Steward of the Keys: Frank Betz Spins Fish Tales
Captain Frank Betz began fishing the Florida Straits in 2005 while working for the Boy Scouts of America at the Sea Base Camp on Summerland Key. Today he shares his passion for fishing the Florida Keys’ blue waters as a guide, offering Folklure Charters fishing trips from Summerland, Big Pine and Key West.
Florida Keys Fun Facts … and Arnold’s Exploding Bridge
Florida Keys fun fact: Years ago, during an action-packed confrontation between Arnold Schwarzenegger and a pack of dastardly villains, missile strikes blew up the Keys’ Old Seven Mile Bridge. Okay, that isn’t STRICTLY factual, but it’s based on fact — one of many offbeat facts that give the island chain an engagingly colorful vibe.
Pucker Pros Take Center Stage in Key West’s ‘Conch Honk’
Maybe chart-topping rock stars aren’t abandoning their guitars to play the conch shell. But that’s okay — because the “pucker pros” playing pink-lined shells were treated like rock stars at Key West’s recent Conch Shell Blowing Contest. The event saluted the Florida Keys’ seafaring heritage and centuries-old use of the “conch horn” for signaling.
Fred the Tree: The Florida Keys’ ‘Celebri-Tree’
Fred the Tree, the Florida Keys’ thriving and resolute “celebri-tree” that grows improbably on the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge, is debuting as a movie star in the remake of “Road House.” The beloved Fred is also memorialized in a song and a children’s book — and his Facebook page has 34,000 followers!
Steward of the Keys: Dan Dawson Dives
Dan Dawson, co-owner with wife Mollie of Key Largo’s Horizon Divers, certified by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary as an environmentally responsible Blue Star operator, discovered his passion for diving at an early age. Today, he’s energized by seeing kids and young adults learn about the Keys’ environment and its protection.
How Florida Keys Fishing Legends Created the March Merkin
Roughly 18 years ago, the March Merkin permit tournament was born in the Florida Keys. One of the longest-running permit challenges in the world, the fly-fishing tournament is hard to fish and hard to win. Guest blogger Allison Delashmit provides a look at the angling event, and ways people can support it.
‘Business Travel’ … With a Key West Twist
A Key West vacation should be an escape from “real-world” business pressures, and a chance to remember that personal priorities are far more self-defining than professional ones. For those who can’t let go of the business-first mindset, Keys Voices presents three guidelines to ease potential guilt during a pleasure trip to the island.