Discover Palm Beach County Mermaid Reef

Posted by Lorea Thomson

Updated on May 6th, 2017

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Published in Boating

Palm Beach County divers take a dive to a 60,000-pound mermaid sculpture reef. This area has many reefs to dive offshore. This underwater landmark honors a local three-time breast cancer survivor. “Andrea's Reef”, an enormous mermaid honoring the courageous woman.  “Andreas Reef” has is located just 3/4 miles east off the Lake Worth Inlet, submerged under 75 feet of water. The sculptures for the reef were deployed off Ocean Reef Park on Singer Island, August 11, 2016.

Thomas McDonald, a sculptor, found the motivation to model his mermaid after the local woman who has survived breast cancer. Susan G. Komen South Florida selected Andrea Torrente, a Palm Beach County resident, for the distinctive honor.  The sculptor started work on the project during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  He said in a press release, "I just thought of the idea, and thought, let's go ahead and find someone with breast cancer and make her the face of the mermaid."

The six-piece reef weighs in at 60,000 pounds and measures 20 feet by 15 feet. McDonald sculpted the mold, and the high school students at Riviera Beach Maritime Academy designed and built the gigantic concrete structure.

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