Some people, whether kids or seniors, don’t realize the significance of the date April 23, 1982, to Key West and the Florida Keys. But believe me, the date was, (and still is!) supremely significant. That’s the day the island chain seceded from the union and formed the Conch Republic.

Even NBC "Today" weatherman Al Roker (left) and anchor Matt Lauer are fans of the irreverent Conch Republic. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Seems the U.S. border patrol was determined to apprehend illegal immigrants entering the United States through the Keys. So they set up a roadblock at the junction of U.S. 1 and Card Sound Road in Florida City. Inspection of every car took time and resulted in a humongous traffic jam from Florida City to Key Largo. As a result, the tourism industry suffered a blow that could have been devastating. The powers that be in the Keys were not amused — in fact, they were incensed and protested vehemently.

Secession was only undertaken after all other attempts to relieve the situation failed. But on April 23, Key West and the Florida Keys staged a ceremonial secession from the union and named themselves the Conch Republic. The well-attended event was held on Front Street adjacent to Key West’s popular Mallory Square.

The late Wilhelmina Harvey, then an active 70-year-old and mayor of Monroe County, was appointed Admiral of the Conch Republic Navy. Other officers included attorney David Paul Horan as Secretary of the Air Force, and then-Key West mayor Dennis Wardlow as Prime Minister. War was declared against the United States, and shots of stale Cuban bread were fired at the U.S. Navy (which still has a base here).

In 1982, hundreds gathered to watch the historic secession ceremony and birth of the independent Conch Republic.

The Conch Republic surrendered, and immediately requested foreign aid. Additional officials were appointed ambassadors to such places as Miami, Texas, and Hawaii. Soon citizens of the Conch Republic even had border passes and passports.

No foreign aid was forthcoming, but the border patrol realized the embarrassing situation it had created and removed the blockade. Once again tourism flourished. Of course, because Keys residents love any kind of festival, Conch Republic Days became an annual celebration.

In 1990 Captain Tony Tarracino, another active senior citizen and mayor of Key West, appointed Peter Anderson the official Secretary General of the Conch Republic, a post he holds to this day. The festival was renamed the Conch Republic Independence Celebration, and businesses in the downtown area enthusiastically hosted zany events, such as a bed race down Duval Street.

Captain Finbar Gittelman is the Admiral and First Sea Lord of the Keys' spirited Conch Republic Navy. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Among the festival highlights is the great battle for the Conch Republic, when Key West’s tall ships fire water balloons and other offbeat “weapons” at Coast Guard vessels. The battle is led by Finbar Gittelman, current Admiral and First Sea Lord of the Conch Republic, another senior who is the real-life captain of the Schooner Wolf.

The Conch Republic still issues passports (years ago, Secretary General Anderson even used his when traveling). The tiny “fifth world nation” has its own flag, too, that can be seen flying from homes and businesses all over town.

Key West is noted for its unique attitude and lifestyle. And in Key West, age is a state of mind. So, seniors, secede from your usual activities and join in the celebration of the Conch Republic — set this year for April 19-28. You’ll have a rollicking good time!

Topics: Events, Festivals, Highlights, History, Quirks, Senior Adventures

Just 21 years after Christopher Columbus landed in the New World in 1492, an adventurer named Ponce de Leon and his crew were searching for the fountain of youth when they spotted the Florida Keys. The day was Sunday, May 15, 1513.

Fort Jefferson lies on a tiny island in the Dry Tortugas nearly 70 miles west of Key West. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas chronicled the moment for posterity: “To all this line of islands and rock islets they gave the name of Los Martires (The Martyrs) because, seen from a distance, the rocks as they rose to view appeared like men who were suffering.”

It wasn’t long before the Keys came to symbolize easygoing relaxation instead of suffering — but de Leon’s discovery was the event that (literally) put the island chain on the map.

There’s no record of anyone on the ship coming ashore during that early sighting, but that wasn’t the end of de Leon’s adventuring in Keys waters. On June 21, he and his shipmates encountered a group of islands they named Las Tortugas (The Turtles) for the large number of tortoises they harvested there.

Visitors to the Dry Tortugas can snorkel the clear turquoise waters surrounding the majestic fort. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

These days, modern explorers can follow de Leon’s lead and visit the seven tiny coral-and-sand islands (now known as Dry Tortugas National Park) that lie 68 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico — by taking a seaplane or ferry excursion.

The park is nothing short of breathtaking. Visitors can spend their time snorkeling amid beautiful coral formations and tropical fish, viewing rare migratory bird species, and touring Civil War–era Fort Jefferson, the park’s awe-inspiring centerpiece.

Fort Jefferson, by the way, was begun in 1846 and ultimately became one of the largest brick structures in the entire Western Hemisphere. During the Civil War, its remote location made it a perfect Union military prison for captured deserters and others — including Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was exiled there after setting the broken leg of Abraham Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth.

The museum's centerpiece is a detailed, 11-foot-diameter scale model of historic Fort Jefferson. (Photo by Carol Tedesco, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Because this year marks the 500th anniversary of de Leon’s discovery of the Keys, events are taking place around the island chain to celebrate it.

One of the most important was the early March opening of a Key West museum that spotlights the amazing history and natural wonders of Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson — offering visitors an easily accessible introduction to one of America’s most remote national parks.

The museum is called the Dry Tortugas and Key West Bight Interpretive Center, and you can check it out at 240 Margaret St. on the Key West Bight (a natural deep-water harbor on the island’s Gulf of Mexico side).

The most fascinating thing you’ll see at the museum is an 11-foot-diameter scale model of Fort Jefferson as it appeared in the 1870s — lovingly created by a local artist and truly astonishing in its scope and detail.

Tortugas visitors can view breathtaking vistas of seemingly endless sea and sky. (Photo courtesy of Yankee Freedom)

There’s also a 30-foot-long photomural of the bight’s historic highlights, a tableau featuring a life-size replica of Dr. Mudd, and a hands-on children’s exhibit where kids can learn about the natural resources of the park.

The museum is operated by Yankee Freedom, whose ferry is the only commercial boat licensed to carry passengers to Dry Tortugas National Park. It’s open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and admission is free.

Whether you travel to the Dry Tortugas, explore the new museum in Key West or (ideally!) do both, you’ll be following in the footsteps of Ponce de Leon. And let’s face it — that’s a very fitting way to salute the man who, 500 years ago, discovered the Florida Keys.

Topics: Highlights, History, Key West, Local Color, Voices Main Archive

A treasure trove of history is hidden in the waters surrounding the Florida Keys — contained in shipwrecks including Spanish galleons that sank while carrying the wealth of the New World home to Spain in 1622, a slave ship bound for England after offloading its tragic human cargo, and many others.

The mariner's astrolabe, a rare navigational instrument, was recovered from a 1622 Spanish galleon shipwreck off Key West. (Photo courtesy of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum)

All of these shipwrecks have stories to tell — stories that help create a picture of the unique seafaring culture that defines the Florida Keys. And when they’re excavated by expert underwater archaeologists and studied by historians, each shipwreck has priceless knowledge to contribute about the patchwork heritage that shaped Florida.

Believe it or not, 2013 marks the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon’s discovery of Florida and the Keys. To celebrate that anniversary, this month Key West’s Mel Fisher Maritime Museum — which contains artifacts from Keys and Caribbean shipwrecks that date back nearly 500 years — is presenting a series of sure-to-be-fascinating programs on some of the stories their shipwrecks can tell.

For example, on March 6, the 200 Greene St. museum will host a free-admission big-screen presentation of the National Geographic program, “Atocha: Quest for Treasure,” in the museum courtyard.

A diver examines gold bars and chains on the site of the Atocha shipwreck about 35 miles off Key West. (Photo by Pat Clyne, Mel Fisher Maritime Museum)

The museum, FYI, contains the richest collection of 17th-century maritime and shipwreck antiquities in the entire Western Hemisphere — including treasures and artifacts from the Spanish galleons Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita, which sank off the Florida Keys in a 1622 storm.

Much of both galleons’ precious cargo was recovered in the 1970s and ‘80s by pioneering shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher, who founded the museum.

A special question-and-answer session will follow the screening — with the answers provided by some of the men and women who were directly connected to Mel’s amazing treasure find.

Two days later, March 7, the museum delves into the history of a land-based site: the first New World location documented in the voyage of Ponce de Leon. The free multi-media presentation, also taking place in the museum courtyard, is titled “Calusa Mounds: Where the Old and New Worlds Collided.”

Archaeologist Corey Malcom conserves a shipwreck artifact in the museum's lab. (Photo by Dylan Kibler, courtesy of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum)

On Saturday, March 9, the museum’s director of archaeology, Corey Malcom, will host “Solving a Sunken Mystery,” a lecture and behind-the-scenes tour of the on-site archaeology lab where artifact conservation and historic research take place.

His presentation will reveal the intense ongoing efforts to document the wreck of the Spanish vessel Santa Clara, which sank in Bahamian waters in 1564 — just 51 years after the discovery of Florida and the Keys.

Excavated by the museum’s team, along with a group called St. Johns Expeditions, the Santa Clara is one of the earliest and most complete Spanish shipwrecks ever found in the Western Hemisphere.

“We have discovered this ship was associated with key figures in the colonization of the New World, including Pedro Menendez, the Spanish admiral and explorer who founded St. Augustine in 1565,” said Corey Malcom.

Admission to “Solving a Sunken Mystery” is $20 per person (a small price for such a unique offering!) and includes admission to the museum.

Each artifact being conserved in the museum's lab has information to contribute to the story of the Keys and the New World. (Photo by Dylan Kibler, courtesy of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum)

If you can’t be in Key West for these fascinating programs, you can still explore the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum whenever you get to the southernmost city. Wandering through its exhibit galleries, you’ll discover objects recovered from the Atocha, Margarita and other shipwrecks.

These incredible objects include a fortune in gold, silver bars and coins, a gold chain valued at more than a quarter of a million dollars, a horde of contraband emeralds, intricate jewelry, weapons and navigational instruments.

Each of these rare items contributes a part, small or large, to the stories shipwrecks tell. And those stories, in turn, add enormously to the richness of the past 500 years in Florida … and especially the Keys.

Topics: Events, Highlights, History, Key West, On the Water, Voices Main Archive

If you’re addicted to the adrenaline rush that comes from experiencing new adventures, then head for the Florida Keys. Why? Because two watersports activities in Key Largo and Islamorada are pretty well guaranteed to get your heart pumping and make you grin with sheer delight.

The Spiegel Grove (bow shown here) draws dive aficionados from all over the world.

For example, Key Largo boasts a playground for advanced- and wreck-certified divers: the 510-foot U.S. Navy ship Spiegel Grove. The vessel has welcomed trained divers since June 2002, when the Key Largo community rallied to sink it as the backbone of a new reef ecosystem.

Designed to carry cargo and craft for amphibious landings, the Spiegel Grove operated from 1956 until its decommissioning in 1989, and helped enforce America’s Cold War strategy by rushing troops and equipment to support friendly governments.

These days, it has a completely different “duty” — enthralling divers as the world’s third largest ship ever intentionally sunk to make an artificial reef.

The Spiegel Grove rests in 130 feet of water about six miles off Key Largo. Enveloped by delicate corals and invertebrates, the top deck of the venerable vessel is about 60 feet below the ocean’s surface. The ship is so wide that, on many days, the view of the superstructure will fade into a green-blue abyss. On the clearest days, however, the sandy bottom is visible.

For wreck divers who intend to enter the upper deck areas of the Spiegel Grove (which were specially prepared to lessen the risk of such activity), knowledge and proof of certifications regarding diving in overhead environments is required.

Diving the Spiegel Grove is an adventure in a mysterious subsea realm. (Photo by Fraser Nivens, Florida Keys News Bureau )

Want to embark on a Spiegel Grove adventure? Click here for a wealth of information about Key Largo diving.

If you’re interested in combining two enticing activities into one, then check out a pair of new offerings from Islamorada’s Paradise Hang Gliding, the Keys’ only year-round tandem hang gliding attraction.

They’re called the Over/Under and Fly-n-Dive Ultimate Adventure — and they include a breathtaking scenic flight above Florida Bay and the Florida Straits, followed by a snorkel or dive excursion into the blue waters that surround the Upper Keys.

Paradise Hang Gliding operates daily (as long as the weather cooperates, which it usually does in the Keys!) from Whale Harbor Marina on the Atlantic Ocean in Islamorada. The towboat can carry up to six eager gliders, and flights are generally scheduled for 10 a.m., noon, and 2 and 4 p.m.

So how does it work? One person at a time accompanies tandem instructor and owner Scot Trueblood during the flight — ascending to either the standard 1,500-foot height or to the even more adrenaline-stirring 2,500 feet.

Soaring over Upper Keys waters is guaranteed to provide an exuberant adrenaline jolt. (Photo courtesy of Paradise Hang Gliding)

The glider is towed aloft by a custom aquagliding boat and the line is released at the selected altitude — and then, the magic takes over as fliers soar silently in a state-of-the-art glider fitted with pontoons just like a seaplane. (FYI, a GoPro Hero 2 HD glider-mounted camera catches all the action, so you can relive your flight afterwards and share the excitement with friends.)

Once you come back down to earth (literally!), you can enjoy a snorkel excursion to learn about reef ecology and fish identification, or join a two-tank dive trip with Florida Keys Dive Center to a local wreck or reef. Both options provide a wonderful “immersion” in the Florida Keys’ amazing underwater realm.

Want to know more about the soar-and-submerge packages? Visit www.paradisehanggliding.com.

By the way, these are only two of the adrenaline-producing adventures awaiting you during a Keys vacation. To explore more intriguing activities, just click here.

Topics: Highlights, Islamorada, Key Largo, On the Water, Voices Main Archive

“My grandfather once said that presidents shouldn’t have descendants,” revealed Clifton Truman Daniel, “because those descendants would spend the rest of their lives having people think they should live up to their ancestors.”

Viewing Truman memorabilia at the Little White House are (from left) Donald A. Nixon, Margaret Hoover, Susan Ford Bales, Clifton Truman Daniel and Lynda Johnson Robb. (Photo by Carol Tedesco, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Nevertheless Clifton, whose grandfather was former U.S. president Harry S. Truman, is glad commanders-in-chief DO have descendants. And so are four other presidential relatives — who recently joined him to give a lively presentation at Key West’s Harry S. Truman Little White House Museum about the challenges and benefits of their heritage.

Who where they? Gerald Ford’s daughter Susan Ford Bales, an exuberant advocate of health issues who has a great sense of humor; Lynda Johnson Robb, Lyndon Johnson’s confident daughter (and the former first lady of Virginia); Richard Nixon’s cheerfully offbeat nephew Donald A. Nixon and Herbert Hoover’s poised great-granddaughter Margaret Hoover, a CNN political commentator.

The five of them shared memories and personal glimpses in a discussion titled “Out of the Fishbowl, Back to the Pond.” Mostly, they focused on the lifelong issues “first children” face in preserving both their own individuality and their families’ presidential legacy.

In Key West, Truman conducted important business away from the pressures of Washington. (Photo courtesy of the Little White House Museum)

(By the way, Key West’s Little White House was the perfect setting for their presentation. Not only did Truman spend 11 working vacations there during his 1945-1953 administration, but the house has also welcomed former presidents Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.)

Susan Ford Bales, who was a high-school and college student during her father’s 1974-77 White House tenure, stressed the need to establish an identity that was separate from his.

“Continuing his legacy is wonderful and I’m honored to do it,” she explained, “but there are some days that I just want to be me.”

She recalled beginning a photography career while her father was president, working as a part-time Associated Press photographer in college, and doing everything she could to get a shot of Elvis Presley when he was vacationing near her in Colorado.

The presidential descendants shared tales, memories and laughter during their Key West presentation. (Photo by Carol Tedesco, Florida Keys News Bureau)

“The only time he went out was to go snowmobiling at night,” said Susan.

But she wasn’t willing to stay awake all night waiting for him to appear. So, with rare foresight, she primed her Secret Service agents to alert her when Elvis left his condo.

“Having Secret Service agents … helps you do your job sometimes,” she quipped.

Lynda Johnson Robb, who got married during her father’s 1963-69 term, spoke of “that constant yin and yang between respecting what they did and doing your own thing.”

Her life as “first daughter” had its bizarre moments. For example, she remembered seeing a newspaper story whose breaking news was the fact that she lost one of her false eyelashes in an elevator!

And while she went on to accomplish significant things in her own right, Lynda admitted she was pretty sure the first line of her eventual obituary would read, “Daughter of …”

Harry Truman's former Little White House in Key West is now a world-renowned museum. (Photo courtesy of the Little White House Museum)

What advice did she and Susan offer for current presidential daughters Sasha and Malia Obama? Lynda said she hopes they’re enjoying their White House years and will take good memories with them when they leave.

“I think they’re going to have the same issue that all of us have — being their own person,” Susan predicted. “I’m sure they will trip and fall a few times, as we all have, but that’s okay.”

Of course, Sasha and Malia will be regarded as presidential descendants throughout their lives — just as Clifton Truman Daniel has been. Now a smart, articulate author who’s perfectly comfortable with his family heritage, he disclosed that he too had mixed feelings about it as a child.

“People said, ‘Oh, your grandfather was President Truman,’” he recalled, “and I’d think, ‘What am I — chopped liver?’”

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

A Florida Keys vacation is the perfect time to explore your creative talents — and what better place to do it than Islamorada? Well known as a sport fishing mecca, Islamorada has recently earned significant acclaim as an arts and cultural hotspot.

The Morada Way Arts & Cultural District's monthly art strolls are eagerly anticipated for their blend of artistry and community spirit. (All photos courtesy of the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District)

It all began two years ago with the debut of a monthly art walk through several blocks of the Old Highway that house art galleries, restaurants, and more. Soon local businesses, non-profits and musicians joined in the popular event.

Read the rest of this entry »

Topics: Arts, Highlights, Islamorada, Senior Adventures, Voices Main Archive

According to local folklore, when visitors get sand in their shoes, that begins a lifelong love affair with the picturesque chain of islands called the Florida Keys & Key West. And just in time for Valentine’s Day, an attraction has debuted in Islamorada that’s virtually guaranteed to make a romantic moment unforgettable: elegant carriage rides drawn by two Clydesdale horses.

What could be more romantic than a horse-drawn carriage as your wedding transportation? (Photo courtesy of Island Horse Drawn Carriage, Inc.)

Around Valentine’s Day or any time, you can enjoy a special night out in a private carriage operated by Island Horse Drawn Carriage, Inc. — traveling to and from a luxury resort, through Islamorada’s historic arts district, and stopping for dinner at a lovely local restaurant.

The carriages are drawn by Brutus and Olivia, Clydesdale horses like the ones that regularly steal hearts in Budweiser’s Super Bowl and holiday commercials. Powerful and graceful, they add a unique element to the leisurely ride through Islamorada’s island paradise.

But that’s not all. For destination weddings, the tour company offers an elegant white carriage crafted from hardwood and brass that can be custom-decorated as transport for a bridal party. And another carriage can be used as a unique parking shuttle for wedding guests.

Speaking of weddings, the Upper Keys offer some amazing opportunities and settings for tying the knot.

Carriage rides on the beach are a treat for any special occasion. (Photo courtesy of Island Horse Drawn Carriage, Inc.)

In Key Largo, for example, certified divers can take the plunge by pledging their vows underwater — beside the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef or at the bronze Christ of the Deep statue.

And believe it or not, people can also spend their wedding night beneath the waves.

Jules Undersea Lodge, submerged in a Key Largo lagoon, offers underwater honeymoon accommodations with fascinating marine life views.

Since true love should be timeless, some couples consider a timeless setting for the ceremony: a 125,000-year-old fossilized coral reef at Windley Key Fossil Reef State Geologic Site in Islamorada.

Avid anglers have been known to cast lines after officially getting “hooked,” while animal lovers can enjoy a playful celebration with gentle bottlenose dolphins in attendance.

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

Popular sites for shoreside ceremonies and celebrations include beaches, restaurants, tiki bars and elegant resort gardens. On the high seas, sailing vessels, glass-bottom boats and luxury motor yachts are available for reciting “I do,” while offshore islands accessible only by boat exude an exotic ambience and intimate seclusion.

Virtually anywhere in the Upper Keys, glorious sunrises and blazing sunsets, luxurious blossoming foliage and seemingly endless sea views make undeniably appealing natural backdrops for an unforgettable event.

In fact, a destination wedding in the island chain means the event becomes a lighthearted vacation experience — not just for the bride and groom, but also for their families and friends in attendance.

And that can be particularly attractive to the wedding couple. There are so many activities for their guests to enjoy, from deep-sea fishing to sailing excursions, that they don’t have the responsibility of providing nonstop entertainment. Instead, they can focus on the deepening of their relationship and their lives together … maybe while taking a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through Islamorada.

Topics: Animal Ambassadors, Events, Highlights, Islamorada, Key Largo, Local Color, Voices Main Archive

Want to immerse yourself the flavors of the Florida Keys? Then check out two books recently released by Key West authors that offer equally tasty, yet very different, views of the island chain’s cuisine.

Florida Keys cuisine is rich in local seafood delicacies like sweet stone crab claws. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

(Yes, I’m referring to the cuisine that some misguided souls, who’ve never tried the Keys’ restaurants, think is composed almost entirely of conch fritters and Cuban sandwiches — but in reality includes such amazing dishes as sauteed yellowtail in passion fruit sauce, mahi-mahi Benedict and baked chicken marinated in tangy mojo criollo.)

To explore the roots of the Keys’ culinary magic, Chef Paul Menta has penned “Native Fuel.” The book is a flavorful blend of insights, recipes and regional food history that Paul calls “not just a cookbook, but an adventure that takes place in the Keys.”

And, believe me, Paul is a man who knows adventure. He’s a master kiteboarder as well as a professional chef, and his zest for life is reflected in everything he does.

He delved deep into the island chain’s past to compile the volume, which emphasizes old and new Keys dishes, food secrets from local residents, healthy preparation and the value of sourcing native foods.

“Cooks in the Florida Keys have followed a long history of resourcefulness and recipes,” Paul advised. “Before trains and the Overseas Highway, you fed your family only the local foods.”

Chef Paul Menta's intriguing "Native Fuel" delves deep into the history and secrets of Keys food favorites.

The book’s intriguing recipes invite experimentation, while vivid photographs present food as art and offer inspiration to reader-chefs.

Key West author David Sloan wants to inspire readers too — to share his passion for Key lime pie. He’s unabashedly crazy about the tangy dessert, and hopes his “Ultimate Key Lime Pie Cookbook” will convince others to adopt his food fanaticism.

Key lime pie, by the way, is far more than just a delectable dessert. It’s also the official pie of the state of Florida! The designation was announced in July 2006 after a vote by the state legislature and approval from Florida’s then-governor. (The other contender for the honor, oddly enough, was pecan pie — more representative of Georgia than Florida.)

David Sloan didn’t lead the celebration following the designation, which naturally took place in Key West, but he’s certainly one of Key lime pie’s biggest proponents these days.

Offbeat author David Sloan, who penned "The Ultimate Key Lime Pie Cookbook," decorates a pie. (Photo by Rob O'Neal)

A former competitor in the professional division of the National Pie Championships, he seasons his book with humor, little-known facts and tips from fellow pie-making pros.

Its pages contain the answers to such burning questions as which Key lime pie ingredient was created to suppress amorous urges, what strange Key West ritual makes a Key lime tree bear fruit and what sets Key limes apart from ordinary limes.

The book’s “main course,” however, is the recipes for 20 crusts, 20 fillings, 20 sauces and 20 toppings that David swears can be mixed and matched to create more than 150,000 varieties of Key lime pie. Among the recipes are truly offbeat offerings like Key lime pies incorporating (believe it or not!) bacon and jalapeno peppers.

“What is the best Key lime pie? That’s easy,” said David. “It’s the one you’re about to eat.”

Hungry for more information about the Florida Keys’ intriguing cuisine? Start your mouthwatering exploration here.

Topics: Arts, Food, Highlights, Key West, Local Color, Voices Main Archive

They are known as the holy grail of flats fishing. Albula vulpes, the hard-to-find, hard-to-see, hard-to-catch bonefish.

Anglers "hunt" for bonefish off Islamorada, renowned as a sportfishing Mecca. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Normally, bonefish are caught and released in the clear shallow waters of the Florida Keys — at depths ranging from one to four feet.

Fishing for them is more like hunting. The flats guide, perched on a poling platform, looks for them and then relays instructions to the angler standing on the front deck of the boat armed with a light spinning or fly rod.

“There he is at 1 p.m.,” the guide might say, pointing at an imaginary clock with noon being straight ahead.

The cast and presentation of the bait must be perfect. Too far and the bonefish won’t see it. Too close and the easily spooked fish will take off faster than a speeding bullet.

Now we’re hearing (and seeing) that, during the past few weeks, bonefish are being caught in very deep water. Up to 130 feet in depth, in fact.

To flats anglers, that concept seems absurd. But the proof is in the catch (and, of course, the release).

Ben Loy, captain of the Miss Islamorada, displays a bonefish caught by one of his anglers while bottom fishing in 130 feet of water. (Photo courtesy of Ben Loy via the Florida Keys News Bureau)

Anglers on two Islamorada-based party boats have reeled in bonefish in deep water while targeting lane snapper and porgies on stout bottom-fishing tackle.

An angler on the Miss Islamorada, skippered by Captain Ben Loy out of Bud N’ Mary’s Fishing Marina, caught a small bonefish Dec. 29 in the early afternoon. The fisherman was using a rig with multiple hooks baited with squid.

The “silver ghost,” as it is also known, was photographed and quickly released.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Ben Loy marveled. “Who would have ever thought about catching a bonefish in 130 feet of water?”

But it turns out that wasn’t the only bonefish caught in deep water off Islamorada in recent days.

Bonefish are typically caught and released in shallow water.

Friday night, Jan. 4, anglers on the Captain Michael out of Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada were fishing a wreck in 119 feet of water.

Using the same deep-bottom tackle — known as chicken rigs — and squid for bait, they caught and released eight bonefish ranging from 18 to 24 inches. The next night, anglers on the Captain Michael, skippered by Tony Narvaez, scored two more bones.

“They were very lively,” the captain said of all the fish caught. “Once we tossed them back in the water, they took off.”

Dr. Jerry Ault, director of the University of Miami Tarpon and Bonefish Research Center, said the fish encountered in deep water were likely spawning — and that late December through early January is the height of the bonefish reproductive season.

Skill and patience are required to catch the elusive bonefish and other Florida Keys sportfish.

“Bonefish tend to spawn in deep water near the edge of the continental shelf, but it’s certainly unusual to catch a bonefish in that kind of depth,” Dr. Ault advised. “Typically they are inshore, and this is really cool and of great (research) interest.”

Although Florida Keys flats guides needn’t worry about deep-water bonefish replacing traditional shallow-water targets, the bonefish release did fulfill a goal for Ben Loy’s angler.

“When he came on board, he said that he wanted to catch a swordfish or something really exotic,” Captain Loy said. “He got a bonefish instead, and that’s really special.”

Topics: Highlights, Islamorada, Local Color, On the Water, Voices Main Archive

There’s more to the Florida Keys than meets the eye, yet some people visit once and think they’ve seen it all. Well, they’re wrong! With so many hidden gems and colorful locales, even frequent visitors can enjoy new experiences each time they return to the island chain.

Welcome to Alabama Jack's, the laid-back heart of Card Sound, where you'll find wonderful conch fritters and Key lime pie. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

For example, if you choose the road less traveled (in this case, Card Sound Road, an alternative to the roadway known as the 18-Mile Stretch), you’ll cruise past Alabama Jack’s, Card Sound’s only restaurant and a popular local watering hole. This offbeat establishment offers some of the best conch fritters in the Keys — and a Key lime pie that I guarantee is beyond wonderful.

Continue along Card Sound Road and then connect with U.S. Highway 1 to meander onward. Once in Key Largo, if you’re interested in art and nature, definitely don’t miss Kona Kai Resort, Gallery & Botanic Gardens. This unique boutique property includes not only a beautiful inn, but also one of the most sophisticated art galleries in South Florida, featuring world-renowned artists.

That’s not the property’s only attraction — Kona Kai Resort is surrounded by a lush botanic garden that captivates the senses and immerses you in a tropical paradise. The garden is staffed by an ethnobotanist and tours are offered regularly.

With its fine art gallery and lush botanic garden, Kona Kai Resort is one of the Keys' most appealing hidden gems. (Photo courtesy of Kona Kai Resort)

Moving on to Islamorada, if you arrive on the third Thursday of the month, you can enjoy the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District’s Third Thursday art walk — featuring national and Keys-based artists and galleries along picturesque Morada Way. And whether it’s Thursday or not, you’ll discover a rich blend of artistry, fine crafts and great food.

Heading down the highway, look for the larger-than-life dolphin statue at Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key. It’s more than just a pleasing sight — one of the first “Flippers” of television fame is buried beneath it. Tour the acclaimed nonprofit marine mammal research and education facility to meet the dolphins currently living there.

Not far away is Marathon’s Turtle Hospital, the world’s first state-licensed veterinary hospital for sea turtles. Chances are you’ll spot one of the facility’s specially designed “turtle ambulances” parked out front, and tours are offered daily so you can learn about the hospital and its “patients.”

Strike Zone passengers travel on a comfortable catamaran during their island excursion and picnic. (Photo courtesy of Strike Zone Charters)

In the Lower Keys at the 524-acre Bahia Honda State Park, a portion of the Old Bahia Honda Bridge provides a dramatic reminder of the historic Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad. Stroll along the old bridge, which arches between sea and sky, for a panoramic view of the park and surrounding blue water.

And while you’re in the Lower Keys, dive into the oceanic environment on an island-hopping excursion aboard Strike Zone Charters’ glass-bottom catamaran, departing from Big Pine Key. The tour includes snorkeling, light-tackle fishing, bird watching, occasional dolphin spotting and a private island beachfront fish cookout (trust me — it’s delicious).

Think you won’t find any hidden gems in Key West? Just head for the ruins of the historic, never-used Civil War–era fort called West Martello Tower to encounter one of the most overlooked (and most tranquil) hideaways in the entire Keys island chain.

Discover the Key West Garden Club's tranquil oceanfront oasis at historic West Martello. (Photo courtesy of the Key West Garden Club)

There, set against the wide sweep of the Atlantic Ocean at Atlantic Boulevard and White Street, stands a beautiful garden featuring indigenous plants, rare palm trees and breathtaking vistas. It’s home to the Key West Garden Club, where lush foliage blooms against the weathered brick fort — with wonders including a huge tree grown over a narrow tunnel-like archway you can walk through.

In case you haven’t figured it out by now, the spots listed here are just a few of the treasures to be found in the Florida Keys. From secluded natural areas to little-known historic sites to environmental attractions, you can make new discoveries every time you visit. So why not start planning an exploration today?

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