The popular Square Grouper restaurant on Cudjoe Key has a fitting new neighbor.
Cudjoe Key residents Mike and Suzie Lombard will celebrate the opening of their new Underwater Photography Gallery on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 22627 LaFitte Drive, Cudjoe Key, next to Square Grouper.
While the restaurant takes its name from the tongue-in-cheek nickname given in the ’70s to bales of marijuana that often floated off the Florida Keys, the Lombards’ gallery focuses on the actual marine life that swims beneath the surface, including, you guessed it, grouper.
The couple has been diving all over the world for more than 40 years, and has turned their photos into a stunning gallery of underwater images.
From the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as the Red Sea, the Lombards have captured every marine organism imaginable, from tiny anemone shrimp to the impressive hammerhead and great white sharks, and everything in between.
Walking into the new gallery, one nearly expects to be breathing through a regulator and hearing the crisp in and out of each regulated breath.
Mike and Suzie Lombard’s new Underwater Photography Gallery is open on Cudjoe Key, featuring tack-sharp photos of marine life from all over the world on metal prints. MIKE LOMBARD/Contributed
Online sales are also available through the website in countless sizes.
“Our prints are ChromaLuxe Aluminum metal prints creating unusually stunning pieces with rich vibrant colors used in high-end art galleries and the fine art industry,” Mike Lombard said. “Metal prints are more scratch resistant than anything else in the market. They will not rust and can be placed in bathrooms, kitchens and outdoor spaces.”
There are dolphins, turtles, manatees, saltwater crocodiles, elkhorn coral, purple sea fans and more.
“Our underwater photography focuses on ocean life in the natural habitat,” they said. “The Atlantic Gallery includes images from our local favorites — Florida, Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and Guadalupe Island. The Pacific Gallery includes images from awesome worldwide locations such as Indo-Pacific, Thailand, Red Sea and Hawaii. The species galleries show images by animal species.
“Underwater (photography) is our passion. We hope to express and educate others to appreciate and take care of the extremely delicate ocean environment. Help us protect and cherish the fragile underwater world.”
The gallery is open from 1 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call 305-699-3896.
