What does a ‘wave’ at a popular Florida Keys beach have to do with sea rise? Take a look

Sep 21, 2023

The Middle Florida Keys city of Marathon installed a sculpture it says represents the projected sea level increases over the next 67 years.

The sculpture was built by artist Craig Gray and installed this month at Sombrero Beach, a popular Marathon stretch of sand on the Atlantic side of the island chain.

"The art depicts the flow of water, but if you listen closely you can also hear the small waves crashing on the beach and you can touch this installation, so there's the tactile element too," Gray said in a statement. "This piece not only depicts the threat of hurricane storms but also the reality of the daily action of waves on our shores."

The projections are from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The concrete base of the sculpture represents the "projected intermediate high sea level in 67 years at 4.35 feet above current sea level," a city press release says.

The top of the smaller wave "depicts the projected high level in 67 year at 6.32 feet above current sea level," according to the release.

And, there is a larger wave that depicts the "projected extreme high" in 67 years of 7.8 feet above the current sea levels at the beach, the city said.

The sculpture was paid for with a grant from the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, the city said.

It has been added to Google Maps and nominated as a "Pokestop," which the city says will make "it easier for visitors to find."