Conditions: perfect
Location: Key Largo
The crossing from Key Biscayne to Key Largo was uneventful. All we saw was the clear blue water and Elliot Key in the distance. We took Hawk Channel down inside the reefs, protections from the ocean swells, but it was still a lumpy ride. When we turned in for Key Largo channel the breeze died away. The narrow channel was surrounded by buildings, creating an uncomfortably hot barrier against the ocean breeze. Within minutes Dad and I were sweating. The canal wasn't too long and after navigating a tricky spot affectionately named "crash corner" we spotted Marina Del Mar, our home for the next month, pool included. A month of no sailing wasn't as difficult as you might think. We met up with friends from home who had brought their boats down and made plenty of new friends too. As it turns out Canadians love Florida, or maybe it's unbearably cold for them in Canada. Regardless of how they all came to be in Key Largo (some flew down, some brought their boats down, some flew down and then bought boats) we had to wonder if the Canadians were planning a secret invasion on two fronts. It was great to hear other peoples stories and adventures from racing to Cuba, because Canadians are allowed to do that, or sailing "the loop" (circumnavigation of eastern North America). The experiences of others helps you appreciate your own, and to strive for a new adventure - at least it has in our case.
After being trapped inside the boat at Key Biscayne Dad and I were both eager to get in some much needed exercise. We biked everywhere, there are excellent bike paths throughout the keys and we learned that it is extremely popular for people to fly into Miami and bike from hotel to hotel down to Key West. We even met a couple who were biking from Los Angeles to Key West, they only had one hundred miles to go! I forgot to ask them how it took them but I think something like that might be my next adventure.
The first few days in Key Largo were very nice but I was a little out of my league in the company we kept. The fifty-five and over crowd ate breakfast at 7am, took dinner at 5pm and complained about Obama and social security checks. This recently graduated college liberal bit her tongue and sat in silence, I heard they band together when threatened. So I started looking for a younger crowd to maybe stay up a little later with and show me the good spots. It was harder than you think. Everyone seemed to be either too young or too old. Around the corner from the marina is a large park with every playing field imaginable; basketball courts, roller hockey, skateboard ramps, beach volleyball, tennis courts, a baseball field, a swimming pool, and most importantly a soccer field. For days I staked out the field hoping to find young players there and asking anyone in sight if they knew about pickup games. Finally I got a good tip and on Monday night when I came to the field there were a dozen players scrimmaging. I jumped right in and met Kendra. Kendra had been living and working on Key Largo since she graduated college. She knew her way around Key Largo and took me to all the best spots. I knew they were the best because I had attempted to goat it alone and stumbled upon some pretty lame bars with Dad. Kendra and I went to a Full Moon Party in Islamorada, a ladies night in Key Largo aka free drinks for ladies from 530-7, a rodeo in Homestead, and much more. I had never been to a rodeo before, and everyone could tell. I was probably the only person in the arena that didn't have cowboy boots, a cowboy hat or a flannel on. Kendra also took Dad and I on our first snorkel trip in Key Largo with her dad, Steve. We got up close to the mangroves and swam through schools of baby fish, sending them scattering. There were a number of small barracuda and other medium sized fish using the mangroves as shelter. We saw a cluster of Caribbean lobster and a spotted ray. The trip was a blast and i could see that Dad was getting the itch for more underwater adventures.
The next time Dad and I went out snorkeling we went to a place called Grecian Rocks. The reef was mostly made up of soft coral. Large sea fans swayed to and fro in the current. They were shades of dark purple, green, and brown. Guarding the edges of the reef were giant barracudas, these things were monsters that drifted eerily all around us. They weren't in schools but it was clear that they were no strangers to divers on the reef and were unafraid of us. I swam, uneasily looking over my shoulder at all times, keeping my eyes on them. They were the biggest things out here, they were wider than my thigh, longer than my leg, I was more than a little wary of them, that is until I saw something bigger. I saw his profile as he lazily swished his tail back and forth, a ten foot bull shark was swimming at the edge of the reef less than fifty feet away. Oddly enough I wasn't scared the entire time I watched the shark swim. They really are mesmerizing to watch. The shark swam away from us at an angle and disappeared down the reef edge. Once it was gone the creepy feeling I had felt when looking over my shoulder for the barracuda doubled. I motioned to Dad for us to swim for the boat, he looked like he wanted to stay in the water for longer.
We did a ton of other cool stuff in Key Largo. We went to art shows, a blue grass festival, different parks, fishing, new restaurants, weird food, and all that jazz. On our last day in Key Largo we went to the Everglades with a group of people from our Yacht Club who also had boats in the keys. The park was truly amazing and I would love to go back and explore the trails more. The Everglades was actually nothing like i imagined. I pictured the park to be a vast swamp land, with pontoon boats that whizzed you around the alligators. In actuality the park was one long road with access to several different types of environments that made up an ecosystem that exists no where else in the world. The biggest attraction was, as expected, the crocodiles and alligators. We left Key Largo with the feeling that we had as much fun as possible during our stay.
After being trapped inside the boat at Key Biscayne Dad and I were both eager to get in some much needed exercise. We biked everywhere, there are excellent bike paths throughout the keys and we learned that it is extremely popular for people to fly into Miami and bike from hotel to hotel down to Key West. We even met a couple who were biking from Los Angeles to Key West, they only had one hundred miles to go! I forgot to ask them how it took them but I think something like that might be my next adventure.
The first few days in Key Largo were very nice but I was a little out of my league in the company we kept. The fifty-five and over crowd ate breakfast at 7am, took dinner at 5pm and complained about Obama and social security checks. This recently graduated college liberal bit her tongue and sat in silence, I heard they band together when threatened. So I started looking for a younger crowd to maybe stay up a little later with and show me the good spots. It was harder than you think. Everyone seemed to be either too young or too old. Around the corner from the marina is a large park with every playing field imaginable; basketball courts, roller hockey, skateboard ramps, beach volleyball, tennis courts, a baseball field, a swimming pool, and most importantly a soccer field. For days I staked out the field hoping to find young players there and asking anyone in sight if they knew about pickup games. Finally I got a good tip and on Monday night when I came to the field there were a dozen players scrimmaging. I jumped right in and met Kendra. Kendra had been living and working on Key Largo since she graduated college. She knew her way around Key Largo and took me to all the best spots. I knew they were the best because I had attempted to goat it alone and stumbled upon some pretty lame bars with Dad. Kendra and I went to a Full Moon Party in Islamorada, a ladies night in Key Largo aka free drinks for ladies from 530-7, a rodeo in Homestead, and much more. I had never been to a rodeo before, and everyone could tell. I was probably the only person in the arena that didn't have cowboy boots, a cowboy hat or a flannel on. Kendra also took Dad and I on our first snorkel trip in Key Largo with her dad, Steve. We got up close to the mangroves and swam through schools of baby fish, sending them scattering. There were a number of small barracuda and other medium sized fish using the mangroves as shelter. We saw a cluster of Caribbean lobster and a spotted ray. The trip was a blast and i could see that Dad was getting the itch for more underwater adventures.
The next time Dad and I went out snorkeling we went to a place called Grecian Rocks. The reef was mostly made up of soft coral. Large sea fans swayed to and fro in the current. They were shades of dark purple, green, and brown. Guarding the edges of the reef were giant barracudas, these things were monsters that drifted eerily all around us. They weren't in schools but it was clear that they were no strangers to divers on the reef and were unafraid of us. I swam, uneasily looking over my shoulder at all times, keeping my eyes on them. They were the biggest things out here, they were wider than my thigh, longer than my leg, I was more than a little wary of them, that is until I saw something bigger. I saw his profile as he lazily swished his tail back and forth, a ten foot bull shark was swimming at the edge of the reef less than fifty feet away. Oddly enough I wasn't scared the entire time I watched the shark swim. They really are mesmerizing to watch. The shark swam away from us at an angle and disappeared down the reef edge. Once it was gone the creepy feeling I had felt when looking over my shoulder for the barracuda doubled. I motioned to Dad for us to swim for the boat, he looked like he wanted to stay in the water for longer.
We did a ton of other cool stuff in Key Largo. We went to art shows, a blue grass festival, different parks, fishing, new restaurants, weird food, and all that jazz. On our last day in Key Largo we went to the Everglades with a group of people from our Yacht Club who also had boats in the keys. The park was truly amazing and I would love to go back and explore the trails more. The Everglades was actually nothing like i imagined. I pictured the park to be a vast swamp land, with pontoon boats that whizzed you around the alligators. In actuality the park was one long road with access to several different types of environments that made up an ecosystem that exists no where else in the world. The biggest attraction was, as expected, the crocodiles and alligators. We left Key Largo with the feeling that we had as much fun as possible during our stay.
Gator, sharks, rodeo, and manatees in one stop! I hope you are keeping a check-list.
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