Snorkeling in a Quarry in the Ocean – Scout Key [April 17 and 26, 2022]

 

Fish swim among the rocks at the Horseshoe

The Horseshoe is a quarry that sticks out into the Gulf of Mexico.  At places it is 30 feet deep.  It is a perfect rectangle, with one side open out into the ocean water.  At high tide, water laps over the sides.  It is not marked with a sign on the road.  It is a very unusual place, and it is filled with schools and schools of colorful fish.  A perfect place to snorkel.

 

The side of the Horseshoe

We’ve been looking for a spot to snorkel from shore for years.  Usually, you can see a few fish close to shore, but not many fish or a variety of fish.  On our other visits to the Keys, we’ve taken boat tours to offshore reefs that were pretty and exciting, but we had never found a beach where we can see more than a few fish.

 

A school of grunts

We learned about the Horseshoe (also known as Horseshoe Beach) on the internet hidden among a list of other public beaches where you can also snorkel.  When you drive South off of Bahia Honda Key you come to Scout Key, so named because it is the location of both a Boy Scout Camp and a Girl Scout Camp.  As you arrive on Scout Key there is a sign indicating a road to your right; a dirt road that leads to a dirt parking lot.  From there you follow a fairly wide trail through mangroves to reach the Horseshoe.

 

The edges of the quarry - the dark blue water is where it gets very deep

Local lore says that this was once a quarry used by Flagler’s workers to dig out fill stone as part of the construction of the railroad that connected Miami and Key West.  The body of land now known as Scout Key was once 3 small keys that were connected by fill into 1 larger key.  Also, a lot of fill was used to build the nearby Bahia Honda Bridge, a fabulous railroad trestle bridge. It certainly looks like a quarry with very steep sides down to depth.  Local lore also says that at one point an ambulance was placed on the bottom for scuba divers to explore as a wreck. We never found out how it came to be opened on one side to the ocean.  

 

Sergeant-major

We hung out in the four foot deep section around the perimeter.  Someone had placed huge boulders along this edge, perfect for grunts, sergeant-majors, and damselfish to hide around.  

The  cute, little, yellow and white fish with the black stripes is a juvenile porkfish

Here he is again

We saw our first juvenile porkfish.  It looks just like it was drawn to be a character in an animated movie.  We saw other new-to-us fish that we could not identify, always fun.

Parrotfish swimming away from us

 

We saw the largest parrotfish that we have ever seen.  They were very difficult to photograph; all of our photos of them show just a part of them, generally their tails as they swam away from us.  Russ found a lobster hiding under a rock, and, remembering skills from 1965, worked to try and entice it out of hiding.  Sadly, there is no photo of the lobster.

 

Head of a parrotfish

When you get to the Horseshoe you walk along the stone edge of the quarry to where you can set up your chairs, towels and gear.  There was a very high tide the morning of our first snorkel at the Horseshoe and water covered over the edges.  We set up our gear on the only dry ground, the path.  Other folks coming to enjoy Easter Sunday at this lovely spot, left because there was no place along the edge to set up their chairs.

Grey snapper locally known as mangrove snapper, from Caloosa Beach, Bahia Honda where we also snorkeled

On our second snorkel trip, we were only the second group of people there upon our arrival.  By the time we left, we had shared this huge gorgeous area with only 8 other people.  Pretty nice little known and secluded spot.

 

Happy snorkelers - Caloosa Beach, Bahia Honda

Here is a fabulous aerial photograph and more information about the Horseshoe from a local newspaper's Facebook page.

 

If you want to see other photos of fish, here are some posts from previous snorkel trips in the Keys.

Looe Key 2020

Key Largo 2016

Key West 2016

Two Symbols of the Keys - Tiny Key Deer and Quirky Key West [April 20-24, 2022]

 

Key Deer fawn

Two things that come to people’s minds when you mention the Keys are the endangered Key Deer and (of course) Key West.  We spent a bit of time with both of them.

 

Key Deer

 

Key Deer are the smallest subspecies of white-tailed deer and are found only in the Florida Keys.  These little deer are truly tiny: adult males stand 30 inches tall and weigh 55-70 pounds, adult females stand 26 inches tall and weigh 44-60 pounds.  That is about the weight of a medium-large dog.  

Most Key Deer live within the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine and adjacent No Name Keys, though they can be found along a 17 mile stretch of Route 1 from Big Pine Key to Lower Sugarloaf Key.  We read that naturalists were relocating deer from the Refuge to other areas within this stretch to provide better geographical diversity for the herd.

 

There are only 700-800 of these deer. Like their larger relatives, they are most active at dawn or dusk, and can be seen on the roads and in people’s yards at that time. 

 

They live so close to humans that they have very little fear of being around people or cars. The biggest cause of fatalities are automobiles.  We saw two deer fearlessly crossing Route 1 (which is 4 lanes at this point) after dark with cars passing by.  The special speed limit to protect the deer in that area is 45 during the day, 35 at night.  Not great odds for the careless deer.

 

We read that there were two places where you could get a good sighting – No Name Key, and along Long Beach Road, both accessed from Big Pine Key, about 8 miles from us.  We went out during the day to check out these potential sites.  No Name Key has only a few homes, and is mostly the Refuge wilderness area.  During daytime, we saw 1 deer cross the road.  There was a place where we could park our car and unload our bikes, so it was a good spot for us to return to at dusk.

 

We saw a fawn on the day when we checked out Long Beach Road.  The fawn was so tiny, it looked like each of its hooves could fit on a 25 cent piece.  When we stopped the car to look, it’s Mom came out of the underbrush on the side of the road, and the two of them approached the car.  We now understood the many, many signs warning people that not only is it illegal to feed the deer, it is harmful to their health.  These deer are not scared of people or cars at all!  It was a great photo opp though.  We returned to Long Beach Road a few days later to check out a possible kayaking location, and the same Mom and fawn were on the side of the road.  This must be where they hang out.

 

One windy evening at dusk we loaded up our bicycles and headed out to No Name Key.  We thought that bicycles were quieter and slower and would give us more opportunity to see the deer.  Through most of our ride, the deer crossed the road in ones and twos a respectful distance ahead of us.  That felt more “right” than the deer we had seen on Long Beach Road.

 

At one point, we stopped so that I could take a picture of Russ on his bicycle.  As he rode off, I heard a noise to my right.  There was a deer watching us from the underbrush.  It was focused on Russ as he rode away, and crossed the road right in front of me, with its head turned watching him the whole time.  I was less than 5 feet from the animal.  Sorry the photo isn’t that great, but it does show a very funny moment.

 

Key West

 

It was a windy day in Key West

We have spent a lot of time in Key West on previous trips.  High 20-30 mph winds and grey drizzly skies were keeping us from our usual pursuits of kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and lazing around outside.  We decided to pay Key West another visit.

 

What is Key West without chickens?

We walked around admiring the old buildings and amazing old trees, and dodging the crowds of people. 

 

We found the end of Route 1 – Milepost 0.

 

Isn't this a great house?

We had a delicious lunch at an outdoor Cuban restaurant that reminded us that Cuba was only 90 miles away. 

 

Wet underfoot in line at the Southernmost Point.

We went to the Southernmost Point of the US and saw the line of folks waiting to take a picture there get their feet wet from waves crashing up against the sea wall. 

 

Banyan tree

Kapok tree

Most importantly, we returned to the souvenir shop where Russ got his lime green Key West hat 6 years ago, and replaced the now faded hat with a new lime green Key West hat.

 

All in all, a great way to spend a day.  You can see some of our blog posts from previous visits here:

Idyllic and Zany Key West (2016)

Historic Key West (2016)

View from Mallory Square daytime 4/2022

View from Mallory Square sunset 4/2016

History and Snorkeling on Pigeon Key [April 19, 2022]

 

Pigeon Key viewed from the bridge

If you've been following our blog for awhile you know how much we love history, bicycling and snorkeling.  Pigeon Key gave us an opportunity to enjoy all of them in one adventure!

New 7-mile bridge (right) and old 7-mile bridge (left)

The only road in (or out) of the Keys is US Route 1.  It is built on the bed of the old Florida East Coast Railway built in the early 1900’s by Henry Flagler.  After the demise of the railway, the railbed was converted and paved for use by automobiles in the 1930's.  Until the 1980’s the road continued to use the narrow railway bridges as well; paved over and just wide enough for cars to pass in each direction with no shoulder.  In fact, the side rails of the roadway were the old train tracks themselves.  The new, wider bridge, used by automobiles today runs next to it. (Here is a blog post from Windley Key, one of the quarries used for this railroad construction.)

 

The rusty railing in the foreground is an old railroad track

One of the biggest engineering feats of the railway was constructing the 7-mile bridge that connects present day Marathon with the Lower Keys.  The 400+ workers who built this bridge were housed on a tiny island called Pigeon Key that sits under the bridge.  Later, after the rail had been turned into a toll road for automobiles, it became a rest stop for travelers and home to the bridge tenders and tollkeepers and their families.  It is now on the National Register of Historic Places and open for tours.  You can also snorkel off the shoreline of the island.

 

Newly restored "old 7-mile bridge"

Pigeon Key can be reached by ferry, or by walking or biking a 2-mile segment of the old (original) 7-mile bridge.  This section of the bridge has recently been restored and opened to the public just a few months ago.  We opted to ride our bikes, bringing them by car to the parking lot at the base of the bridge.  It was a very windy morning when we headed out, carrying backpacks loaded with our snorkel gear, towels and lunch.

Ramp down to the key

The view from the bridge is glorious.  Beautiful water as far as the eye can see.  You descend to the island using a reproduction of the original wooden ramp.

Section Gang building

 The island has 8 historic buildings.  A large Section Gang building was one of many that housed the workers in 1908.  In later years, other of these old dormitory buildings were dismantled and the lumber used to build homes for the bridge tenders and their families.  One of these is used today as a museum about the colorful island history.

 

Bridge Tenders homes

In addition to preserving this unique history, Pigeon Key is also the location of a marine sciences education center for school students.  Students live on the island in some of the historic buildings and do hands-on learning activities in and around the water.  There was a group of students there while we were there.

 

Each group of marine science students signs a buoy and hangs it in the Section Gang building

After our fabulous tour, we went for a lovely snorkel by the island dock.  The winds had diminished, but the water was still a bit cloudy affecting visibility.  We saw large schools of very little fish, some of them being picked off by what we think were yellow tailed snappers.  We saw two trumpet fish lazing along side by side.

 

Snorkel anyone?

After our swim, we packed everything up and rode back to the car.  The ride was very pleasant without the winds.

Saltwater swimming pool used when the island was a highway rest stop, and solar cells providing electricity today

We walked the old 7-mile bridge to Pigeon Key with our kids and Dana's parents back in 1999 (we think).  The Key was not a museum then, but we wandered around looking at the old buildings.  We remember it as a fun walk, and seeing scorch marks on the tarmac from when they filmed a chase scene from the Arnold Schwarzenegger/ Jamie Lee Curtis movie True Lies there.  We also remember the abundance of pelicans that are still present today.

 

View of Marathon from the car park

If you are interested in touring Pigeon Key, the price is $15 for adults.  You can reserve your tickets online or purchase them at the Pigeon Key Visitors Center in Marathon.  We were told that the Ferry would soon be replaced by a 60-person tram that will transport visitors using the bridge.  You can walk or ride the bridge for free.

Greetings from Sunshine Key! – Living on Island Time [April 1 - 22, 2022]

 

Florida Keys sunset from our campsite

Great egret

It is difficult to describe the beauty of the Florida Keys: emerald-blue-turquoise-green water, dark green mangroves, elegant white egrets, colorful fish swimming in clear water, prehistoric-looking pelicans gliding over the water, bright green iguanas with really long tails, and stunning orange sunrises and sunsets.  Hopefully, we will be able to share some of this vivid magic in pictures in our post today.

 

Florida Keys sunrise from out campsite

Ibis

We arrived on April 1, the day that traditionally marks the beginning of the Snowbird exodus from the Keys.  In fact, the Snowbirds left this park in dribbles over the next few weeks only to be replaced by Spring Breakers, who were replaced by folks from Miami setting up for long stays through the summer.  The Keys are a destination for lots of reasons.

 

The Wildlife Refuge on Ohio Key

Cormorants everywhere!

Ocean front campsites (not ours...)

We are staying at Sunshine Key RV Resort located on Ohio Key.  The only thing in addition to us on Ohio Key is a small wildlife refuge of stone, mangrove, and a small pond.  So, Sunshine Key RV Resort IS Ohio Key.  This is a huge campground resort with a marina, beach, pool, fishing/sunset pier, kayak put-in beach, gas station/convenience store, and more than 400 campsites, some along the ocean side (we aren’t in one of those).  If you don’t have a camper, they also have tiny houses and trailers located near the beach that you can rent to stay in.  There is a farmers market on Fridays, along with a street taco food truck.  We are like a little resort town here.

Our shady campsite

Our iguana neighbor

Our campsite has a clump of foliage including 3 small palm trees, 2 medium sized gumbo limbo trees (also known as tourist trees because of their red peeling bark) and a shrub full of yellow flowers.  With our awning and table umbrella up we have a shady sanctuary; the perfect place to snooze or read away hot afternoons.  We are joined by doves, grackles and red-winged blackbirds that wander under our chairs or roost in the trees while they coo, cluck, shriek, and chatter at us.  Yesterday, a small-sized iguana climbed down out of our trees; wonder how long that has been there...

Missouri Ohio Channel Bridge 

Peaceful paddle

Ohio Key is located near the south end of the 7-mile bridge from Marathon, and is the next Key before gorgeous Bahia Honda Key State Park.  We have kayaked over to Bahia Honda and also around Missouri Key, a small, uninhabited Key to our North.  We have also kayaked around Ohio Key several times.  There is no shortage of beautiful shoreline to explore by water.

Cattle Egret in breeding plumage

Shore bird chicks on a deserted beach

Movie - Reddish Egret's have a distinctive walk

Along the way, we have seen a pair of reddish egrets hunting, and cattle egrets in mating plumage.  There were about 30 fluffy shore bird chicks (too tiny and grey to determine their species) loudly peeping their way along the water's edge on a deserted beach.  Cormorants dried their wings on branches and pilings.  Pelicans and osprey plunged dramatically into the water to catch their meals.  We’ve seen ibis’, great egrets and one lonely little blue heron.  We watched a pair of green herons start to build a nest which they later abandoned (too public a spot?). 

 

Manatee nose

It flipped on it's back to drink the water

That's a big Manatee - about 8 feet long

We came across a manatee who quietly submerged as we paddled up.  We saw it later drinking from a hose while our neighbor cleaned his boat with fresh water in the marina.  Fishing is not allowed in the marina, so it is teeming with fish: tarpon, sergeant-majors, damselfish, parrotfish, a nurse shark or two, and a very large grouper hanging out at the bottom.

 

Such clear water

Bahia Honda beach

We have spent our time “at home” here, biking, kayaking, swimming and snorkeling.  For a change of scenery we’ve driven 2 miles over to Bahia Honda and swum off the beach there.  We are happily basking in “island time.”

These mangrove shoots are expanding the land mass of Missouri Key