Sunken Mermaid Sculpture
Posted by Amanda Hicks on Tuesday, October 17th, 2017 at 3:27pm.
It's safe to say that Palm Beach County is one of the most popular places to snorkel and dive- if not the most popular- on mainland Florida. Bountiful marine life and diverse, colorful reefs are becoming increasingly hard to find due to coral mining, pollution, and overfishing. Palm Beach County has continually made efforts to preserve reef species by building a number of artificial reefs and purposefully sinking ships. In fact, the inlet between Riviera Beach and Singer Island is packed with divers every day at high tide, viewing the fish, rays, nurse sharks, and starfish surrounding a sunken speed boat.
Last year, Singer Island got a new addition off Ocean Reef Park called Andrea's Reef. It is three-quarters of a mile offshore, making it accessible by swim or boat. Here, 75 feet under, you'll find a number of sculptures; roman columns, treasure chests, sea turtles, sting rays, and the center of attention- a life-size mermaid. The mermaid was sculpted by artist Thomas McDonald, who replicated the face of Andrea Torrenta onto the mermaid. Torrenta is a local three-time breast cancer survivor and the reef is in her honor.