When Randy Towe was 10 years old, he asked his mother to buy him a $200 custom fishing rod. His mother didn’t agree, so he convinced her to spend considerably less and purchase the necessary parts. The young fishing fanatic then built his own rod -- and today, he crafts prized rods for others from his store in the Florida Keys.
Scientists and enthusiastic volunteers planted 200 live coral fragments June 13 in the waters off Key West’s Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park — launching an effort to restore coral reef tracts and establish a public snorkel park that’s easily accessible.
Journalist Robert Silk has a great love for the Florida Keys’ natural world. Recently his outdoor outlook inspired him to write “An Eco-Tourist’s Guide to the Everglades & the Florida Keys,” and here he offers insights into his favorite activities and places in the region’s fascinating natural environment.
The United States’ National Park Service celebrates its 100th birthday in 2016. And if you’re visiting the Florida Keys, you have a great opportunity to learn, discover and be inspired by two national parks that can be reached from the island chain.
Ben Daughtry’s passion for creating educational experiences in marine conservation led him to open Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters — where visitors can enjoy immersive experiences with reef fish, invertebrates, stingrays and even sharks without entering the ocean.
Family vacations in the Florida Keys mean moms, dads and kids can enjoy adrenaline-fueled fun in the 125-mile island chain that parallels the continental United States’ only living coral reef.
Captain Karen Luknis of Venus Charters cut power to the Suzuki engine as I watched her Pro-Line coast across Garrison Bight to a gentle stop at the dock, after helping another group of clients make lifelong memories.
Captain Lain Goodwin, owner of Dirty Waters Charters, knows that muddy waters — where fresh water spills from Florida Bay’s backcountry and Everglades National Park into the Gulf of Mexico’s salty waters — are rich with the world’s best fishing.
For thousands of scuba divers and snorkelers who visit the Florida Keys annually, and want to log amazing dives along the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef, there’s no better place to do it than Islamorada.
In November 2015, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary marks 25 years of protecting the world’s third-largest barrier reef.