Just south of Miami, starting at Key Largo, a series of islands stretches for more than 100 miles to Key West. Accessible only by boat for centuries, these lush land masses were inhabited by indigenous peoples and entrepreneurs specializing in salvaging cargo from shipwrecks.
In the early 1900’s Henry Flagler decided that the islands should be connected by rail. At any one time, 4,000 men worked on the railroad. During the construction, three hurricanes disrupted the project. But Flagler was determined, and after seven years and $50 million (over $1 billion in today’s dollars), it was finally completed.
His success was short lived because in 1935 a hurricane with 200 mph winds raised a storm surge more than 17 feet above sea level that washed over the islands, killed more than 400 people, and destroyed much of the railroad. It was never rebuilt.
Today, disconnected sections of the railroad still stand. An eerie reminder that mother nature always has the last word.
As cars became more popular, an overseas highway was built that connects the islands and supports a bustling economy of (mostly) tourism. Much easier to maintain and rebuild than railroad tracks. And it allows those without a boat to visit this fantastic place!
One of our favorite places in the Keys was Key West, Florida’s southernmost point. The town was lively, with art and good food everywhere!
We walked and walked and took it all in. We sampled the local delicacies. Lobster was the definite specialty of this area. This roll was stuffed with large chunks of lobster meat. So delicious!
From Key West we took an adventurous side trip even further west…. All the way past the Marquesas Islands to the Dry Tortugas. Open water for most of a day. So remote that we expected to have no cell service for several days. How were we going to make sure the weather was okay? Dang, we should have bought that Starlink.
After hours of seeing no islands, no other boats, and yet…. lots of lobster/crab pots… we saw something. Land Ho! What was that on the horizon?
It was Fort Jefferson, which almost completely covers the main island of the Dry Tortugas. Here is an aerial view:
The fort was quite impressive, built between 1846 and 1875 to protect the nation's gateway to the Gulf of Mexico. The brick work was gorgeous. Definitely worth a visit!
We explored as much as we could. We hiked around the fort and watched the sea planes land. We snorkeled through the piers of the old coal docks until we tired of being followed by barracudas. Supposedly they are harmless, but their snaggly teeth hint at what they could do. Too creepy for us to hang out for too long!
We took the dinghy over to Loggerhead Island, which had a lovely lighthouse, long sandy beaches, and a better snorkeling reef. Supposedly.
I mean, look how clear that water is! Lots of reef and rocks for the fish to hang out in. The snorkeling should be great! And it was. But again, full of barracudas. Sigh….
After a few days at anchor, we headed back to civilization and met up with some friends at Bahia Honda State Park. It was so nice to share a meal and great conversation at sunset.
And, we made some new friends. The resident manatees came right up to our boat to drink the fresh water that was dripping off during a wash down. So cool! But wow, they really take some abuse from boat propellers. Several of these gentle creatures were missing chunks of their tails, and most had scars from encounters long ago.
After a few days there, we made our way up to Key Largo, where we got stuck for a few days due to high winds and challenging weather. But look who joined us!!!!
Yay! It was great to hang out with Malinda. We tried to make the best of a not-able-to-boat situation. We went to the History of Diving Museum. Fascinating!
We hung out by the pool, grocery shopped, went to a movie, and ate/drank our way through Key Largo. When life hands you lemons…. Drink fruity cocktails!
And best of all, we kayaked through John Pennecamp State Park. The mangrove trails were extensive. The water level view of this ecosystem was educational, entertaining, and awe inspiring! What a great day!
Malinda left us too soon. The day after she left, the weather lifted and we were out on the water again. Dang it. We really wished she could have anchored out with us.
We made our way North to stage for the crossing to the Bahamas. We had to wait a couple of days for a good weather window. But hey, a relaxing day or two at the pool isn’t such a terrible fate.
And then on February 1st, we were off! Bahamas here we come!
To see our current voyage path with Gary’s photos, click on this: G&P Voyage Map