The Florida Keys: Blue Seas, Mangrove Trees, A Few Gators, And A National Park or Three

Our National Park Quest Continues!

This time it led us to the Florida Keys. But before we go any further ... it's time for a little trivia.

These "keys" ... while they look like islands and are completely surrounded by water, why are these 800+ small land formations called "keys" instead of "islands"?

(Get this right and you could be the champion of your next trivia competition!)

And the answer is ...

Islands are formed by volcanic activity or are a part of a continental plate, whereas a Key (or Cay) is a specific type of island, small in size and formed from coral or limestone.

As we continued traveling south to the Florida Keys, we found a special kind of natural beauty in this popular vacation spot. Under the abundant sunshine and along these small, low-lying coral and limestone islands ...

blue seas, mangrove trees, a few gators, and a national park or three

are there waiting to be enjoyed by all.

The Everglades National Park

We visited the Everglades a few years ago, but couldn't help but repeat our favorite activity in this national park ... a bike ride through a popular alligator hangout called Shark Valley. The fifteen mile bike ride brought us fairly close to these slightly intimidating creatures, but they didn't seem to mind us interrupting their nap time in order to take a photo.

Biscayne National Park

National park number 54!

Since 95% of it is underwater, the best way to experience Biscayne National Park is to take one of their chartered boat tours or rent a kayak and explore on your own.  Once on the water, there are 33 uninhabited small islands or keys, miles of mangrove stands, and thousands of acres of underwater treasures to discover. Since the water was a "chilly" at 72 degrees, Doug chose the "dry option" ... a boat tour.  Thus, we were able to learn a little about the history and ecology of the park and explore one of its keys during the three hour Heritage of Biscayne Boat Cruise.

The mangroves have an important role in this "water park" in that they help keep the water clear and provide important habitat for some of the over 600 fish that call Biscayne Bay "home".

A few of these palm tree covered keys, within eyesight of Miami, were once year-round playgrounds for the rich and the famous. Mark Honeywell, founder of the Minnesota-based Honeywell Company, made his vacation home on Boca Chita Key in the 1930s.

 Here he built a resort complex that included a picnic pavilion, chapel, and lighthouse ... but because he built the lighthouse on the wrong side of the island, it was merely "ornamental".

Others, like the Jones family, were more interested in preserving the natural beauty and resources of the Keys. Instead of selling his small piece of paradise to developers, Sir Lancelot Jones, a black farmer and skillful fisherman, sold it to the federal government for quite a bit less money. His selfless actions encouraged others to work together in order to establish Biscayne National Park in 1980.

Dry Tortugas National Park

National park number 55!

Some national parks, we're finding out, are a tad bit more tricky to visit. Located 70 miles west of Key West, Dry Tortugas National Park is one of those more "elusive" parks. But with a little advanced planning, a small wad of cash, and some anti-seasickness meds, we were on our way. After a two and a half hour boat ride, we arrived at the official end of Florida's coral reef, the Dry Tortugas. The cost for the daylong excursion, that included breakfast, lunch, and admission, was about $200 each.

Discovered in 1516, these keys were home to an important food source at the time ... sea turtles. Thus, they became known by their Spanish name, Los Tortugas.  The name changed to "Dry Tortugas" in the early 1700s to clarify the fact that while there was a safe harbor and tasty food sources, there was no fresh water available on these small islands.

Here lies the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere and the "star" of Dry Tortugas National Park ...

Fort Jefferson.

Known as both the Gateway and the Guardian of the Gulf, Fort Jefferson was built to protect the United States coast and its important supply routes. Construction started in 1846, but a lack of readily available supplies, food, and fresh water, as well as the American Civil War, delayed construction. The fort was never completely finished and was abandoned by the US military in 1874.

Shortly after we arrived, one of the park service employees led us on an extensive tour of the fort. His spirited stories kept us thoroughly entertained and at the same time, helped us appreciate this historic landmark. While no battles ever took place here, Fort Jefferson did serve as a prison for Union deserters during and after the Civil War. One of its most well-known prisoners was Dr Samuel Mudd, the doctor who treated John Wilkes Booth's broken leg after he assassinated President Lincoln in 1865. He was convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to life in prison. While there, Dr Mudd helped treat patients during a yellow fever epidemic after the prison's physician died, and for that, he was pardoned by President Johnson in 1869.

Today, the Dry Tortugas National Park serves as an important wildlife refuge for bird and marine life. Nearby keys are important winter breeding areas for many birds including the Magnificent Frigatebirds, who could be seen soaring above the fort's walls. Their wings span over seven feet, and they are able to spend several days to several weeks in flight. They are known as "pirate birds" because while in flight, they force other birds to drop their food, and then nab the tasty treat in midair as it tumbles towards the water below.

 

  

After lunch, we were able to explore on our own. If the water temperature had been a little closer to the 90 degree mark that Doug prefers, we could have done some snorkeling. But nonetheless, the opportunity to surround ourselves with ...

intriguing history,

unique architecture,

and beautiful natural surroundings

made our visit to Dry Tortugas National Park a special place to hang out for the day.

and a great place to grab a nap under a shady tree as these early morning risings are tough on some of us!

The Journey is as beautiful as the destinations

As I mentioned earlier, it is a tad bit tricky and pricey to visit these Florida national park destinations. Since the Dry Tortuga ferry leaves Key West at 7 am and gets back at 5:30  pm, one should plan on spending at least three days in this pricey piece of paradise. It's nearly impossible to get a site at Bahia Honda, the closest reasonably priced state park campground. Boondocking is largely prohibited in any part of the Keys. That left private campgrounds as our best option. At about $100/day, Boyd's RV Resort, located five miles from Key West, was a bit more expensive than our average campsite, but ...

What A View!

From there we were able to do the day trip to the Dry Tortugas as well as enjoy some of the "quirkiness" of Key West that makes it a special place to visit. Some other highlights of our Keys "vacation" included

... quaint seafood cafes

that served up a delicious "fresh off the boats" hogfish and chips dinner,

... a visit to the "southernmost" craft brewery in the continental US, 

... the chance to "count the toes" of one of the 59 polydactyl cats who still have free rein of Ernest Hemingway's house and garden,

... tropical drinks and island music at Ernest's favorite hangout,

... a walk past colorful flowers and beautiful creatures that seem to enjoy the warm sunshine as much as we do,

... and a breathtaking end to the day.

The Florida Keys ... surrounded by blue seas, mangrove trees, a few gators, and a national park or three,

... Is nature at its best!

Colorful Talents Overflowing: Dade City, Florida Habitat for Humanity Build

The Colors of the Rainbow,

Each Vibrant by Itself,

But in Unison ... Endless Beauty!

Our desire to help out Doug's family, visit a couple of national parks, and attend another Hymer meetup brought us back to Florida in mid January. While figuring out our plans, we were happy to see that we would have time to volunteer once again with one of our favorite Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Dade City, Florida.

This Habitat affiliate, like many around the country, recruits volunteers to assist in building affordable housing in their community. Through their Care-a-Vanner program, we are given a place to camp 

... and a chance to work with a fun group of individuals who

... skillfully and joyfully,

... come together

...and work in unison as their

... colorful talents overflow!!!

When we volunteer for Habitat builds, we need to be flexible. We may be asked to assist with framing new construction ... Doug's favorite.  Or we may pick up a paintbrush to help with the finishing touches of a new house ... Chris' favorite. Or anything in between. But this year, it was a little different.

When the sun finally came out after a few days of cold and rain, we found out that we would be helping with some rehab work. A house had recently been foreclosed on and given back to the Habitat affiliate. It would need a lot of TLC (and a fair amount of elbow grease) in order to bring it back to a move-in ready condition. But as the sunrise brings the promise of a new day, so too, can the colorful talents of our Care-a-Vanner team bring hope for this home and the surrounding community.

We began our mornings at the campground's screened porch community area or, more often, around the campfire because the 40 degree temps were a bit too cold for us Floridians ... yup, we're wimps! After a morning devotion and announcements, our knowledgeable and ever-so-patient construction supervisor, Jose would advise us on the plan for the day.

And then the colorful talents got flowing!

Doug somehow got chosen to become a "Jose, Jr" so he kept thorough notes about what jobs needed to be done. Ben became a powerful force with the caulk gun. 

Jayne, Deb, Susan, and Donna quickly breathed new life into the doors with a few coats of primer and paint, and we benefitted from Mike and Kevin's tall statures to spruce up the ceilings.

I was able to bring out the shine on the kitchen cabinets thanks to a few coats of varnish,

... while Earl, Don, and Leon meticulously leveled and re-set the kitchen cabinets and prepared the kitchen for many more years of home-cooked meals.

When the sun came out and temperatures started rising once again, the artistic flare of a few members of our group heated up also. Mike, Susan, Deb, Nanci, Donna, and Jayne designed and painted the sides of the storage bins that will be used on future construction sites. Besides storing tools and materials, the Conex containers will also serve as colorful reminders of positive changes that Habitat brings to the community.

Habitat's parade float, which serves an important role in public relations and advertising, also got a "face lift" with a stronger new base ... thanks to the talents of Vaughn, Norm, Brion, and Ben.

 

Sometimes the jobs that we are asked to do are not the most glamorous. The future homeowner may not think about the many hours that Doug spent scrapping dirty caulk off the window frames, 

... but we know that they will appreciate the colorful future that they will be able to provide for their family with this Habitat for Humanity home

 ... that has been beautifully transformed by the overflowing of

colorful talents

working in perfect unison!!!