There's no better way to beat summer heat than by slipping into the cool, clear water that surrounds the Florida Keys. (Photo by Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau)

Unlike most other areas of summertime America, the Keys are surrounded by the perfect antidote for oppressive heat — the refreshing waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Wherever you find yourself along the island chain, you’re never very far from cool, clear saltwater.

For some hard-to-resist summer activities in, on and beside Keys waters, read on.

First, if you’re a diver, dive into adventure with the new Wreck Trek Passport Program — an incredible way to discover the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail.

How does it work? Basically, it charts a course for certified divers to explore nine shipwrecks from Key Largo to Key West — the Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb, Eagle, Thunderbolt, Adolphus Busch Sr., Cayman Salvager, Joe’s Tug and Vandenberg (the trail’s southernmost and most recently scuttled vessel).

The 327-foot former U.S. Coast Guard cutter Duane, a Wreck Trek highlight, is located in 120 feet of water off Key Largo. (Photo by Stephen Frink/Florida Keys News Bureau).

When you book a dive at a participating Keys dive shop, you’ll receive a “passport” or log book for recording your dives — and once you’ve completed at least one plunge in each of the Keys’ five districts, you’ll earn a prize.

Complete all nine wreck dives, and you’ll be entered in a drawing for one of several grand prizes including dive-and-stay lodging packages. The program runs through New Year’s Day, 2012, so there’s plenty of time for a late-summer dive trip or two (or more!).

If you prefer your adventures ON the water instead of UNDER it, check out the popular kiteboarding scene in the Middle Keys — and particularly the Kiteboarding Shop at Hawks Cay Resort. (For those of you who don’t know Hawks Cay, it’s a VERY enticing resort “village,” complete with cozy rental villas, nestled on the 60-acre island of Duck Key just north of Marathon.)

Kiteboarding blends windsurfing, wakeboarding and kite flying — and the Keys climate is warm year-round so the ’boarding season never ends. (Photo by Richard Hallman/Hawks Cay Resort)

Kiteboarding in the area is amazing — buoyed by balmy weather year-round, ever-present breezes and shallow-water flats with seemingly miles of room to ride. Whether you’re a total novice or have some boarding experience, you’ll find courses, equipment rentals and excursions that suit your style at the Hawks Cay emporium.

Want to slip into cool water off a sandy beach? Then indulge yourself at one of the top beaches in America: the pristine sandy expanse at Bahia Honda State Park, ranked the number-two beach in the country in 2009 by TripAdvisor. The highly-rated beach (it has also earned “best beach” raves in a flurry of travel studies, plus kudos from “The New York Times”) is located on Bahia Honda Key in the Lower Keys.

Forget the freezer -- head for a refreshing summer spot like Bahia Honda State Park. (Photo by Bob Krist/Florida Keys News Bureau)

One of the island chain’s most popular camping and recreation areas, Bahia Honda offers deep near-shore waters for swimming and snorkeling. You’ll also find camping, picnicking, watersports, a marina and rental cabins — and a stroll along the Old Bahia Honda Bridge, a historic span that was once part of the fabled Overseas Railroad, reveals an incredible panorama of sea and sky.

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I have a slightly demented friend on the Florida mainland who, whenever he can’t stand the summer heat and humidity any more, marches into his kitchen, opens the freezer door and sticks his head inside.

Besides its detrimental effect on his ice cream and frozen food, this practice doesn’t seem to be good for his brain cells (note “slightly demented” above).

Therefore, based on personal observation, I don’t recommend his approach. Instead, save your brain cells — and head for a late-summer break in the Florida Keys.

Each year, Keys lobster lovers celebrate the start of the Florida lobster season. (All photos by Steve Panariello/Florida Keys News Bureau)

Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the Keys are a paradise for lovers of fish and seafood — and the word “paradise” is not an exaggeration.

Imagine a place where you can wander into virtually any restaurant and order plump pink steamed shrimp, fish and chips made with mahi-mahi so fresh it’s practically still swimming, or chilled stone crab claws with creamy mustard sauce. (Your mouth is watering, isn’t it? That’s what I mean by “paradise.”)

Topping the list of superlative Keys seafood is our native lobster, often called spiny lobster. I’m not obsessive about many things (okay, maybe Springsteen music and calico cats) — except, that is, Florida Keys lobster.

Keys spiny lobster tails are often served grilled, with each bite dipped into melted butter.

For fanatics like me, August 6 each year is a holiday to rival Christmas. We regard the local fishermen who harvest our clawless crustaceans much like kids regard St. Nick.

For those interested in statistics, the annual Florida lobster harvest is pretty impressive — and the Keys’ annual catch is even more so. In 2009, Florida’s commercial fishermen harvested some 4.2 million pounds of spiny lobster. The vast majority of it, about 3.9 million pounds, came from Keys waters.

As previously noted, Keys lobsters are clawless. But unless diners are clueless, once they bite into the sweet and tender meat of the tail, they won’t pine for the pincers.

The most popular way to serve our luscious lobster is grilled with melted butter — or, like its Maine cousin, steamed or boiled. While traditional northern trimmings might include boiled potatoes and corn on the cob, it’s not unusual to find Keys lobster paired with Cuban black beans and yellow rice.

For maximum enjoyment, eat it in one of our waterside seafood shacks or gourmet emporiums, while watching an orange-red sunset and sipping something tall and cool.

But if you’re not lucky enough to be in the Keys right now, try having spiny lobster shipped from an area fish market and savor the flavor at home — while plotting your next island escape.

Here’s my favorite recipe that, hopefully, will allow you to do just that.

Grilled Lobster Tails (Serves 4)

Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil • 1 tablespoon Key lime juice • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 4 spiny lobster tails (about 8 ounces each)

Keys fish markets offer lobster fresh off the boats, ready for grilling and savoring with melted butter.

Preparation: Make the marinade four hours before grilling by combining the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

Cut the lobster tails lengthwise through the meat but not the shell. Open each shell to expose the meat. Add tails to the marinade and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for two to three hours.

To grill, remove the tails from the marinade. Insert a metal skewer through each tail lengthwise to keep it from curling. Grill over high heat, three to four inches from the heat source, for five minutes per side — or until the shell is red and the meat is opaque white.

Remove the tail from the skewer. Use a knife or meat scissor to cut the tail in half lengthwise through the shell. Serve with melted butter — and, for an additional island touch, add a generous spritz of Key lime juice to the butter.

At some Keys centers, even young children can participate in magical dolphin encounters.

You can solve that dilemma in the Upper and Middle Keys, an area jam-packed with activities sure to make summer days unforgettable for kids and families.

For example …

Make friends with herons, owls, pelicans and egrets at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center. The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center is a bird rehabilitation facility located in Tavernier at mile marker 93.6. An Upper Keys landmark, it’s home to more than 100 ill, injured or orphaned wild birds — all housed in a natural setting on more than five acres of land. The main attraction is the daily pelican feeding, set for about 3:30 p.m., that typically draws hundreds of wild pelicans hungry for fish.

The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center is open every day during daylight hours. There’s no admission fee, but donations are requested.

Marine life and lively parrots intrigue young visitors to Islamorada's Theater of the Sea.

Swim with stingrays, dolphins or sea lions at Theater of the Sea. A lush 17-acre tropical oasis located in Islamorada at mile marker 84.5, Theater of the Sea is filled with scores of fish and marine life, native birds, colorful and engaging parrots, sea turtles, crocodiles and exotic plants. General admission includes live performances by dolphins, sea lions and parrots, a guided tour of marine-life exhibits and a glass-bottom boat tour of their natural saltwater lagoon.

Theater of the Sea also hosts special swim programs with dolphins, stingrays and sea lions for kids as young as 5 — and dolphin wade programs for kids as young as 3. The park opens daily at 9:30 a.m.

Discover shells, fish tanks and history at Crane Point Hammock in Marathon. Crane Point Hammock is a 63-acre environmental and archaeological preserve that offers a wide range of intriguing activities for kids and families.

Several Keys facilities teach kids (and grownups!) about the exotic-looking featured denizens of the island chain.

The historically curious can visit Adderley House, a simple home built in 1906 by a Bahamian immigrant who was a sponge fisherman, boatman and charcoal maker. Adventure seekers can get up close and personal with the museum’s touch tank that features sea urchins and starfish, or explore a large lagoon inhabited by nurse sharks and tropical fish. Nature lovers can hike along one of the nature trails or visit the Marathon Wild Bird Center, a haven for feathered friends in need.

Located at mile marker 50.5, Crane Point Hammock is open Monday though Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

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For kids (and kids at heart), a world of excitement awaits during “summer vacation” in the Middle and Upper Keys. To discover more “keys” to enjoying the island chain, just click here.

Ryan Butts of the Keys' Turtle Hospital releases Kentucky, the loggerhead sea turtle, into the Atlantic next to the Seven Mile Bridge. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

At least, it can make ME cry. There’s something about seeing the turtle slip into its saltwater habitat and swim joyfully away (okay, I’m anthropomorphizing here, but trust me — their entire shell-covered bodies radiate joy) that touches the heart and inspires a powerful sense of oneness with the natural order.

Such was the feeling recently when Ryan Butts, administrator of the Florida Keys Turtle Hospital, released “Kentucky,” a 10-year-old loggerhead sea turtle, into the Atlantic Ocean next to the Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon.

Even before the release, Kentucky (named for his discoverers’ home state) was one lucky creature — because the Turtle Hospital is the probably the best place in the world for a sick or hurt turtle to wind up.

Located in Marathon, the hospital is the world’s only licensed veterinary hospital dedicated to treating sea turtles. It’s so highly acclaimed that airlines have been known to fly turtles injured in the Caribbean to Miami, where hospital staffers meet them in their turtle ambulance (yes, they really have one — I’ve seen it!) and drive them down to the facility for care.

Governor Charlie Crist (shown here at right) helps release a sea turtle in the Keys after its treatment at the Turtle Hospital. (Photo by Bob Care, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The hospital’s primary goal is to treat injured sea turtles and return them to the wild whenever possible. On top of that, founders and staff work tirelessly to raise public awareness about sea turtles and their needs, collaborate with state universities on sea turtle research, and work toward environmental legislation that makes the beaches and water safer and cleaner for their charges.

Each time a “patient” is returned to health, its release is a joyful occurrence. Even Florida’s governor, Charlie Crist, has helped send a couple of the recovered creatures back to their watery homes — including a 140-pound green sea turtle that was serendipitously named Charlie.

But turtles aren’t the only marine denizens that find help in the Keys when they need it. Ailing dolphins, whales and manatees encounter willing and dedicated rescuers ready to lend a hand.

Caring professionals do their best to assess and provide what these marine mammals need so they can return to their pods or habitual territory. Assisting the trained professionals are volunteers — parents and kids, energetic 20-somethings and weathered seniors, first-time visitors and longtime residents — drawn together by the need to help.

Rescuers from the Keys' Marine Mammal Conservancy extricate a stranded infant whale from a mangrove island. (Photo by Bob Care, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The volunteers are particularly vital during whale strandings, when one or more whales are found in shallow water, disoriented and often seriously ill. Such whales are generally moved to sheltered lagoons for care and rehabilitation — and people are needed 24/7 to stand in the water holding the “patients” upright to make sure their blowholes remain above water.

A few years back, one of those volunteers was my husband. He doesn’t look like a whale rescuer — he’s stocky, laid-back and not very athletic. But when a pygmy sperm whale was found just a few feet off a popular local pier, he spent 18 hours in the water holding her. And that was after he nonchalantly hopped on a jet ski (for the first time in his life) to provide escort while the whale was transported several miles to a safe lagoon in an in-water sling.

I too had a volunteer assignment: driving the whale’s blood samples to a lab for testing and picking up fishy food rations in my trusty Chevy Explorer, which was quickly nicknamed the Squidmobile.

But what we did wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Each time there’s a turtle or marine mammal in need, dozens of people appear, seemingly out of nowhere, to help with whatever might be necessary at the time.

To me, that’s one of the things that makes the Keys such a magical place. And Kentucky the turtle, if he could reached in his blue-water habitat, would almost certainly agree.

Nick Aldacosta's grin can't hide his wicked sense of humor or world-class storytelling skill.

“That reminds me of a story,” he’ll say with a disarming grin. No matter how outrageous or embellished the details, his tales are indeed true and his listeners are drawn to the punch line like a billfish to bait.

Nick’s own life story is equally engaging, spun from his early years on shrimp boats, docksides and charter vessels. Born in Fort Myers, Fla., he’s been a Marathon resident since he was just a year old.

His father was a shrimp fisherman, and at age 3 Nick started learning the ways of the water.

As a small boy he “caught” his first fish, a mangrove snapper.

“My dad tied a fishing line around my waist and told me, ‘When something pulls on the line, run.’ Well, that fish nearly pulled me off the table on the shore, so I took off running, pulling that fish right outta’ the water,” Nick said with a laugh. “I must have run 15 or 20 miles, that fish trailin’ behind me.”

At age 13, Nick was rigging baits, shaking weeds off fishermen’s lines and selling live mullet for $5 a dozen out of his mother’s Falcon station wagon, running between the Seven Mile Bridge and Bahia Honda. By the time he was 21, he owned Nick’s Sporting Goods.

A younger Nick Aldacosta (seated), circa 1980s, and a small fishing buddy admire their catch after a day on the water.

Though his descriptions of his on-the-water activities during the Keys’ no-holds-barred 1970s fall somewhere between shady and chivalrous, during that time Nick’s charter fishing business aboard Nautical Wheeler came to fruition.

His fishing pals were raucous, rich and famous. They included actor Lee Marvin and sportfishing legend Ron Hamlin, who authored “Tournament,” a fictional angling tale whose character Wink Andros bears an uncanny resemblance to Nick Aldacosta.

Nick’s wife Annette Walsh, who with him owns and operates Annette’s Lobster & Steak House in Marathon, caught his fishing fever and achieved an elusive grand slam shortly after they were married.

“We’d only gone out for the morning in a 14-foot skiff,” NIck said. “We had crackers on the boat, and that’s it.”

The “morning” evolved into a compelling 13-hour episode of fishing. Without fuel, bait or appropriate rods for what lay ahead — a grand slam needs to be completed on the same boat, within 24 hours — they borrowed mullet and tarpon rods from fisherman friends.

Nick siphoned needed gas from his “mullet wagon,” an indescribably ugly convertible with a plywood bait box in place of the trunk. (Nick freely admits that, on a particularly rum-soaked night when the car was still reasonably intact, he left a customer’s tarpon in the trunk. When its scales fell off and the stink grew unbearable, he simply cut off the car’s back end.)

Nick and his wife, Annette Walsh, stand flanked by the grand slam tarpon, permit and bonefish that, along with pictures of Captain Nick's angling days, grace the walls of their restaurant.

After Annette landed the necessary permit and bonefish, the duo targeted tarpon, the final fish in the coveted grand slam.

“She hooked a 150-pound tarpon and fought it an hour and a half, until releasing it at 8:30 p.m. — the fish were all released,” Nick said.

Replicas of the grand slam fish still hang on the walls of the restaurant.

More than 30 years, three vessels and three mullet wagons later, Nick Aldacosta still loves taking people fishing.

Not long ago, sitting at the edge of the restaurant’s bar where patrons and passersby could hear him spin a yarn, he quipped, “I’m not in the fishin’ business; I’m in the entertainment business. I just fish for fun.”

Numerous species of fish, such as this French angelfish, are protected within the boundaries of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by Stephen Frink)

This effort is especially important because the Keys are paralleled by the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef. The reef ecosystem — much like a tropical rainforest — supports an amazing diversity of plants and animals.

To protect part of the reef, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was established off the Upper Keys in 1963 as America’s first underwater preserve. Visitors to this remarkable spot can observe wildlife through experiences such as snorkeling, scuba, kayaking and glassbottom boat tours.

Pennekamp is incorporated into the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, widely regarded as a national treasure, which was established in 1990 by the U.S. government.

The sanctuary contains 2,800 square nautical miles of coastal and ocean waters and submerged lands. Surrounding the entire Keys, it also includes vast stretches of Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Protected refuge areas throughout the Florida Keys provide a nesting, roosting and foraging habitat for egrets like this one.

Within its boundaries you’ll find mangrove islands, historic shipwrecks filled with rare artifacts, tropical fish and other marine life — and the sanctuary’s creation means these ecological, historical, and recreational wonders can be responsibly managed.

The Lower Keys are home to the National Key Deer Refuge, established in 1957 to protect and preserve habitats for wildlife — particularly the tiny, shy Key deer. A subspecies of the Virginia white-tailed deer, Key deer average 60 to 100 pounds fully grown and are about the size of a big dog.

The refuge’s 9,000-plus acres include mangrove forests, freshwater and salt marsh wetlands, pine rockland forests and tropical hardwood hammocks. Besides Key deer, these native habitats sustain 21 other threatened and endangered plant and animal species.

A subspecies of the Virginia white-tailed deer, the shy and engaging Key deer are approximately the size of a large dog.

And the best news? Since the refuge’s creation, its deer population has increased from a near-extinct 50 or fewer to a thriving herd of 600 to 700 — making it a wonderful environmental success story.

The Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1938, provides safe nesting and breeding areas for great white herons and other migratory birds and wildlife. White herons are North America’s largest wading bird and, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, they’re found only in the Keys and on the South Florida mainland.

Stretching between Key West and Marathon, the refuge features more than 375 square miles of open water and islands in the Gulf of Mexico — reached primarily by kayak, canoe or shallow-draft boat.

A few years ago, the Florida Keys’ first wildlife refuge celebrated its 100th birthday.

In 1908, then-President Theodore Roosevelt created the Key West National Wildlife Refuge to protect and preserve a breeding ground for migratory species. At that time, the hunting of huge numbers of birds for their colorful feathers (considered the must-have decoration for fashionable women’s hats) was decimating migratory bird populations.

For decades, great white herons and other migratory birds have found a haven in the Keys.

“The plume trading industry was so lucrative that in 1903 an ounce of bird feathers was worth $32 — twice the price of gold,” said Anne Morkill, manager of the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex.

Lying west of Key West and accessible only by boat, the century-old refuge stretches 10 miles wide and 25 miles long. It provides nesting, roosting and foraging habitat for more than 250 species such as the roseate tern, osprey, bald eagle and magnificent frigate bird.

Thanks to the foresight of the people who created the wildlife haven, and the Keys’ other preserves, the island chain’s priceless natural resources have been protected and nurtured. May that protection continue … for at least the next 100 years.

The Florida Keys, a realm of unparalleled natural beauty, remain untouched to date by any oil from the Gulf spill.

In fact, despite mid-May reports of some tar balls found on area beaches, things are pretty much normal in the Florida Keys and Key West.

As a 30-year Key West resident, I can tell you that even finding tar balls isn’t wildly abnormal. The Keys are seafaring islands, and they’re located fairly close to some major commercial shipping lanes. Sometimes, unfortunately, commercial vessels dump bilge water that has oil in it. So sometimes tar balls wash up.

These days, though, the oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico has people on red alert — and tar balls that might go unnoticed and unreported at other times are now big news.

Very quickly after the Keys tar balls were found, Coast Guard lab analysis proved they weren’t from the Gulf oil spill. Yet even with that proof, people who don’t know how things happen in the Keys are worried.

Keys waters are prime territory for watersports enthusiasts -- and concerns about the Gulf oil spill have not changed that. (Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau)

That’s not a surprise. It’s kind of heartwarming, actually, to see so many people acknowledging the Keys environment as one of America’s national treasures and worrying about its protection and future.

On May 19, experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that a small amount of oil — what they called light to very light sheens — had apparently reached the Loop Current, which might carry it near or past the Keys in coming days. If it does, NOAA said, the oil will be significantly weathered by then, and would most likely show up in isolated locations in the form of tar balls.

On the other hand, they reported that it might get caught in a clockwise eddy in the middle of the Gulf, and remain far from the Keys.

No matter how the oil spill situation unfolds, those who love the Keys are certain the islands' magic will endure and flourish. (Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau)

No matter how the Gulf oil spill situation unfolds, however, those of us who’ve lived here a long time have a deep belief that the Florida Keys will endure.

If oil from the spill does travel near or past the island chain, we will use every resource we can muster to protect our reef, our mangroves, and our wildlife. We’ll buckle down, but we won’t buckle under — we will live our lives, work together to do whatever has to be done, and emerge with our beloved islands as unique and as wonderful as ever.

And that’s a “reality check” you can take to the bank.

Want to check out Keys water conditions before coming down for a fishing or diving excursion? Do it via webcam! (Photo by Bob Krist/Florida Keys News Bureau)

For example, you can watch the tall ships and fishing boats ply Key West Harbor from the Ocean Key Resort cam … experience a renowned Lower Keys state park and beach from the Bahia Honda cam … hang out with Key West’s beloved six-toed cats thanks to a “litter” of cams at the Hemingway Home … “feed” the resident tarpon at Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada … watch the orange sun seemingly sink into the ocean from Keys beaches and favorite sunset sites … and much, much more.

But the webcams aren’t the only way to get your “Keys fix” — there’s also Florida Keys TravelVision.

Discover the Key deer's remarkable return from near-extinction, documented in a fascinating video of the week segment.

Located on the home page of the island chain’s official website, Florida Keys TravelVision presents fun and informative “video of the week” features on offbeat attractions, environmental wonders, festivals and special events, and activities ranging from stand-up paddleboarding to making the perfect Key lime pie (which is not as tough as you might think!).

If you miss a “video of the week” segment, don’t despair — after their home-page debut, each one is moved into an easily-accessed video archive, where it can be viewed and re-viewed any time (especially helpful when you’re making that aforementioned Key lime pie).

And if you’d rather “visit” the Keys on YouTube, you’re in luck. Each “video of the week” feature also stars on the Keys’ own YouTube video channel — and they’re also uploaded to other popular video sites, so there’s no telling where you might find them.

The Key West "six-toed cat cam" video offers several reasons why the offbeat island is a "purr-fect" haven for felines and other species.

Segments showcase all regions of the Keys and a variety of attractions ranging from eco-tourism activities to cuisine, festivals, water sports and the Keys’ rich creative community.

Past topics have included a quirky “six-toed cat” fantasy (whether you’re a cat lover or not, you MUST watch this — no excuses), the sinking of the Vandenberg as an artificial reef, experiencing snuba and Dragon Boat racing in Marathon waters, the incredible environmental success story at the Lower Keys’ National Key Deer Refuge, dolphins playing football (not the ones you might expect!), Islamorada artist Stacie Krupa, and a scuba-diving Santa in Key Largo who “submerged” himself in the holiday season.

Of course, the best way to visit the Keys is up close and in person, so you can experience the magical islands’ appeal for yourself. But when that’s not an option, the webcams and Keys TravelVision are truly the next best thing to being here.

Yes, there’s a possibility that the oil might get caught up in the Loop Current and be carried down Florida’s west coast, through or past the Keys, and up the state’s east coast.

But it’s just that. A possibility. No one really knows for sure, yet there are some out there — including some scientists — who love to speculate and are saying they’re “absolutely certain” we’re going to get the oil.

At the moment, it’s staying well north of the Loop Current, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists who provide information to responders. But that’s not stopping the Chicken-Little-like rumors, both word-of-mouth and floating around the blogosphere, that say the Keys will see oil in a few days.

By the way, don’t know what the Loop Current is? I didn’t know either, until last week. Basically, it’s a clockwise current that carries water from the Yucatan Channel into the Gulf of Mexico, then back down Florida’s west coast and past the Dry Tortugas, finally exiting into the Gulf Stream.

Wherever the oil flows or makes landfall along the Gulf coast, it’s almost certain to have a negative effect on people, wildlife, the environment and the economy. From Louisiana’s sensitive marshlands to the Keys’ magnificent living coral reef, the Gulf of Mexico region is filled with environmental treasures that deserve all the protection they can get.

What they don’t deserve is a massive oil spill. And the people who live in the Gulf region deserve compassion and sensitivity at this critical time — not sensationalistic chatter that increases fear about the path or potential impacts of the spill.

The Florida Keys tourism council is leading an effort to make sure that, whether the oil gets caught up in the Loop Current or not, its path and effects are reported honestly and accurately. On the Keys’ official tourism website, you’ll find the latest news about the spill, trajectory maps and 72-hour forecasts, links to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration site and other resources, and a Q & A that offers down-to-earth insights into the situation. The information is updated at least once daily.

In addition, for live, real-time views of the Keys’ clear waters and unspoiled shorelines, check out the island chain’s long-established webcams. Throughout the Keys, more than 40 cams are broadcasting images from area beaches, waterfront bars and restaurants, underwater sites and even Mallory Square, home of Key West’s nightly Sunset Celebration overlooking the harbor.

Of course private and governmental groups are working 24/7 to contain the oil. So keep your fingers crossed that the spill’s effects — wherever they’re felt, whether in the Keys or elsewhere in the beautiful Gulf region — will be as minimal and short-lived as possible.

"Snorkeling Florida" spotlights author and underwater aficionado Brad Bertelli's favorite Florida Keys snorkeling spots.

Brad’s favorite snorkeling sites include coral reefs, seagrass beds and shipwrecks. Luckily for aquatic enthusiasts, the Keys provide easy offshore access to each underwater environment. Water depths are typically shallow, and water temperatures range from the 70s in winter months to the 80s in summer — practically guaranteeing a safe and enjoyable trip.

If you’re a snorkeler, kicking from shore just beyond the seagrass beds will bring you to structures such as coral heads, rocks or outcroppings where you can see a variety of fish.

“Fish look for these ’condos‘ to live and dart in and out of,” Brad said.

Sightings increase, he advised, when the tide is changing or at low tide, and when there’s low wind — usually in the early morning hours before afternoon clouds build up and create surface chop.

Snorkeling sites in the Keys are shallow, allowing for maximum light (and color) exposure along the reef line. (Photo by Pat Taylor)

Keeping a slow pace is important as well. Snorkeling is not a race, so take your time to examine the reef, soaking it all in. The ease of snorkeling is what makes it so appealing for people of all ages and experience levels.

Key Largo is brimming with fine snorkeling spots — many of them in or near John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. They include the north end of Molasses Reef, a beautiful and shallow strip of reef lush with schooling blue striped grunts and Florida favorites like sergeant majors, horse-eyed jacks and Bermuda chubs.

Just off Founders Park on Plantation Key is a group of coral heads between three and four feet tall. For a family with little kids, cruising down the jetty is great for spotting nurse sharks, rays, starfish and seahorses.

Off Islamorada’s Cheeca Lodge, Brad often hovers over “Cheeca Rocks,” a shallow, healthy cluster of robustly populated coral heads that aren’t heavily dived.

Shown here above water, Brad Bertelli offers informative insights on the Keys' underwater world based on his first-hand experience.

Indian Key, accessible by boat or a 25-minute paddle by kayak, is home to small critters like banded shrimp, damselfish and juvenile angelfish that crowd around lime-colored brain coral heads.

In the Lower Keys, though Looe Key is legendary for its glorious finger reef seascape, Brad said his all-time favorite shore snorkel is the untouched and uncrowded beauty at Bahia Honda State Park. In shoreside waters only four feet deep, you can spot “babies” from a variety of species including starfish and conch.

“What is so remarkable about snorkeling the Keys is how much you can see offshore without having to be on a boat,” stated Brad. “You can wade in off the beach and it’s truly breathtaking.”