The Keys

26^th Feb – Travel to Key Largo

We headed further south through Florida City and onto the Florida Keys.  Key Largo is one of the first Keys just 50 miles from Miami and our campsite is at MM 101.5.  Everything along the road – Route 1 – is measured in miles from Key West.

27^th Feb – Flamingo – Everglades

Flamingo is a section of the Everglades that was closer to our campsite in Key Largo so we drove down to the Bay and then worked our way back.  At the Visitor Centre there was an Osprey in his nest by the dock, just feet away from humans.  We saw another Osprey nest and also a Roseate Spoonbill getting his lunch at Eco Pond. Spoonbills are not rare but are very shy birds, so to be able to photograph one this close was a rare treat.

At one of the Overlooks we stopped at a lady volunteer who pointed to a Barred Owl resting on some nearby branches.  We watched talking to the Ranger in low tones whilst Paul took some photos.  We were astounded when another visitor came along and started shaking the branch so that the owl flew off!

You might forgive a child/youngster but this was a man of our generation. The Ranger spoke to him but Paul would have used different words!

28^th Feb – John Pennekamp Coral Reef SP

Just a mile up the road was John Pennekamp State Park.  Looking at a map of this coastline there is a continuous zone, between here and Miami, of parks and sanctuaries which protect the USA’s only living coral reef.

We took a glass-bottomed boat tour out to one of the coral reefs.  On the journey out there was a sucker fish hanging onto the glass; but he came off once we picked up speed.  We saw a lot of coral; mostly Fan, Feather and Stag coral and also Sponges in the shape of vases. There were many different types of fish; also a shark, some sea turtles and 2 different types of stingray.  It was a most delightful and informative trip.

1^st Mar – Travel to Fiesta Key

The 30 miles to this campsite took nearly an hour due to the weight of traffic on the road but was easy to find as there is nothing else on the Key.  After an hour by the pool we gathered with other campers to watch the sunset over the Bay – a ritual we did every evening whilst here.

2^nd Mar – Dolphin Research Centre

With 27 dolphins in various pools at the DRC you got a feeling of being surrounded by dolphin.  Two of the dolphins had given birth just a week ago.  They used artificial insemination to keep the gene pool mixed.  Some of the dolphins were 4^th generation from the start of the film Flipper.  They also   had 4 sea lions and some iguana which are free to roam. Iguanas are not native to Florida but the Centre catches them, and neuters them before releasing.

There was a lot going on with many people taking part in the various ‘packages’ offered by the Centre to get close to a dolphin.  At all the presentations the dolphins were encouraged to ‘play’. 

 However we left feeling that there seemed as much emphasis on entertainment as education.  Dolphins were still doing the usual tricks seen in shows including getting one to paint on a T-shirt with a brush in its mouth.

The most interesting presentation was about manatee rescues that they do.  We saw little evidence of research on Dolphins.

3^rd Mar – Turtle Hospital

Driving further west we came across the Turtle Hospital and joined a 90 minute talk and tour of the facilities.  The hospital currently has 47 turtles, of which 13 are permanent, and there are 4 out of the 7 different Sea Turtle species.  We learnt about the issues and hazards sea turtles encounter; one of which is “Bubble Butt”.  This is when a turtle has endured damage to its shell which affects its  

buoyancy and is treated by adding weights to the shell.

The tour took around the tanks where we fed the turtles and you could see the beautiful colours of their shells.  The guide told us the story of each turtle.  One turtle had many health issues when rescued which left it so weak they could not put it in water for nearly 2 months. 

This in turn led to the equivalent of bed sores which then required treatment.  It also had lockjaw and had several weeks of therapy opening and shutting its mouth until it could eat on its own accord.

The hospital originally began as a motel with a swimming pool full of fish.  Back when Teenage Ninja Turtles was popular a child asked why there were no turtles which gave the owner the idea to find out more and before long became a place for rescued turtles to recuperate.  It now has the support from local vets.

 

 

 

 

 

4^th Mar – Key Deer and Offshore Fishing


Up early to get Paul down to the marina at sunrise, and onto the Blue Haven boat, to go Offshore Fishing for the day with 3 other fishermen and a crew of 2.

Alison drove over 7-mile Bridge to Big Pine Key in search of the Key Deer Wildlife Refuge.  The Keys have their breed of miniature deer.  With only 600 left they have been cross-bred with white-tailed deer in order to increase the gene-pool.  The deer wander unrestricted around the Key and were spotted at the side of the road and in people’s gardens. 

By the bridge to No-Name Key Alison paid a quick visit to see the inside of the No Name pub which is literally dripping with $1 notes.  In this out-of-the-way pub it has become tradition for dollar notes to be stuck onto ceilings, walls, pillars and the bar.  Some estimates say as much as $60,000.  Every year as much as $8000 is donated to charities.

Paul arrived back at the marina at 3pm.  The ‘catch’ – of over 50 Yellowtail, some Mahi-mahi, and other miscellaneous fish – all were duly filleted by the crew and shared out among the 4 fishermen.  The pelicans provided entertainment fighting over the left-overs. 

The freezer was now full.  Guess what we will be eating for the rest of the month?

5^th Mar – Fiesta Key

This is the furthest south we will be on this trip.  With less than 2 months left in USA we start heading north tomorrow.