On the Water

John Mirabella: Steward of Keys Lionfish Removal

John Mirabella, owner of the Castaway restaurant in Marathon, could well be called the “Lionfish King” of the Florida Keys. The affable natural storyteller is known as a pioneering lionfish hunter, recognized for spearheading efforts to remove the invasive non-native species from Keys waters — and for serving the flavorful fish in numerous ways.

By |2023-03-30T16:49:31-04:00March 29, 2023|

Brian Vest: Steward of the Conch Republic Marine Army

Brian Vest, founder-president of the Conch Republic Marine Army, a nonprofit organization created to restore Florida Keys marine habitats, has taken more than 4,000 volunteers to the Keys backcountry. Nearly every Saturday, groups of up to 10 volunteers commit to a five-hour experience to clear debris washed up on remote, uninhabited islands.

By |2023-03-01T14:10:00-05:00March 1, 2023|

Matt Bellinger: Steward of Family Fun Fishing

Captain Matthew “Matt” Bellinger grew up in Sandy Springs, Georgia, studied marine science at the University of Tampa and traveled as a divemaster after college. Today, his company, Bamboo Charters, specializes in family fishing trips — while educating, informing and inspiring clients to learn and care about the Florida Keys’ unique marine environment.

By |2023-01-04T12:32:43-05:00December 28, 2022|

Dave Vaughan: Steward of Coral Fragmentation

Summerland Key resident Dave Vaughan, founder of the Plant a Million Corals Foundation, is known worldwide for his “Eureka mistake” that led to a revolutionary coral fragmentation technique allowing the rapid growth of coral. His technique is proving to be a vital tool in restoring and protecting the Florida Keys’ living coral barrier reef.

By |2022-11-30T16:57:18-05:00November 30, 2022|

Key West’s 58-Year-Old Tournament Promotes Fishery and Fun

Nearly 60 years ago, Captain Gainey Maxwell conceived a way to encourage people to visit and fish Florida Keys waters — and then come back to do it again. He called it the Key West Fishing Tournament. Today, an impressive 46 backcountry and offshore species are targeted during the free-entry tournament’s eight-month span.

By |2022-11-09T14:41:14-05:00November 9, 2022|

Captain Caiti Currie: Steward of Key Largo’s Marine Environment

Caitlin “Caiti” Currie, who captains Key Largo water excursions for Pirates Cove Watersports and school groups out of MarineLab at Key Largo Undersea Park, is passionate about keeping the Florida Keys’ aquamarine waters clean. Through Pirates Cove, located at Reefhouse Resort & Marina, she enjoys captaining and participating in Dive Against Debris trips.

By |2022-11-02T11:06:12-04:00November 2, 2022|

Underwater Pumpkin Carving and an Unforgettable Shipwreck

The continental United States’ only contiguous living coral barrier reef, which parallels the Florida Keys, hosts huge populations of tropical fish and other sea creatures. The warm, clear water makes a long dive in the Keys comfortable and enjoyable. And around Halloween each year, divers can immerse themselves while actually carving pumpkins underwater!

By |2022-10-26T12:52:11-04:00October 26, 2022|
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