The Florida Keys are a truly friendly place. The island chain is one of those rare locales, in fact, where you might be a stranger when you arrive on vacation, but you certainly won’t be one when you reluctantly depart.
Craig and Cheryl McBay are the welcoming proprietors of the Florida Keys Brewing Co. in Islamorada.
Why is that?
People who live on these coral islands, with their funky hotspots and close-to-nature lifestyle and lively creative community, do so because they choose to embrace the offbeat, laid-back way of life and make it their own. And when people are where they choose to live, their contentment spills over into good-natured, genuine friendliness.
While it’s easy to make Florida Keys friends virtually anywhere, from the beach at Bahia Honda State Park to the art galleries along Morada Way, some potential friends are worth seeking out in their own surroundings.
Here, spotlighted in a few sentences each, are five of them.
‘Mother Ocean’ Owner Jack Micciche. Jack Micciche, who owns the funky and eclectic Mother Ocean Key Largo Marine Consignment store with dad Carmine, describes the vintage, quintessentially Keys outlet as “nautical Narnia.” Mother Ocean, which also could be called an adult mariner’s candy store, is full of colorful and useful finds — often at negotiable prices.
Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach, right, waves goodbye to Booga, a 125-pound loggerhead sea turtle that was released at Marathon’s Sombrero Beach. (Photo by Bob Care, Florida Keys News Bureau)
Jack moved to the Keys a few years ago from Atlanta, seeking a change. Today, he delights in helping customers acquire new and used treasures, ranging from boat coolers and fishing tackle to marine-related art and memorabilia, at the Key Largo outpost.
Brewery Guru Craig McBay. Craig McBay, who owns Islamorada’s Florida Keys Brewing Co. with his wife Cheryl, is a busy man — operating the Upper Keys’ first microbrewery, its beer garden and tasting room; and overseeing a wide range of branded merchandise.
The colorful and popular brewery opened 10 years ago in the Morada Way Arts District. Craig, who hails from Toronto, Canada, enjoys introducing customers to brews like the intriguingly named Death by Mermaid IPA and the tropical-fruit-flavored Spiny Hopster IPA in the emporium’s “Keysie” environment.
Turtle Healer Bette Zirkelbach. A slim-figured yet stalwart woman from Delaware, Bette Zirkelbach is manager of Marathon’s Turtle Hospital. Since 2006 she’s been one of the driving forces behind the unique facility, which is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick or injured sea turtles and their release back to the wild.
Chris Robinson (at left holding a permit to be released) was always drawn to the water and fishing.
Bette is known for her firecracker energy — a useful trait since her days can include animal rescues and caring for turtles around the clock, as well as handling medical and public relations tasks for the hospital.
Fishing Guide and Storyteller Chris Robinson. Before Chris Robinson became a Lower Keys fishing guide, he tended bar for 20-some years at Key West’s landmark Chart Room and Louie’s Backyard, and shared adventures with singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett and “gonzo journalist” Hunter Thompson. Though he enjoyed bartending and partying, Chris also was drawn to life on the water.
Eventually he got his captain’s license and began guiding, fishing the flats for tarpon, bonefish, permit and barracuda. Comfortable guiding both novice anglers and seasoned pros, he shares his love of the Keys’ natural world with his clients.
Kiteboarder/Rum Distiller Paul Menta. Paul Menta has kitesurfed from Key West to Cuba and pursued his sport in places as extreme as a lake beside three Guatemalan volcanoes at an elevation of 10,000 feet. Widely regarded as a kiteboarding pioneer, he adventured around the world and then settled in Key West, where he opened the Key West First Legal Rum Distillery.
Paul Menta is the founder and “chef distiller” at Key West First Legal Rum Distillery. (Photo by Rob O’Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)
Located in a former Coca-Cola bottling plant, the distillery is decorated with memorabilia from the Keys’ rum-soaked past. Also a notable chef, Paul enthralls distillery visitors with quirky tales and rum-tasting sessions.
******
Of course, the more time you spend in the Florida Keys, the more people you’ll get to know.
So make plans now to head for the inviting island chain and discover a population of warmhearted, idiosyncratic and welcoming “friends you haven’t met yet.”
While not too many things are certain in today’s ever-changing world, this is: you’ll be SO glad you did.
