It’s February. Nobody seems sure whether that pesky groundhog saw his shadow or not — or what it means when he does. Whether you’re stuck in the snow belt or the “gray skies belt,” it’s a great time to escape to the pristine blue waters of the Florida Keys.

The bronze Christ of the Abyss sculpture is an iconic location for Keys divers and snorkelers. (Photo by Stephen Frink)

One of nature’s greatest wonders is a living coral reef — and the only one in the continental United States parallels the Keys. That means the island chain is an unbelievable place to learn to scuba dive.

Check out the facts here, and then consider heading to Florida’s southernmost islands to “take the plunge.”

WHO can learn to dive?

Any healthy, active person as young as age 10 can learn and enjoy the adventurous sport of scuba diving.

WHAT certification classes are available?

If you’re seeking entry-level certification, allow three to five days for training. Also called “Open Water” certification, this requires classroom work and pool training, followed by one or more open-water dives at the reef.

Once you pass a knowledge test and complete the required number of dives, you become a certified recreational scuba diver — eligible to rent dive gear and book dive trips with most operations worldwide.

Generally, basic certification covers depths to about 60 feet.

Divers explore the superstructure of the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg artificial reef off Key West. (Photo by Haig Jacobs/Florida Keys News Bureau)

Short on time? Use an online computer program to complete classroom work at home — dealing with concepts such as basic physics and physiology, and the importance of monitoring time and depth during a dive. (For some online courses, students must be at least 13 years old.)

Once that’s done, schedule time in the Keys to complete your water skills during open-water dives … and explore the reef.

HOW MUCH will it cost?

Scuba is an investment in adventure. The price varies, but a basic certification course generally runs a few hundred dollars.

When you’re researching professional dive operations, make sure you consider value versus price, what rental equipment is included in the cost, and whether or not you receive personalized, one-on-one service and training.

Snorkelers discover the undersea realm off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau)

WHERE do students receive their dive training?

The entire Keys are an unparalleled dive destination. Some of America’s very first businesses offering recreational dive training were opened in the Keys.

You can choose from dozens of dive operations staffed with working professionals. Keys dive instructors actively teach and train each day — not just seasonally.

Click a region here to see available professional dive facilities: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine and the Lower Keys, and Key West.

WHEN are classes offered?

In the Keys (unlike other U.S. destinations), year-round subtropical weather and clear, warm seas mean an ideal learning environment virtually any time of year — which sure beats learning to dive in a cold, dark quarry or lake up north.

WHAT’S the “classroom” like?

Training usually is conducted in small groups, allowing personalized or even one-to-one attention.

Training conditions at the Keys’ shallow barrier reef are nice and easy, with light currents and great underwater visibility. You’ll learn about ocean waves, marine life, beautiful corals and navigation around natural formations during a dive.

The Florida Keys' unparalleled natural beauty draws scores of snorkelers and divers to explore the living coral reef.

Ocean depths from the shoreline to the reef rarely reach 20 feet. The reef lives in waters as shallow as five feet and as deep as 50 feet, but most reef divers log a maximum depth of 20 to 30 feet.

Keys shallow diving means you can safely spend more time on the bottom, and colors are brighter and more vibrant because more natural sunlight reaches shallow depths.

WHY dive the Keys?

The Keys attract some of the world’s most diverse species of fish, and you also can enjoy a “wreck trek” of venerable historic wrecks and ships intentionally sunk to create artificial reefs. These artificial reefs are home to a huge variety of corals and fish.

In fact, Keys sites offer divers — from recreational to expert — the chance to experience the underwater world’s beauty, diversity and serenity.

And that’s awfully appealing … especially in February.

Topics: Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Environment, Highlights, Islamorada, Key Largo, Key West, Marathon, On the Water, Voices Main Archive

An early morning walk today with “blog dog” Giulio reminded me why I live on this island. Neighbor Nancy’s jasmine was in full bloom and fragrance, and her giant pencil cactus is reaching the sky.

Key West's vivid blossoms add color and fragrance to island neighborhoods. (Photo by Steve Smith)

Around the corner, the mango trees have sent out their bloom spikes so in days there will be tiny mangoes. Mounds of multicolor impatiens line our yards, and the Schomburgkia orchids are putting out their bloom spikes, which will be topped with golden and off-white flower clusters.

We also know that this time of year brings beautiful snorkeling, sailing, and sunset trips. The water is a bit cooler, calmer, and crystal clear.

Key West’s Fury Water Adventures offers a trip to suit virtually any need and budget. Start the morning with a snorkel trip to the reef. They furnish all equipment — you just need sunscreen and a towel — and after you snorkel, grab some sun on the sundeck.

If you don’t want to get wet, check out their glassbottom boat. It’s air-conditioned with sundecks, a snack bar, and restrooms. If you enjoy live music, then their “Commotion on the Ocean” is up your alley. Watch the sunset while dancing to live music, sipping a margarita or beer, and munching on hors d’oeuvres.

Key West’s Sebago offers the “Island Ting” combining snorkeling, kayaking, sailing and a buffet lunch. If wave-running and “flying” sounds like an exciting day, then consider the “Power Adventure.”

Key West even offers adventures in jetpack-powered flight! (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

We love to fly here in Key West and there are several options.  The Fury and Sebago both offer single and tandem (two flying at one time) parasailing. Another great option is the new Jetpack Adventures. After a brief training session, you strap on the jetpack and soar above the water. It’s like flying with the seagulls and pelicans.

For a more intimate and gay-focused water adventure, try the Blu Q’s day trip for the guys. Captain Steve and his crew will take you out to the backcountry on their catamaran for a day of dolphin watching, kayaking, snorkeling and a great lunch. A waterproof camera is a must so you can share the adventure with your friends back home. Also this trip offers clothing-optional tanning, so you might want sunscreen.

In the evening on the Blu Q, join your friends as you chase the sunset into the Gulf of Mexico. All are welcome on the sunset trip.

The women can enjoy trips with Captain Karen on Venus Charters. Originally a steel worker in Ohio, Captain Karen packed her bags and left the cold for the emerald waters of Key West. Venus Charters is the only women-only snorkel and dolphin-watching trip in the Keys. Captains Karen and her partner Debra take you out for dolphin watching, fishing, and snorkeling — and they’re also well known for commitment ceremonies on the water.

On Key West's gay trolley tour, passengers learn about the island city's LGBT sites, history and highlights.

If frolicking on the water is not your thing, hop aboard the Key West Business Guild’s Gay Trolley, running every Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. Learn intriguing facts about our colorful history and both the famous and infamous (though we feel there’s not much real infamy here on the island!).

Hosted by guild staffer Matt Hon, the tour will make you laugh, hoot and even holler (check this fun YouTube video of the tour). The trolley departs from the corner of Duval and Angela Streets, across from courtyard restaurant Mangoes.

By the way, for overall LGBT information about our southernmost paradise, visit the Business Guild’s website. You’ll find all the latest on events, lodging, dining, nightlife, attractions and much more.

Topics: Environment, Highlights, LGBT, On the Water

Talk about culture shock. I was a senior citizen when I first came to Key West to visit my daughter, who had already bridged the gap from midwestern city to the tropical island at the end of the line.

Blog author Katharine chats with world-renowned marine life artist Wyland, who lives in the Upper Keys.

The warm weather and lack of snow in midwinter were the least of the differences. Actually, I’d had enough of using the snow blower and starting the car just before going to bed in the hope that the darn thing would run in the morning.

The casual attitude (and dress) of those who lived in the Keys was a much greater change. But it was one I happily learned to live with as I returned to become a resident of the island chain.

One of the first things I noticed was the complete lack of age discrimination — or even recognition. Nineteen or 90, everyone was welcome everywhere. To paraphrase Jimmy Buffett, age in the Keys is a state of mind. To a senior from a traditional background, this was a remarkable fact.

Being in the younger stage of “seniorhood,” I was able to participate in almost everything the Keys offered. I drew the line at parasailing, but snorkeling was an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two and view the fish from another angle.

I soon noticed the scores of bicycle-riders on the streets of Key West, so one of my first stops was at a bike store. Emerging some time later, I was off to see the sights from the seat of my “conch cruiser.”

Toured by scores of visitors daily, the Hemingway property became a museum in 1964 and was recently designated a literary landmark. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

On that early adventure, there was so much to see — and so much to do. I was told that one must never leave the Keys without having something to drink at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, where Hemingway whiled away many hours and imbibed many such concoctions. Though I never planned to leave, I felt compelled to follow tradition and stop in. And speaking of Hemingway, I had to see his house, where he worked, and his six-toed cats. Just another bicycle ride down the street.

Exploring the Key West Bight, filled with shrimp boats, was another must. Today it’s filled with sailboats and excursion craft, but is still an enthralling sight.

My legs were feeling the strain of pedaling, so I returned to my car for the drive to midtown. There I was able to find Tennessee Williams’ house — which was smaller than I had anticipated, but its red shutters made it stand out.

During the next few weeks I explored Bahama Village, where some of the original Key West settlers lived. I even ventured into another watering hole, Captain Tony’s Saloon, where Tony Tarracino still held court, for an alcoholic treat.

And since then, I have never ceased marveling at the sunset, the people, and the climate of my favorite place in the world.

Katharine and her husband Joe (far right) quickly met senior (and younger) Ernest Hemingway Look-Alikes in Key West for an annual contest.

Today Key West has changed in many ways. The streets are busier, with more shops and restaurants for visitors and residents to enjoy. There are more resorts and hotels, and more visitors, who please local merchants by leaving behind a fair quantity of dollars.

And I don’t ride a bicycle anymore.

But the wonderful attitude, the laid-back lifestyle that’s truly Caribbean, remains throughout the island chain. It still doesn’t matter if you’re 20 or 90 — you’re still welcome and there’s still plenty to see and do.

The Keys lifestyle is what I will be discussing in this column during the next months. The opportunities that are here for seniors, just for the taking. The sights, the activities, and the wonderful, quirky atmosphere that belongs to the Keys and the Keys alone.

You’ll see entries from me in this space around the middle of each month — and probably more often as time goes on. So keep checking back, and keep reading!

Topics: Key West, Local Color, Senior Adventures, Voices Main Archive

For some people, “seeing stars” means spotting Angelina Jolie on a Manhattan street or Johnny Depp at an Aspen ski lodge. But for some 600 amateur and professional astronomers from around the world, “stars” have a meaning that’s literally light years away from the realm of Hollywood celebrities — and the best place to see them is in the Lower Florida Keys.

Astronomers flock to the Lower Keys each winter to view stars and constellations that can't be seen from anywhere else in the U.S. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

In fact, the Lower Keys are so well known as a stargazer’s paradise that, each year for more than 25 years, the tranquil region has been the site of an annual gathering called the Winter Star Party.

The event’s primary draw for astronomers is the incredible number of southern constellations, comets, stars and other celestial objects that are visible from the Florida Keys — thanks to the Keys’ southern location and relative absence of large-scale artificial lighting at night.

“The Florida Keys are an ideal place to do this conference because at this latitude, 24.5 degrees, we can see down to minus 65 degrees on the horizon,” said event founder Tippy D’Auria, an international lecturer and astro-photographer. “It’s so far south that it enables the viewer to see things farther down in the Southern Hemisphere than they can see from anywhere else in the country.”

An easygoing man who is also world-renowned for his knowledge of volcanoes, Tippy has even led an expedition to the volcanoes of Costa Rica for the filming of a National Geographic documentary called “Volcano Hunters.”

Winter Star Party founder Tippy D'Auria is a well-known astronomer, astro-photographer, lecturer and volcano expert. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

But in February each year, it’s stars that are on his mind — and on the minds of scores of other astronomers, astro-photographers, telescope makers and more.

This year, they’ll gather Feb. 20-26 at a Girl Scout camp on the aptly-named Scout Key for the 28th annual Winter Star Party — hosted, as always, by Miami’s Southern Cross Astronomical Society. Founded in 1922, the SCAS is one of the oldest amateur astronomical societies in the Western Hemisphere.

What do you DO at a Winter Star Party?

During the day, participants can attend lectures and presentations by nationally recognized astronomers and guest speakers, shop for astronomy equipment from on-site vendors, compete in photo contests, vie for prizes and share insights with fellow astronomy aficionados. There are even special camp activities set up for young astronomers.

Featured speakers at the 2012 gathering include award-winning author and astronomer Stephen James O’Meara, whose books include the truly fascinating Deep-Sky Companion series, astronomer and telescope maker Mike Lockwood, astro-photographer and event director Tim Khan, solar system research and planetary photography specialist Dr. Donald C. Parker and of course Tippy D’Auria.

This amazing shot was taken by Dean Schwartzenberg during the 2009 Winter Star Party. (Photo courtesy of SCAS)

A few years back, the gathering’s headliner was Dr. F. Story Musgrave, the only NASA astronaut to have flown on five space shuttle missions — and NASA’s lead astronaut for space walking for more than 25 years.

But no matter how intriguing the speakers’ presentations might be, the Star Party action really heats up when the sun goes down. That’s when the covers come off the expensive, highly prized telescopes — some of them so massive that it’s necessary to climb a ladder to gaze through their lenses — and the heavens come alive for those whose passion is viewing them.

When that happens, trust me, nobody’s thinking about Johnny or Angelina at all.

Topics: Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Environment, Events, Highlights, Voices Main Archive

February is bringing great groups of visitors to Key West — and for us locals, that means great energy across the island, lively nightclubs, events almost every week, fabulous live music in the bars, and an opportunity to show off our southernmost home.

Randy Roberts displays mega-talent during performances at Key West's beloved La Te Da.

For example, Pearl’s Patio is featuring Susie Comet, the Joe Tenuto Band and Chief Billy & Bob Paul. Stop in at 525 United St. and join the fun. Pearl’s Key West, a full-service resort just a block from the Atlantic Ocean, was originally a women-only property. Today, while it’s gay oriented, it now welcomes everyone at Pearl’s Patio and during guest hours.

Around the corner is La Te Da, one of our internationally famous meccas. Serving guests and locals for more than 30 years, La Te Da offers the streetside Terrace Bar, the By George Piano Par and the Crystal Bar in the upstairs cabaret.

When you’re enjoying the sounds of Dave Bootle or Debra and Patrick, you’ll want to hit the dance floor. While there you will be watched over by a 1905 tapestry of King George V hanging in a place of honor over the bar. Upstairs in the Cabaret at La Te Da, you’ll enjoy the talents of world-class impersonators during Randy Roberts LIVE and Christopher Peterson’s EYECONS. (Check the calendar so you can plan your evenings around some of the best entertainment on the island.)

Down the street, we will soon be crowning Key West’s Queen of Mardi Gras upstairs at the 801 Cabaret. At 7 p.m. Feb. 16, the pageant will kick off with great performances, gowns, and more fun than you can imagine.

Blog writer Steve Smith really sinks his teeth into Key West's activities and attractions!

Join in the Mardi Gras festivities across the street at the Bourbon St. Pub, our club that brings a taste of New Orleans to the island. After the Feb. 16 kickoff, the fun runs through a Mardi Gras Pub Crawl on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 21. As always, the event benefits a local charity, the Sister Season Fund.

If you’re looking for a slightly quieter spot for a romantic cocktail, stop by the Point5 Cocktail Club upstairs at 915 Duval. There’s a great balcony overlooking the Duval Street action, and you can savor $5 premium beverages and gourmet pizzas every day from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Then enjoy a leisurely evening on the side porch of the dignified Victorian house-turned-restaurant, sharing plates of tapas prepared by an award-winning chef who has served his specialties for the James Beard Foundation.

For another great Key West experience, stroll down Duval Street to tiny Charles Street and the Smokin’ Tuna Saloon. One of our unique restaurant and entertainment facilities, the Tuna serves a variety of fresh seafood, oysters, dinners and starters — while top bands play live music.

The girls of Mama's Black Sheep are headed baaaaa-ck to Shanna Key.

If you feel like crossing the pond (i.e., traversing the Garrison Bight Bridge), check out Shanna Key Irish Pub, Grill, and Sports Bar. Shanna Key is the spot to watch your favorite American and European sports on two big-screen and nine HD televisions.

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, the hot girls’ group Mama’s Black Sheep returns to perform till midnight in celebration of singer Ashland Miller’s birthday. Don’t know who Mama’s Black Sheep is? Take one guitar, a bunch of drums, two amazing voices, a dash of humor, a touch of love, and strong musicianship. Mix and stir, and you have this terrific group.

On a personal note, my husband Paul can often be found at Shanna Key enjoying fish and chips. An expat Brit, he chooses Shanna Key’s fish and chips as his island favorite.

So until next time, have fun, enjoy our watering holes and restaurants, and keep an eye out for me!

Topics: Events, Food, Key West, LGBT, Local Color, Restaurant Picks, Topics

The official Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad centennial celebration ended Jan. 23 (and it was a great joy to be part of the once-in-a-lifetime event). But even though that date has passed, you can still explore sites, exhibits and landmarks recalling the world-renowned railroad that, in 1912, connected the Keys with mainland Florida for the first time.

Visitors to the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House examine the exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the debut of Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

For example, check out “Flagler’s Speedway to Sunshine,” a permanent exhibit at the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House. Fascinating for railroad buffs, history aficionados, kids and anyone who loves the Keys, the exhibit showcases the construction, heyday and demise of the railroad once called “the eighth wonder of the world.”

At the impressive red-brick museum, you’ll find a re-created railway car, a replica section of the Old Seven Mile Bridge that was the Over-Sea Railroad’s centerpiece, vintage footage of the train trip from the Middle Keys to Key West, a film spotlighting railroad creator Henry Flagler and the first train’s arrival in Key West, and MUCH more.

In a new exhibit section, you’ll discover Key West’s Prohibition era, the Great Depression, and even the 1935 hurricane that severely damaged parts of the railroad and helped end its reign. Also featured are the history of Key West’s Casa Marina, the jewel of Flagler’s resort hotels, and even family albums and memorabilia from Ernest Hemingway’s life in Key West during the 1930s.

Railroad and history buffs can visit the former Over-Sea Railroad work camp at Pigeon Key, lying beneath the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The museum is far from the only place you can experience the history of the fabled Over-Sea Railroad — whose track, by the way, stretched more than 100 miles out over open water. Near Marathon in the Middle Keys, a railroad heritage site called Pigeon Key lies beneath the Old Seven Mile Bridge, providing an eye-opening window on Keys life a century ago.

Just over two miles west of Marathon, five-acre Pigeon Key was home to more than 400 workers who built the railroad in the early 1900s. The island was a base camp with a commissary and one-room school during the Seven Mile Bridge’s construction from 1908 to 1912.

Today many of Pigeon Key’s original railroad buildings and houses still stand — and it’s no surprise to find that the tiny, pristine speck of land is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also has a museum that chronicles the construction of the amazing railroad, and daily historic tours are offered.

Costumed artists and re-enactors celebrate the debut of Key Largo's mural inspired by the Over-Sea Railroad centennial. (Photo courtesy of Cris Sandifer)

Combine your Pigeon Key expedition with a boat ride by taking the ferry from a visitor center at Knight’s Key, located at mile marker 47 on the west end of Marathon.

Even if you can’t explore Pigeon Key or the Key West exhibit, you’ll glimpse plenty of reminders of the Over-Sea Railroad simply by driving through the Keys on the Overseas Highway — which evolved from the railroad itself. For example, near mile marker 95 bayside in Key Largo stands an intriguing outdoor mural, recently painted by artists from the Upper Keys’ Art Guild of the Purple Isles and Keys high school art club students.

The hand-painted mural measures 60 feet long and 11.5 feet high, and depicts an Over-Sea Railroad passenger train steaming across an arched bridge that looks a lot like the Long Key Viaduct. In the sky is a full moon adorned with the face of railroad visionary Henry Flagler.

And speaking of bridges, it’s easy to spot many of the original railroad bridges alongside the spans supporting the modern Florida Keys Overseas Highway — the contemporary connection from mainland Florida through the Keys — that follows the trail blazed by Flagler a century ago.

Topics: Events, Highlights, History, Key Largo, Key West, Marathon, Voices Main Archive