Another gorgeous morning and we pack and set off south. We're on the Interstate 95 and it's busy all the way down. We pass from swampland to some extensive farmland, which I found surprising. Down past 'Palm Beach', 'Fort Lauderdale' and the I95 is a 5 lane weaving racetrack. All this stretch and including Miami, is another urban sprawl extending miles and we've decided not to stop here but press on. Finally the I95 becomes the Route 1 and shudders to a traffic jammed halt. An hour later and we're pushing on through towards the 'Keys'. We reach 'Key Largo', which is reached by a narrow strip surrounded by water and where the road is protected by a 'gator boom in the water. There is a pair of Ospreys just hanging motionless in the breeze and a golden ball of a sunset. We find a good hotel and stop.
Distance driven 279 miles
PS The new team member is working well - maybe some photos next time ??
Wednesday 12th
After a very warm night, min 75 deg, it's another gorgeous day of high 80's, with some clouds and a breeze cooling it a bit (but not much). We decide to 'drive the Keys', south and on the way stop at 'Anne's Beach', where a boardwalk skirts the shallow waters and there is an occasional small, sandy beach in the line of mangrove trees. We watch small sand crabs darting in and out of their holes dug round the mangrove roots. En route we both make arrangements for tomorrow (no - you'll have to wait and see) and drive down through the 'Islamadora' area of the keys as far as 'Grassy Key'. We have moved down 42 miles from 'Key Largo' to mm59. The road is addressed by 'mile markers', which start at 0 in Key West' and increment every mile along the No 1 until mm126 at 'Florida City', which is on the mainland. Most of the road is either bridges or causeways or a 2 lane highway with a verge, sometimes mangrove edge and then the sea on both sides, which is a fabulous turquoise colour. The term 'Key' comes from the Spanish 'Cayo' which is a low lying island. Where there is a reasonable area of land it is populated with hotels, motels, stores, restaurants, cafes and fishing / boating / diving establishments. I have been a bit surprised as to how touristy it is but I suppose that's the way of things in America. If it's popular, market it. We return to the hotel and go swimming in the pool - a nice, relaxing end to the day.
Distance driven 90 miles
Thursday 13th
Fun Day for us both!!
Yesterday we drove down the Keys a little way for a quick look around and came across The 'Dolphin Research Centre'. Well Norah just had to check it out. Very interesting, so she booked a 'Dolphin Encounter' session for today.
Up at the crack of dawn (ok 0730hrs) leaving Harry to his own devices and drove the 40 miles to the Centre. After a half hour training talk it was time to get wet and meet AJ and Tanner, the two Atlantic Bottlenosed Dolphins. After shaking 'hands' with both of them I just had to have my swim with them. Holding on to AJ's dorsel fin we set off, Tanner decided to join us and I had one Dolphin either side of me, Tanner then decided he'd had enough which left AJ and me whizzing round the pound. AJ brought me back to the starting point and waited for his treat. Next it was playtime followed by a cuddle - how do you cuddle a dolphin? By holding his chin and getting up real close. AJ and Tanner both seemed to enjoy our interaction and so when I was allowed to play splashing I got more than I bargained for! In the end I was able to 'ask' AJ to do a tail stand by my hand instructions. I was sorry when the session ended and as there was so much going on. i.e training session, feeding, just watching various dolphins doing their own thing - I stayed at the Centre for a couple more hours. Driving the 40 miles back to our hotel I wondered how Harry had got on without me - not to worry - he did his own thing.
Harry - As you know I've always enjoyed water activities, except washing up and had suspended these whilst we tackled the 'house' project. It was now time to get back into the water !
During yesterday's drive I had tied in with a local dive centre, filled in all the 'sign your life away' forms, paid and been issued with some scuba gear. Today was an early start and I met my Instructor buddy, Jerry, at the waterside at 0830. He briefed me and we kitted up, a quick gear check and then into the warm, blue water. Ecstasy, I was a real, rufty, tufty, hairy diver again, especially as there was no one else in the swimming pool at that time in the ...........What? - you don't think they were going to let an ageing limey, who hadn't dived for several years, loose in their waters do you? No, I had to be realistic and have a checkout before any diving proper. Like riding a bike it all came back and with one or two American based updates, I checked out OK. The dive proper was in the afternoon and I passed the morning playing with our 'HaPpy' laptop - you should have seen some photos after this time.
At 1230 I arrived at the boat dock and another set of 'sign your life away' papers for the boat owners. This is a really cagey society. The boat dock was on an inland canal, mostly bordered by big, detached houses, all of which had their own (large) boats moored at the bottom of the garden. The canals were all interconnected and led out to the sea. What a fabulous set up !
The 40 foot powered catamaran set off down the canal, past a pelican, sitting on the top of a mooring pole, who gave us a disdainful look and went back to sleep. We were going 5 miles out into the Atlantic and the turquoise sea soon kicked up to a 4 foot swell in the freshening wind. There were black clouds all round the horizon and we were going to get wet (always a diver's worst fears). At least being rough and wet was like the UK diving conditions - I didn't want it too cosy for my first time !
At the dive site we moored and off the side I went, a 6 foot jump to the water. Down to 15 feet and then WOW!!!!!! The rocky outcrop bottom, with course sand valleys was an absolute blaze of fish of all sizes and colours. This is the fourth (?) largest coral reef in the world and it was utterly magical. Irridescent blues, reds, vivid yellows, oranges all comprised with amazing black patterns. I eyeballed a bunch of small barracuda on the way down, who parted to let me pass. The rocks were covered in many coloured sponges and there were big green morays and lobsters tucked away under the rock ledges and in holes and everywhere there was coral of all shapes and sizes. If this is the fourth largest then I hope one day to get to (any) of the other three! The wind was causing a swell and we were swayed back and forth with the motion of the sea. Our maximum depth was 30 feet and the 55 minute dive was over in no time. What a wonderful way to get back in the water !!
Back on board we were given another dive briefing by the Skipper. Pardon? "Its 2 dives" says my buddy Jerry, "That's if you're up to it?". What, up to it? - I've waited years for this! We go back into the water in another area. This time it's a bit rougher and we get rolled around quite a bit but there were still myriads of fish and more morays, lobsters, a big grouper, a really big crab and... a 5 foot nurse shark, who sat in the end of a gully 'till we got 2 feet away from him and then just swam off - my first shark!!! We did get wet from rain during the trip but I hardly noticed in my delirious state.
We went that night to 'Mrs Mac's Kitchen', a tumbledown looking small diner near the hotel. Why is it that most of the ramshackle places have the best tasting food? It really did make a most enjoyable " and how was your day today dear?" supper.
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