The voice of the sea speaks to the soul, no more so than in the Florida Keys. Surrounded by the shimmering aquatic prisms of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, the Keys volunteer unlimited vistas for watery exploration. Our depths secret famed fishing grounds and unparalleled dive sites. Cruisers from around the world seek out our remote, pristine anchoring-out spots as well as our resort marinas. And peppering the Keys, from Key Largo to Key West, a proliferation of water-sports facilities afford anyone visiting our shores the opportunity to get out on the water via canoe, sea kayak, water skis, personal watercraft, sailboard, even paddleboard and paddleboat. The waters surrounding the Florida Keys are protected as part of a marine sanctuary, so regulations concerning the use of personal watercraft are more stringent here than in other parts of Florida. For more information, contact the sanctuary office at (305) 743-2437 or log on to floridakeys.noaa.gov.
The most popular means of wandering our aqueous acres is undoubtedly by boat. The waters encompassing the Florida Keys have been designated a national marine sanctuary since 1990, and the marine zoning plan imposes certain restrictions and responsibilities on all mariners so that our resources may be preserved for all time. In this chapter we will introduce you to our waters, alert you to the rules of our hydrous highways and byways, and share some safety and navigational tips. We’ll provide you with a primer of available public boat ramps, marine supply stores, and boat sales and service businesses, as well as motor and sailboat rentals, boat charters, and other sources to enhance your time on the water.
Regarded as America’s out-islands by seasoned cruisers of motor and sailing yachts, the Florida Keys can justifiably boast about the sheltered harbors and easily navigated waters enveloping the serpentine stretch. Our waters are well marked; our charts, up to date; and the US Coast Guard keeps channels dredged to the proper depth. The Atlantic’s Hawk Channel runs along the ocean side of the Keys, protected by the only coral reef in the continental US. The Intracoastal Waterway—called the Big Ditch in the North’s inland waters—cuts through the causeway from the mainland at Jewfish Creek and then parallels the Keys through Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Keys waters are most accessible to boats with drafts of up to 4 1⁄2 feet, but you can cruise the Keys with 5 1⁄2- to 6-foot drafts if you’re careful.
If you covet first-class creature comforts, put into one of our comprehensive marinas and enjoy the perks of staying at a luxury resort. Do you relish seclusion? Anchor out on the leeward side of a remote, uninhabited key. Or take the best of both worlds and plan a combination of the two.
To help you plan your Keys cruising adventure, we guide you on a tour of our preeminent marinas and little-known anchoring-out destinations (in descending order from the Upper to Lower Keys). Be sure to read our Key West and Beyond section, where the junket continues.
Angling in the Florida Keys approaches a religion to many. The very essence of the Keys is embodied in gleaming packages of skin and scales, for a day fishing the cerulean waters that lap our islands creates a sensory memory not quickly forgotten. Long after the last bait is cast, tales of captured prizes or the ones that got away evoke visions of the sun, the sea, and the smell of the salt air.
Anglers fish here with an intensity rarely seen anywhere else in the US . . . the world, even. Eavesdrop on a conversation anywhere in the Keys, and someone will be talking about fishing. As you drive down the Overseas Highway and look out at our acres of shimmering waters, you will feel an overwhelming urge to join in the battle of power and wits—fish against angler—that makes the Keys so special.
The Florida Keys have more than 1,000 species of fish; most are edible, all are interesting. To pursue our bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, or any other species, you will need a saltwater fishing license. You must obey catch and season restrictions and size limits. These regulations change often. Ask for an up-to-date listing when you purchase your fishing license.
The Florida Keys fall within the boundaries of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, created by the federal government in 1990 to protect the resources of our marine ecosystem. And while, for the most part, visitors freely swim, dive, snorkel, boat, fish, or recreate on our waters, some regulations took effect in July 1997 to guide these activities. Refer to the Boating chapter for information on these regulations before you venture into our waters. For a complete copy of the regulations and marine coordinates of the areas, contact the sanctuary office, (305) 292-0311, or check their website, floridakeys.noaa.gov.
Ranking as the third largest reef system and one of the most popular dive destinations in the world, the Florida Keys’ reef runs 192 miles from Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay all the way to the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico. A fragile symbiotic city of sea creatures crowds our reef—fish, sponges, jellyfish, anemones, worms, snails, crabs, lobsters, rays, turtles, and, of course, both soft and stony corals—sometimes mixing it up with sunken bounty of a different kind: shipwrecks of yesteryear. Although our coral reef appears sturdy, this toothsome barrier is actually made up of colonies of tiny living animals. These coral polyps develop so slowly that it can take years for some species to grow just 1 inch. The careless toss of an anchor or slightest touch can destroy decades of coral growth in just seconds. When polyps are damaged or killed, the entire colony becomes exposed to the spread of algae or disease, and the reef is at risk.
To protect and preserve our marine ecosystem, Congress established the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in 1990. Extending on both sides of the Florida Keys, the 2,800-square-nautical-mile sanctuary is the second largest marine sanctuary in the US. The sanctuary encompasses two of the very best diving areas in the reef chain of the Keys: the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, which in turn envelops John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary.
The state of Florida adjusted its offshore boundaries from 7 miles to 3 miles. This means many of the underwater dive and snorkel sites that used to be referred to as John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park are now actually part of the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary. To clear up the confusion, remember: Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary encompasses the waters of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, but Pennekamp is not synonymous with the sanctuary.
Overview
In this chapter we provide you with a rundown of great reef and wreck dives and snorkel adventures from Key Largo to the Dry Tortugas. Our reefs are not within swimming distance of the shore, so you will need to make your way by boat. If you plan to venture out on your own craft or in a rental boat, be sure to stop at a dive center or marine supply store and purchase a nautical map that denotes the exact coordinates for dive and snorkel sites. Motor to the reef only if you know the waters, are an experienced boat handler, and can read the nautical charts well. You are financially liable for damage to the reef, so always anchor only at mooring buoys when provided or on sandy areas of the sea bottom. Florida law dictates you fly the diver-down flag, which is red with a diagonal white stripe, to warn other boaters that divers are underwater within 100 feet of your craft.
Probably the most popular and hassle-free way to dive or snorkel in the Florida Keys is to go out with a dive charter. Most reputable dive centers in the Keys belong to the Keys Association of Dive Operators, which sets standards of safety and professionalism. Crews are trained in CPR, first-aid, and handling dive emergencies. Emergency oxygen supplies are kept on board. The dive captains, who must be licensed by the US Coast Guard, judge weather conditions and water visibility each day and select the best sites suited to your experience level. Often their coveted knowledge of little-visited patch reefs and wrecks affords you an experience you could not duplicate on your own. We offer you a guide to dive centers, noting the comprehensive services ranging from instruction and underwater excursions to equipment rentals and sales.
In the Florida Keys, usually neither the crew nor the dive master accompanies divers in the water. Divers spread out across a shallow reef, two by two, swimming in a buddy system. The dive master stays on board and watches everyone from the boat. You must prove your experience level by showing current dive certification and your dive log before you may go out on a dive charter. If you have not made a comparable dive within the past six months, you should hire an instructor or dive master to accompany you in the water. Be sure you are comfortable with the sea conditions and that they are consistent with your level of expertise.
Whether you dive on your own or go out to the reef with a charter, you should be aware of the strong current of the outgoing tidal flow and in the Gulf Stream. It is easy to overlook the current in the fascination of your dive until, low on both energy and air, you must swim against it to get back to the boat. Begin your dive by swimming into the current. To determine the direction of the current, watch the flow of your bubbles or lie back into a float position and see which way the current carries you.
Be careful around bridges. The tremendous energy of the tides passing through the pilings of our bridges creates coral outcroppings that would not normally be so close to shore. Divers and snorkelers without boat transportation to the patch reefs or the gulf waters like to take advantage of this underwater terrain to look for lobsters. Be forewarned: It is very dangerous to dive or snorkel under and around our bridges. The currents are swift and the tidal pull is strong. Boat traffic is often heavy. If you do decide to dive or snorkel here, be sure to carry a diver-down flag with you on a float, and follow the buddy system. The best and safest time to tackle these turbulent waters is just before slack tide, during slack tide, and immediately following slack tide. The time of this cycle varies with wind, the height of the tide, and the phase of the moon.
Whether you’d like to spend a few hours, days, weeks, or a lifetime exploring our coral reefs and wrecks, you’ll find in this chapter all you need to know to “get wet,” as divers like to say, in the Florida Keys.
If you want to scuba dive or snorkel, fish, sail, or motor in our abundant waters, see the related chapters in this book. For a plethora of other stimulating diversions, read on. We show you where the action is—from skydiving, parasailing, and water sports to sunset cruises, ecotours, and bicycling. You’ll find out about our beaches and public parks in this chapter. And if the weather isn’t fine—which is rare—or you would just like to stay indoors, we tell you where to see a first-run movie or even a local play.
Overview
Expect to pay a fee for your recreational choices. We will indicate which diversions are free. Recreation facilities are organized by category from Key Largo to Key West.