A calm-weather weekend turns the Harry Harris Park Boat Ramp into one of the busiest spots in the Upper Keys. In a waterfront community with limited public access to open water, the two ramps at the Monroe County public park in Tavernier lead straight to the beckoning expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. “Monday through Friday, … Read more
Monroe County last week completed a $33,828 project to repair the dock next to the boat ramp at Harry Harris Park. They stripped the dock down to the pylons. Removing and repairing the old decking and the support structure. A new structural plastic decking, which is slip resistant and low maintenance, was installed. More … Read more
It’s that time of year — when Florida residents flock to the land of Hemingway, hammocks and sunset celebrations – the Florida Keys. The 110-mile highway to Key West is peppered with attractions, restaurants and shops to explore, but you’ll need a place to stay and there are many good options. Here are a few … Read more
Seychelle Hattingh said she’d be “stoked” if she paddled more than 100 miles while attempting to break the standup paddleboard record for distance in a 24-hour period. The Guinness world record for women was 90.4 miles. For men, the record is 106 miles. Last weekend at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Hattingh paddled 115 miles. … Read more
Why go For the holiday-maker looking to get off the beaten track a little bit and hoping to experience something unique and laid back, the Florida Keys is a perfect escape. The Keys comprise 110 miles of islands in south Florida including Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys and the … Read more
The Lower Florida Keys have some well-known destinations. Lying between the Middle Florida Keys and Key West, with Big Pine Key’s Key Deer and Bahia Honda State Park’s beaches as well as one of the top diving spots, Looe Key, will keep visitors busy and happy. There are also many historic locations to satisfy any … Read more
The Middle Florida Keys are an often overlooked destination. Lying between the Upper Florida Keys where you will find the Diving & Fishing Capitals of Key Largo and Islamorada and the Lower Florida Keys with Big Pine Key’s Key Deer and world famous Key West, the Middle Florida Keys is sometimes referred to as the Heart … Read more
Do you know how many parks there are in the Upper Florida Keys? Me neither. Between the City Parks: Islamorada’s Founders Park and Anne’s Beach, Monroe County Parks: Harry Harris, Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp and Lignumvitae and the National Parks-Refuges-Sanctuaries: Everglades, Crocodile Lake and the all encompassing Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, you are … Read more
Sorry, this Florida Keys island, Indian Key, isn’t for sale. But you can visit and explore this historic site. Hours: The park is open from 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. Fees: Admission Fee: $2.50 *per person. *Includes $.50 per person Monroe County Surcharge. Early Indian Key History Beginning in the 18th century, Bahamians and Cubans … Read more
Residents living by the city-owned Harbor Drive boat ramp near Aviation Boulevard behind Florida Keys Marathon International Airport may get some reprieve from what some call encroachment in their area.City Manager Charles Lindsey told the Marathon City Council at its meeting Tuesday that he and city staff might have a proposed ordinance to present at … Read more
A mandatory education class for boaters using Florida Bay waters within Everglades National Park will be free but a mandatory boat permit will cost. Those proposals to protect the bay’s shallow waters are written into the national park’s new management plan but no start dates have been announced. Everglades staff briefed the advisory council members … Read more
Tired of the hustle and bustle of your life? Have you tried PaddleBoarding? Charlie make it look easy in this video of one of his adventures in Big Pine Key. You can choose to get a workout or just relax and enjoy the beautiful outdoors in the paradise we know as the Florida Keys.
The organizers of the first sanctioned Hobie Cat sailboat race between Key West and Havana, Cuba, will be trading in their sails for high performance engines for another flotilla between the two countries in November. The group of Key Westers who organized the Havana Challenge in May will be kicking it up a notch in … Read more
Advice from Florida Bay guides and anglers, shared on trips to remote waters, helped shape Everglades National Park’s new management plan. The extensive plan, released Friday after more than a dozen years in the making, outlines new pole-or-troll zones for boaters in the park and lays the groundwork for mandatory boating education and boat fees for … Read more
Nearly 200 square miles of Florida Bay waters could be managed as no-motor or idle zones under Everglades National Park’s new management plan released Friday. Park staff intends to designate 102,838 acres of shallow water — about 160.7 square miles — as “poll or troll zones” where use of outboard motors would not be allowed. Another … Read more
A new general management plan will phase out private airboat use on 109,000 acres added to the park in 1989 and require commercial operators to come under management of Everglades National Park as concessions. Permits will be given to longtime users but cannot be passed on. The aging gladesmen of the River of Grass will … Read more
I’m in a kayak, alone and three months pregnant, paddling through jade water, trying to reach an unnamed island off the shore of Big Pine Key, Florida. The mangroves that have waded offshore—tangles of long grey legs topped with a mess of bright green leaves—point me towards a strip of beige sand. A smattering of … Read more
Tiff, Roger, Jenny and Dan kayaking in the Fla Keys! August 2015 Tour Guide: Kristy (K-Bear) Batista Location: Robbie’s Marina/ Back Country Mangroves Critters Seen: Nurse Sharks, Reef Sharks, Osprey, Starfish
State marine officers pointed to notorious derelict-vessel cases in Florida Keys waters as prime examples of the need for new rules. “We see a lot of red dots in Monroe County,” said State Rep. Holly Raschein (R-Key Largo), referring to a state map showing 304 derelict vessels off Florida shores. “Obviously it’s an issue here,” … Read more
On-the-water revelers can continue partying at offshore hot spots throughout the Keys, as far as the federal government is concerned. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council decided not to consider a proposed recommendation that could have eventually resulted in no-anchoring zones at popular shallow-water areas like Marathon’s sandbar off Valhalla, Picnic Island, Snipe … Read more