In the name “Key West Bight Marina”, the term “bight” is used to refer to a bend in the shoreline, and the wide harbor which is formed by such a bend. There are several notable bights around the world, like the Great Australian Bight and the New York Bight. Throughout history, bights supported large settlements that took advantage of the naturally sheltered harbor to moor their boats and establish thriving trading communities. The term “bight” is often used interchangeably with words like “bay,” to the frustration of some geologists, who argue that a bight is a distinct geological feature.
An easy to remember description of a “Bight” is that it is the opposite of a peninsula – a body of water surrounded on three sides by land.
Now the Key West Bight area is referred to as “The Key West Historic Seaport” and it includes the “Harbor Walk” for tourists to stroll along. It’s still locally called the Key West Bight Marina, and it’s still a working marina that provides sustenance for many residents and benefits the entire economy of Key West. Back in the old days, the KW Bight was the center of the shrimping, turtling and sponging industries, and even cigar box making. But there were always tourists hanging around enjoying the magic of the Key West waterfront.
Enjoy these photos of the Key West Bight through the last 100 + years.
