"Keys Voices" author/editor Carol Shaughnessy (in shoe at left) and her friend Maria Newman try Sushi's shoe on for size. (All photos by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

That’s because, each year, the island city’s offbeat populace stages three wonderful warm-weather takeoffs on the fabled New Year’s Eve “ball drop” in New York’s Times Square: the “red shoe drop” featuring elegant drag queen Sushi in a super-sized red high heel, the “drop” of a giant manmade conch shell (the symbol of the Florida Keys) above legendary Sloppy Joe’s Bar, and the descent of a winsome pirate wench from the top of a majestic sailing ship’s mast in the Historic Seaport.

But before that happens each New Year’s Eve, Key West goes to the dogs. Dachshunds, to be precise. And this year, there were 227 of them — all parading down Fleming Street in the tail-wagging, smile-inducing annual Key West Dachshund Walk at noon Dec. 31.

The long-bodied, short-legged participants included miniature and standard dachshunds, many of them costumed or wearing offbeat accessories.

Esme O'Kelly carries her canine Duna, costumed as an iguana, during the Key West Dachshund Walk.

Among the standouts were a pair of dogs dressed as Green Bay Packers cheerleaders, “party animals” in feather boas and top hats, a floppy-eared Elvis impersonator, a “horse” with a cowboy doll rider, and a “newshound” dubbed Woof Blitzer — who wore a functioning video camera and shot dogs-eye footage of the wacky walk.

Key Wester Esme O’Kelly dressed her nine-year-old dachshund Duna as a bright-green iguana with a three-foot-long tail (the costume, Esme confessed, was constructed out of green fishnet stockings!). Duna, who didn’t seem to mind wearing it at all, ambled down the street attracting attention from hundreds of dachshund-loving spectators.

Later on New Year’s Eve, the focus turned from dachshunds to divas — led by the dazzling Sushi and covered live during Anderson Cooper’s New Year’s Eve show on CNN (for the ninth consecutive year, believe it or not!).

Sushi prepares to welcome 2012 during the New Year's Eve "drag queen drop" in Key West.

Thousands of revelers gathered on Key West’s Duval Street outside the Bourbon St. Pub/New Orleans House complex to watch the lavishly costumed Sushi “drop” in her high-heeled chariot.

“About 15 years ago we started a tradition here in Key West of me being lowered in a giant glittery red shoe, at the stroke of midnight, in full drag,” said Sushi, otherwise known as Key West resident Gary Marion.

An incredibly talented seamstress and costume designer, this year she created a vivid tangerine gown for the event. Its Victorian flavor was inspired by the upcoming centennial of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad.

CNN’s stellar John Zarrella, dashingly dressed in a tux despite the balmy weather, provided lighthearted commentary to viewers around the world as drag queens and dancers entertained before the “drop” — enthralling spectators that ranged from couples to seniors and families.

2012 got off to a wonderful start in the fabulous Florida Keys.

“When I was a little kid I never really dreamed about being in drag, let alone being lowered in a giant red heel,” Sushi admitted. “What a way to make a living, though — it’s fabulous.”

Seconds before midnight, the shoe and its passenger were lowered from the complex’s second-story balcony toward the cheering crowd below.

As midnight struck and 2012 officially began, Sushi landed and gleefully popped the cork on a ceremonial bottle of champagne.

Dachshunds, drag queens and lovely 70-degree temperatures even at midnight … what a way to welcome 2012!

And in the often magical Florida Keys, it’s a good bet that the rest of the year will live up to its kickoff.

Marine mammal rescuers tend to pilot whales at the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo shortly after a May 2011 stranding. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Whatever brings them to the Keys, dolphins, whales and manatees that need help find a willing and dedicated group of rescuers. Caring professionals and volunteers try to provide whatever these creatures need, so eventually they can be returned to their pods or home territory.

One of the top rescue organizations grew out of Key Largo’s Dolphins Plus, which was founded in 1979 and offered the first dolphin swim program in America. Over the next 20 years, it expanded and opened Dolphin Cove just a mile away. Both centers support the activities of two nonprofit organizations — Island Dolphin Care, where the staff works with high-risk people, wounded veterans and special-needs children; and the Marine Mammal Conservancy.

Established in 1995, the conservancy operates under a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service as a response and rehabilitation center for stranded marine mammals. In fact, it often takes the lead in efforts to save their lives.

The conservancy is one of 12 teams in the U.S. authorized under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to rehabilitate dolphins and whales. MMC personnel have been involved since 1987 — when the first federally authorized attempts were made to rehabilitate marine mammals.

A Marine Mammal Conservancy expert attempts to help two stranded whales in May 2011. (Photo by Mariela Care, Florida Keys News Bureau)

But that’s not all the organization does. The conservancy’s research program is working to develop a science-based model program for marine mammal rehabilitation and release. Plus, it provides important data to environmental researchers to help them understand the causes of strandings.

Working with other organizations, individual researchers and the National Marine Fisheries Service, MMC rehabilitates survivors of a stranding event — and, whenever possible, releases them back into their ocean home.

Another nonprofit, Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key, promotes peaceful coexistence, cooperation and communication between marine mammals, humans and the environment through research and education. A group of dolphins lives at DRC, including descendants of “Flipper” from the 1960s film.

DRC also is the Florida Keys’ licensed manatee rescue team, authorized by state and federal governments. Specially trained assessors, rescuers and medical personnel respond to sick, injured or orphaned manatees.

Mary Stella gets a kiss from one of Dolphin Research Center's resident dolphins. (Photo courtesy of DRC)

According to DRC’s Mary Stella, the response begins when a call comes in from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that a manatee is in trouble.

“DRC-trained personnel can perform an on-site assessment of the animal’s condition,” Mary explained. “Based on their report, if the decision is made that the manatee needs treatment, the DRC team can mobilize to help.”

One well-known manatee, Bonnie, is considered a “serial entangler” for her repeated encounters with monofilament fishing line. DRC’s first rescue, treatment and release of Bonnie occurred in April 1999. In 2003, she required a flipper amputation because of a deeply embedded and irreparable entanglement. She later recovered and was released.

Bonnie can navigate without a problem and has even raised manatee “kids,” but she has suffered additional entanglements over the years that led to more rescues and treatment.

Sea turtles too find help and healing in the Keys -- at the acclaimed Turtle Hospital. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

As well as getting tangled in improperly discarded monofilament line and other marine debris, manatees can be hurt in collisions with boats.

“It’s up to each of us out on the water to properly collect and dispose of any trash, and to slow down and look around for manatees when we’re on our boats,” said Mary Stella. “The public is the first line of defense — humans cause many of the problems encountered by manatees, so it’s incumbent on us to help them.”

FYI, marine mammals aren’t the only creatures that receive help in the caring Florida Keys. People and groups provide food, compassion and treatment for sea turtles, wild birds and even feral cats.

Fort Jefferson, lying on a tiny island in the Dry Tortugas nearly 70 miles west of Key West, is a favorite spot for visitors eager to snorkel the cool, clear waters. (Photos by Rob O'Neal)

In addition to the bear parties, my group enjoyed dinners at Mangoes, Antonia’s, Braza Lena, and Abbondanza Family Italian Restaurant. The days were spent on the Blu Q snorkeling and picnicking, visiting Fort Jefferson (one of the largest brick structures in North America, located 70 miles from Key West in the Gulf of Mexico), and walking and bicycling around historic Old Town Key West. The weather was splendid during their trip and a great time was had by all.

The Bear Fest bears also splashed in the pools at Big Ruby’s and the Island House, and watched the moon cross the sky while playing in the Bourbon Street pool and foam parties. (I would think it difficult to see the moon through mountains of foam — when you’re here, ask the Bourbon Street boys how one does it).

It was truly a weekend to be remembered. Next year’s Key West Bear Fest is set for Oct. 4-7, 2012.

The U.S.S. Spruance was commissioned at a sunset ceremony on Key West's waterfront. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Another event to remember took place Oct. 1. A new chapter in Key West’s nearly 200-year military history was written when the island hosted the commissioning of U.S.S. Spruance, the U.S. Navy’s most advanced destroyer. The sunset ceremony included the raising of the ship’s colors and a flyover by a Naval Air Station Key West fighter squadron.  This is the first time the subtropical island has hosted a Naval vessel commissioning — and it couldn’t have came at a better moment, just after the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” opened a new chapter of pride in serving our country.

October, by the way, contains a staggering number of events hosted by the candidates for king and queen of Fantasy Fest.  Recent highlights were an afternoon of music by our own Howard Livingston at Charlie Bauer’s Smokin’ Tuna Saloon, hosted by Dave Taylor, Cypress House general manager and candidate for king. Drop in sometime and enjoy a hidden treasure just steps from Duval Street.

Clockwork Orange won first place in the 2010 Headdress Ball. (Photo courtesy of Fantasy Fest)

Other candidate events included chocolate parties, wine tastings with the butterflies at the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory (one of our award-winning gay-owned attractions), dinners, fashion shows, and sailing adventures.

If you’re here for Fantasy Fest, don’t miss the 29th annual Headdress Ball on Oct. 25. It’s sponsored by the Key West Business Guild and held in a massive tent on the grounds of the former Atlantic Shores at Southernmost on the Beach. Attendees will be entertained by some of Key West’s finest, including recording artist and local entertainer Faith Michaels.

Speaking of Fantasy Fest, you and your favorite pet should start planning your costumes for the festival’s annual Pet Masquerade and Parade. The wacky costume contest for domestic pets and their people takes place at the Casa Marina Resort Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Time to start choosing your four-footed friend's Pet Masquerade attire!

Past competitors have included a leather-clad dog ‘driving’ a tiny hot rod, a ‘cocktail-loving’ cockatoo, a hairless cat in goggles, and an Asian ensemble starring a Great Pyrenees dog as a giant panda.

Let your imagination inspire you, and compete in the fun-filled event with your furred or feathered friend.

(After all, pets and their owners sometimes look alike, so now is your chance to dress alike too!)

I’m on the way to Atlanta Pride, but I’ll be back in plenty of time to frolic at Fantasy Fest. See you there!

Television nature host Jack Hanna (left} and Hanna's wife Suzi help Richie Moretti examine a loggerhead sea turtle. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

He had a small “Mom and Pop” motel in Marathon called Hidden Harbor. Richie and his girlfriend, Tina Brown, had begun filling the motel’s saltwater-fed pool with fish. There were tarpon, snappers, jacks, triggerfish, a small goliath grouper, Florida lobsters and a blowfish that followed Richie as he walked around the pool’s perimeter.

I asked why.

“Because I like getting up in the morning and going swimming with the fishes,” Richie replied.

I shook my head in wonderment — but what the heck. Even back then, I had begun to understand that the Florida Keys are a place of character and characters. Certainly Richie was (and still is!) a character.

One day he called me to say he was trying to get a Fish and Wildlife permit to keep a sea turtle. Again, I asked why.

Richie (center) displays a proclamation honoring The Turtle Hospital on its 25th anniversary. Shown with him are Florida Keys Mayor Pro Tem David Rice and Mayor Heather Carruthers. (Photo by Larry Benvenuti, Florida Keys News Bureau)

“We’re bringing in school groups now to teach kids the importance of preserving their marine environment,” Richie said. “I’ve had several requests to see one, because of this new cartoon that’s out there.”

I said he must mean the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

“Yeah, that’s it,” he agreed. “Those martial arts-fighting reptiles.”

Richie got his first turtle and then another.

Later, someone called to report a turtle that had been hit by a boat.

“Bring it here,” said Richie. “I’ll take care of it.”

Now, you must understand that Richie had no veterinary experience. He made his money in Orlando restoring Volkswagen Beetles. But that didn’t stop him. He managed to convince local vets to help out.

In September 1986, The Turtle Hospital was born.

One day, Richie was brought a turtle that had hideous cauliflower-like tumors over its head and flippers. He tried to find out what the problem was, but no one knew.

Sandy, shown here, was flown in to be treated at The Turtle Hospital after being injured by wild dogs. Eventually she was released back into her home territory.

He did learn that sea turtles around the world were washing up on shorelines with the same disease. Determined to do something about it, Richie contacted the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine. Vets there agreed to begin a research project.

Several years later the disease was identified as fibropapilloma, a herpes-like virus. It was discovered that, in many cases, the tumors could be removed and the turtles released back into the wild.

A place to do surgery was needed, so Richie purchased Fanny’s, a closed-down strip club next to his motel. He used his own money to gut the place and build a surgical suite, examination room, commons area, classroom and an upstairs apartment for visiting vets. The one item that didn’t get torn down was the dance pole in the middle of the building.

Since its opening, the hospital has treated and rehabilitated more than 1,200 sick or injured sea turtles and assisted tens of thousands of hatchlings gone astray after exiting their nests.

Sara, "the world's luckiest sea turtle," undergoes a final checkup by Richie (right) and other Turtle Hospital staff members before her release. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Among the most memorable patients was Kincaid, a sick 80-pound loggerhead sea turtle that managed to find its own way to the hospital. Kincaid swam near a dock just 20 feet from the hospital’s rehabilitation pools for several hours without leaving. Upon close examination, staff determined he had a bacterial infection, treated him and released him 10 weeks later.

It was a lucky coincidence that Kincaid found The Turtle Hospital. But one thing’s for sure: turtles don’t need health insurance when they come in. Each gets treated.

Turtles have arrived from all over the eastern seaboard and Caribbean. Sandy flew in on an American Airlines jet after getting attacked by wild dogs on a Virgin Islands beach. Less than a year later she was flown back, good as new, and released to lay her eggs.

Not long ago, Richie and everyone at The Turtle Hospital celebrated a very special moment. A loggerhead turtle named Sara was released, less than six weeks after she arrived with a diver’s spear in her head.

Former President Jimmy Carter (left) grins delightedly as he holds a juvenile green sea turtle at Marathon's Turtle Hospital. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Why anyone would want to do that is unfathomable. Loggerheads are endangered and federally protected. People in the Keys are not happy. They’ve raised a reward of more than $16,000 in cash, plus complimentary services — like eight hours of welding — for the tipster who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the imbecile that launched the spear into Sara’s head.

“This has to be one of the luckiest turtles in history,” said Doug Mader, the fulltime volunteer vet who works with the hospital’s staff of 12. “The spear went in just behind the ear, crisscrossed over the windpipe and lodged against the jaw on the other side. Quarter of an inch in either direction and that animal would be dead.”

Education remains a priority at The Turtle Hospital and tours are offered daily at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., with tour fees funding ongoing treatment programs.

Many famous folks have visited the hospital — including former President Jimmy Carter, who toured in 2010 and helped release a recovered turtle.

I watched in amazement as President Carter hung on Richie’s every word as he was shown the facility. He was unbelievably interested in the entire operation.

Jimmy Carter (right) and Richie help carry Danger, the loggerhead sea turtle, just before Danger's release. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

I credit that to Richie. He cares so much about sea turtles, and that concern is so infectious, that it’s impossible to walk away without getting “the fever.”

Recently, Florida Keys county commissioners declared Sept. 24, 2011, to be “Richie Moretti and The Turtle Hospital Day,” honoring 25 years of serving the marine environment.

“I don’t have grandchildren,” Richie told the commissioners. “These turtles are my grandchildren.”

No doubt about that.

At Dolphins Plus, dolphins Bob (left) and Jessica provide an affectionate Keys welcome.

In the Florida Keys, where dolphins are studied year-round, visitors to each of five centers can have a unique and wonderful encounter — sharing an in-water experience with these gentle animals while learning about them.

Before any in-water encounter, the facilities provide in-depth briefings that cover dolphin behavior, facts about the engaging creatures, and how to safely and respectfully interact with them. (FYI, during your encounter, don’t be surprised if the ever-curious dolphins use their sensitive bottle-shaped noses to give you the once-over — or present their chins to be scratched or even kissed.)

So where can you have an intriguing dolphin experience in the Keys?

Mandy Rodriguez, the guiding spirit behind Dolphin Research Center, shares some quality time with his buddies. (Photo courtesy of Dolphin Research Center)

Dolphin Research Center, mile marker (MM) 59 bayside on Grassy Key near Marathon, specializes in presenting marine mammal education and research programs to the public. Founded in 1984 as a nonprofit facility, DRC is home to a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions — most of whom were born there.

Enjoy daily narrated dolphin and sea lion behavior sessions and educational presentations to learn about marine mammals and the environment — plus interactive programs like Trainer for a Day, Researcher for a Day, swim and wade sessions and even the fun-filled Paint with a Dolphin.

At Dolphins Plus in Key Largo, Ocean Bay Drive at MM 100 oceanside, you can experience natural or unstructured swims with other participants and dolphins, structured swims or one-on-one interactive sessions with dolphins and sea lion encounters. Natural swim participants revel in the natural beauty and behavior of dolphins while snorkeling; structured swim participants follow a trainer’s instructions for hands-on interaction.

You’ll also find extended education programs, including Trainer for a Day and a three-day Dolphin Exploration Lab, that focus on a general study of dolphins and their habitats.

As well as dolphins, lively parrots and other creatures delight visitors to Islamorada's Theater of the Sea. (Photo courtesy of Theater of the Sea)

In addition, dolphin therapy programs are offered on the premises to individuals with disabilities and their families. Coordinated by the not-for-profit Island Dolphin Care, these remarkable programs involve educational, recreational, and motivational activities.

Islamorada-based Theater of the Sea, MM 84.5 oceanside, offers dolphin, sea lion and stingray swim programs, along with bottomless boat rides, parrot shows and continuous marine shows featuring dolphins and sea lions. Plus there’s a guided marine life tour that features tropical fish, sea turtle, alligator and crocodile exhibits — and don’t miss Theater of the Sea’s four-hour adventure boat tour, which includes a bay ride and snorkel time.

Dolphin Cove is a marine education and dolphin swim facility at MM 102 bayside in Key Largo. There you can choose from natural or structured swims, shallow water encounters in waist-deep water or Trainer for a Day programs that include dolphin interactions and a glimpse into marine mammal care and training.

Even small children can safely participate in magical dolphin encounters in some Keys centers.

Based at Hawk’s Cay Resort, MM 61 oceanside on Duck Key, Dolphin Connection offers a group of appealing dolphin encounter programs. Dolphin Discovery allows supervised contact with dolphins from a submerged platform, while Dockside Dolphins offers interactions without entering the water. You’ll also find a fascinating three-hour Trainer for a Day session that includes a behind-the-scenes look at dolphin training.

Of course, all five centers maintain high standards for safeguarding the physical and emotional health of the dolphins under their care, and the environment these creatures call home.

There’s no substitute for an unforgettable firsthand dolphin encounter at one of the places described here. But if you can’t make it down to the Florida Keys quite yet, click here for webcam previews from Dolphin Research Center, Dolphin Cove, and Island Dolphin Care.

Is this the face of a boot thief? (Photo by Joanne Denning)

I recognize her symptoms from the time, years ago, when I moved home to Key West with my then-boyfriend Gerry after 18 months in Nashville. In fact, I still can’t look at a moving van without twitching uncontrollably.

It all began with Clyde.

Nashville, Sept. 29. We hire a mover despite his peculiar nickname (Clyde the Magic Mover), and he asks how many boxes we have. Gerry and I are not fooled. We have moved before. We do what any other experienced householders would do. We lie.

Nashville, Sept. 30. Clyde the Magic Mover and his partner, Ezell (E´-zell), arrive. Both are in their mid-50s and so strong they have enough energy to joke as they lift our 300-pound couch into their moving van, a vehicle seemingly big enough to hold Sloppy Joe’s Bar.

When all our belongings are safely stowed, we hop in our car and follow the van south.

Exuberant blossoms add a lush beauty to Key West homes ... like our beloved cottage.

Key West, Oct. 1. Arriving at our new cottage during an island rain shower, we realize our attractive tropical yard is filled with tropical mud. Unfortunately, we must cross it to get the furniture in the back door.

Undaunted, we do what Keys residents have done for generations — we improvise. We lay a large board from the moving van over the mud. Clyde and Ezell speedily unload our household goods and disappear. With their board.

Key West, Oct. 2. While I wander the Historic Seaport, glorying in being back on my island, Gerry stays home to unpack. Unfortunately, another tropical shower turns our backyard into a mud puddle again. Carrying boxes in from the car, he removes his favorite cowboy boots and leaves them outside the back door so he won’t track mud inside.

Shortly afterward, he spots a floppy-eared puppy racing past the kitchen window with something in its mouth. At first he thinks the object is a dirty rag — but then realizes it’s one of his boots! Frantically, he gives chase but can’t catch the culprit.

After returning, I quickly headed down to the Historic Seaport.

When I get home, Gerry is pacing the kitchen (barefooted) muttering to himself. The remaining boot sits on the counter.

Gerry does not handle this kind of thing well. Indignantly he relates the boot-snatching episode. I collapse into a chair, laughing uncontrollably.

Later, as we dine on Key West pink shrimp at the Hogfish Bar, Gerry says,  “I’ve heard that animals do only what they need for survival. So why did that dog need my boot? He can’t wear it!”

We fantasize briefly about a local dog pack indulging in boot worship on Dog Beach beside Louie’s Backyard. I try to finish eating my shrimp, but can’t stop laughing.

Key West, Oct. 3. Gerry starts the day in his flip-flops. He’s not amused when I hum “These Boots Are Made for Walking.”

The missing boot reappeared behind the Southernmost Point marker, delineating the southernmost spot of land in the continental U.S. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Outside, savoring Key West’s tangy salt air, I begin chatting with two kids trying to crack a coconut on the sidewalk. Gerry unobtrusively searches the area for a boot.

Finally one of the kids says, “Mister, are you looking for something?”

Gerry relates the whole sorry tale.

The older kid grabs Gerry’s sleeve and urges him down Whitehead Street. There, behind the Southernmost Point monument, the boy indicates a boot. It’s muddy, bedraggled, and appears to have a few bite marks.

Gerry snatches it up with a glad cry.

Key West, Oct. 4. I bike over to Fausto’s Food Palace for groceries. On the way back, I encounter a puppy that looks suspiciously like the boot thief Gerry described. He’s carrying something in his mouth … but nevertheless, he manages to give me a wide canine grin.

Post author Julie Botteri (second from left) volunteers her time to help the Marine Mammal Conservancy care for three pilot whales. (All photos by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Front-row seats to view giant whale sharks, leaping dolphins, sea turtles being returned to the ocean after recovering from illness or injury? Yes, I am spoiled.

Recently, I had an enviable opportunity to give back — give my time, myself and my energy — as an in-water volunteer for the Marine Mammal Conservancy’s efforts to save three female pilot whales. The whales are recovering in Key Largo after surviving a mass stranding on May 5 in the Lower Keys shallows.

The four hours I spent helping those whales were some of the most precious of my life.

I joined a group of 20-plus volunteers at MMC for the 8 a.m. “shift” after a briefing about the whales’ condition, how to properly place our hands on their delicate dorsal and pectoral fins, and their expected behaviors.

Marine Mammal Conservancy veterinarian Pamela Govett (left) applies an antibacterial solution on the sunburned skin of a pilot whale during the whale's recovery at MMC's Key Largo headquarters.

Rarely seen by humans, pilot whales are deep divers, unfamiliar with shallow water — and with humans supporting them to make sure the blowholes they use to breathe are free of saltwater.

As we waited to enter the shallow pen, chatter among the group was hushed yet excited and full of positive energy. I wondered what personal motivation had brought us all together on this morning.

Quickly it became clear that everyone’s intention was the same, and unselfish — pure healing.

Some spent their week’s vacation doing several shifts. A woman who splits her time between Boca Raton, Fla., and California heard about the volunteer opportunity through the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and joined because she loves the Keys.

Hannah, a student in Miami, took time away from her job performing hearing tests on infants to be in the Keys. She admitted she was afraid of the water — but had been so inspired by the whales that she helped make “Please Volunteer” flyers to post around Miami, and displayed them on her car that she parked “in crazy ways” at the beach and elsewhere so people would notice them.

Brandon Paquin (left) holds the tail of a pilot whale while MMC veterinarian Micah Brodsky (center) draws blood. Assisting (at right) is Alexandra Epple.

Evans Raveneau, who stood beside me helping support the smallest of the female whales, said he’d recently lost his corporate job and was looking for a new direction, re-evaluating his purpose in life.

He was deeply moved from the first time we held the whale. “This is unbelievable,” he said, near tears.

No matter where we were from, our experience was equally memorable. As soon as you feel a pilot whale draw a full breath and its body shudder beneath your fingertips, it’s magical.

The whales’ musculature is pure power, with a presence and awareness in every fiber. My practice with Reiki energy makes me more attuned and sensitive of its abilities — but regardless, the amount of force that these whales use for propulsion is unmistakable.

MMC still needs volunteers to help with the whales' recovery. Here, vet Micah Brodsky (right) listens to one of the whales' gastrointestinal tract while volunteers support them.

As veterinarians and staff drew blood, applied antibiotics, tested respiration, heart rate and hearing, we held the whales firmly yet steady and calm. For the first time in my life, I saw a pilot whale eat from a tube, fart underwater and take a poop. Twice.

And I watched as the still-weaning youngster we cared for stretched and bent her tail to play “footsie” with her neighbor — just for the touch and reassurance that another of her kind was close by.

I recommend that everyone, scuba diver or not, take a moment and pay it forward. Give of yourself unselfishly to help another living thing survive, if only for a flicker in time. Reap the rewards of volunteering — they are huge.

To learn more about the Marine Mammal Conservancy’s efforts, and to volunteer your time, visit www.marinemammalconservancy.org.

Bob Coakley of the Marine Mammal Conservancy attempts to help two of the whales shortly after they were discovered stranded off Cudjoe Key. (Photo by Mariela Care, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Thursday, May 5, a massive stranding response team of skilled veterinarians, and volunteers — more than 500 strong — joined forces with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC) staff to save survivors of a pod of weakened pilot whales stranded in shallow Gulf of Mexico waters among mangroves near Cudjoe Key.

The nation’s eyes were trained on the people working feverishly to save survivors, who, among shifting sand bars, coral heads and changing tides, faced tenuous futures.

By Friday morning, seven live whales were safely corralled in a sea pen, a containment area functioning as a triage site.

Marine mammal rescuers begin to load one of the soon-to-released whales onto a barge for transport to the release site. (Photo by Bob Care, Florida Keys News Bureau)

A makeshift tent camp bustled with wetsuit-clad men and women charting vital signs, fielding calls from search and recovery boats (sadly, 14 whales perished), stockpiling food, water, trucks, transportation vehicles, boats, personnel and equipment.

Soon, there was a mobile veterinary laboratory.

During the flurry of activity, the whales remained calm.

Volunteers worked tirelessly in four-hour shifts, day and night, buoying the whales at the surface to breathe, keeping them wet and covered from the sun, hydrated and tube-fed with Pedialyte and a liquid chum.

Saturday, after collecting and analyzing blood and tissue samples, morphometrics (body measurements) and tagging dorsal fins with tracking devices, veterinarians deemed two male pilot whales viable to be released.

Watching the crane-laden barge gingerly hoist each of the two whales into slings was a breathtaking, nerve-wracking blip in time.

The first of the pilot whales is released into deep water off the Lower Keys. (Photo by Julie Botteri, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Slowly settling the whales on the barge’s deck, careful not to crush their heart and lungs beneath their own weight, teams kept them wet and covered in zinc to prevent blistering in the afternoon sun.

Zooming my camera within inches of the first-loaded whale, my breath caught — his giant doe eye rolled up at me, looked into me. I was awash in guilt over the strange situation he was in, amazed and blessed I could be so close.

“It’s going to be okay, buddy. Hang in there,” I said quietly.

Under way, volunteers sponged water over the whales’ delicate skin, while veterinarians monitored vital signs and respiration. The survival of these mammals was paramount.

Two of the five whales transferred to Key Largo's Marine Mammal Conservancy for rehab prepare to begin their journey in a refrigerated truck. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Finally, we reached 523 feet of water, nine miles offshore.

Videographer Bob Care and I boarded a small boat to record the release, as eight people grabbed the sling’s straps, maneuvering the whales forward to easily slip off the edge of the barge’s foam padding into the blue.

The first whale dived down, surfaced and popped his blowhole like a snorkel, pausing, almost beckoning to the second, “Are you ready? Let’s go.”

Immediately, the second whale entered the water. The pair dove deep and disappeared. It was magical. The group of us left watching at the surface waited a moment, then whooped and hollered. They’d made it!

Marine mammal rescuers tend to four of five pilot whales transported to the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Exhausted and exhilarated, volunteers returned to the pen area, greeted by the remaining five whales’ squeals and squeaky chatter — a reminder they are not out of the woods yet.

Early Tuesday, experts successfully transported these five to a rehabilitation center 82 miles away in Key Largo, in a temperature-controlled Publix Supermarkets’ semi-trailer. Unfortunately, one of them later got too sick to save.

Rehabilitation of the remaining four could take months, but perhaps Blair Mase, NOAA’s southeast stranding coordinator, best summed up the combined efforts to safely move the animals:

“It takes a village to save some whales.”

Couples in love can have a dolphin for their "best man" at Islamorada's Theater of the Sea. (Photo courtesy of Theater of the Sea)

In fact, in North America’s most popular dive destination, brides and grooms and their attendants can don gowns, tuxedos and scuba tanks to “take the plunge” into matrimonial adventure.

Scores of saltwater ceremonies are performed by Captain Spencer Slate of Atlantis Dive Center, a self-proclaimed “Justice of the Pisces” who has officiated at underwater weddings in the waters off Key Largo for more than 30 years. One of them even landed in the Guinness Book of World Records — and featured 110 divers, all wearing Halloween costumes!

Probably the Upper Keys’ most popular underwater nuptial niche is the nine-foot-high shrine of “Christ of the Abyss.” The 4,000-pound bronze statue stands in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, within the boundaries of Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. (FYI, Pennekamp was the first underwater preserve in the United States and recently celebrated its 50th birthday.)

The compelling statue is one of the most photographed underwater sites in the world. Its timeless features and welcoming arms, seemingly lifted in eternal benediction, make it a perfect place to exchange “I do’s.”

Tuxes, wedding gowns and discreet scuba gear are the proper attire for those diving into matrimony in the Florida Keys.

At Amy Slate’s Amoray Dive Resort, love is in the name. Yes, the resort’s moniker is a tongue-in-cheek blend of  “amore,” the Italian word for love, and “a moray” eel — one of the dive instructors’ friendly reef pets often seen on dives and during wedding ceremonies. If you’re ready to dive into matrimony, chances are you’ll fall in love with Amoray’s private charters, onboard parties and imaginative approach.

But you don’t have to be UNDER the water to have a unique water-themed wedding in the Upper Keys. At Islamorada’s Theater of the Sea, marine mammal fans can plan a ceremony with dolphins as part of the wedding party! Couples in love can reserve the park for an evening, and Theater of Sea’s trained staff will help choreograph dolphin behavior shows to their choice of wedding music.

For a real cetacean celebration, the bride can even arrive at the ceremony in a floating chariot accompanied by dolphins.

Of course, a unique marine-themed wedding deserves an equally unique honeymoon — and what better place than the world’s only underwater hotel?

Following an underwater wedding, consider honeymooning at the world's only underwater hotel -- located in Key Largo.

Located in Key Largo and called Jules’ Undersea Lodge, the fascinating honeymoon habitat has even been featured on television’s “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Honeymooning dive enthusiasts can spend the night there, with amenities including a gourmet meal prepared by a “mer-chef,” among the marine life of the Keys.

Imagine waking up on the first morning of your married life five fathoms beneath the sea, with vivid-colored tropical fish peering in the wide windows to share your happiness.

Want more info on wedding opportunities — underwater, offbeat or even traditional — in the romantic Florida Keys? Just say “I do” and click here.

Cristian (at left) and Giulio chill out with blog author Steve Smith at Key West's favorite Tree Bar.

My friend Cristian Medina spent the day with me last Saturday. We took my Italian Greyhound, Giulio, to the Tree Bar to visit Ramey the mixologist and have a glass of fresh-squeezed pink grapefruit juice.

We then strolled to Mallory Square for the sunset celebration and watched some of the performers. It was Cristian and Giulio’s first time at the sunset festivities — be sure to experience this on your next visit.

Over the last week I played host to a couple of travel writers. Paul Rubio from Fort Lauderdale spent a few nights on the island visiting some attractions, restaurants, and catching the nightlife. Paul contributes to Amazing Gay Travel on Mark’s List, Fodor’s, and several gay publications.

The Ghosts & Gravestones trolley carries passengers on a journey to Key West's spooky side. (Photo courtesy of Historic Tours of America)

Following Paul came the arrival of Gordon Hopps, the editor of London’s Bent Magazine. Gordon and his partner, Colin, last visited the Keys 20 years ago. Their Key West memories surged to the forefront and they were able to visit several of their haunts from their long-ago visit.

On Tuesday evening we “haunted” them with a nighttime Ghosts & Gravestones Frightseeing Tour. An hour before the tour, the island was mysteriously blanketed with a fog that swirled around the buildings and streets. Boy, did it add another dimension to the tour!

Many of us on the island have pets — birds, cats, fish, and of course dogs. I’ve been taking Giulio to Raul Hernandez’ dog school. Raul is truly a dog whisperer (and after two years of schooling, Giulio finally learned to drive … but that’s another story!).

Steve spotted this Key West flower about to open during one of his morning walks with Giulio..

Many of us travel with our pets and, in Key West, you and your four-legged family members are welcome at many guesthouses. I suggest that you ask about the pet policies, what additional deposits or cleaning fees there might be, and the size limit for pets.

Some of the properties that welcome our four-legged friends are the Chelsea House, the Equator Resort, the Island House, the Casa Marina and the Reach, Ambrosia Key West, and the Doubletree Grand Key Resort.

If you’re into sailing, take note that Key West Race Week celebrates its 24th year on the emerald and lapis Keys waters Jan. 17-21. This is a world-class sailing competition drawing teams from at least 15 countries and more than 24 American states. The horizon filled with colorful sails is a sight to behold.

By the next morning, it was in full bloom.

Speaking of sights, we have flowers here that bloom year-round. I spotted the bud pictured above one morning while I was walking Giulio, and the next day it popped open. Our orchids are in full bloom these days and soon the frangipani will burst with yellow, red, and pink blossoms.

This past Saturday was the annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival in a local park and the opening of the annual Sculpture Key West exhibition at three historic sites. It’s a busy period on the island, so until next time … cheers!