrapers   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
• On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

22 rustling   

n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的

参考例句：

• the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze 树木在微风中发出的沙沙声
• the soft rustling of leaves 树叶柔和的沙沙声