CORE OF HURRICANE KATRINA MISSES KEYS; TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE QUICKLY RETURNS

Visitors to the Florida Keys & Key West are returning after Hurricane Katrina's outer bands brought gusty winds and dumped large amounts of rainfall across the island chain.

Fortunately, the dangerous core of Katrina stayed to the north and west of the island chain.

A quick recovery of the island chain's infrastructure and visitor facilities ensures the region is ready to provide traditional hospitality for the upcoming Labor Day Weekend.

"Our thoughts and prayers are now with those in areas of the Gulf coast that are or will be affected by Katrina," said Harold Wheeler, director of the Florida Keys tourism council. "We also hope for a speedy infrastructure restoration for any of our neighbors in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties that may not have electricity."

"The tension of recent days has affected much of the southeastern United States -- and as Labor Day Weekend approaches, the Keys are ready to provide a warm welcome to everyone able to take a break from that tension."

"There was not too much to clean up, compared to (Hurricane Dennis) " said Weekley, after meeting with city public works officials. "We seem to be in pretty good shape and visitors can come down."

The situation at Sloppy Joe's Bar 24 hours after the storm swiped Key West was quite different. Last Friday, more than 18 inches of water flooded Duval Street in front of Ernest Hemingway's favorite watering hole. The bar's floor was soaked as well. But by early Saturday afternoon, Duval Street was dry and tourists, who did not have to evacuate, had replaced the water on the bar's floor.

Less then 25 of 59,000 Keys electricity customers -- mainly in the Lower Keys and Key West -- were without power Wednesday morning, according to utility officials.

Airport Director Peter Horton reported that Key West International Airport reopened and commercial air service resumed to full schedules. Florida Keys Marathon Airport reopened to general aviation. Greyhound's Keys Shuttle and other ground transportation service returned to normal schedules.

Resorts and other lodging entities throughout the Florida Keys report little impact and virtually all are open for business. Most say they have had few cancellations for this weekend's busy Labor Day holiday. There were no visitor or resident evacuations for Katrina, according to emergency managers.

All county and state parks in the Keys have reopened with the exception of Indian Key State Park off Islamorada. The Gulf Coast entrance and visitors center at Everglades National Park has reopened. Remaining portions of the park are closed for cleanup. Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park is closed until further notice. The status of both Everglands and Fort Jefferson can be checked by calling 305-242-7700.

The Port of Key West reopened last Saturday. The Carnival Glory arrived Sunday and was the first cruise ship to port in Key West since prior to Katrina's brush with the Keys.

One Florida Keys dive operator wanted to make sure a postive benefit from Hurricane Dennis was not affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Big waves, about 20 feet high, spawned by Dennis last month helped to rotate the artificial reef Spiegel Grove to an upright position on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Spencer Slate wanted to make sure the retired 510-foot U.S. Navy ship was still in the same orientation. So he gathered up a few cohorts and braved six- to eight-foot seas hours after Katrina passed the Keys to make the trip about six miles off Key Largo.

"It's still there and hasn't moved an inch," Slate said.

For the latest Florida Keys weather forecast, click here.