Tales of the Southern Loop, Stuart to Boyton, Part 1
Tales of the Southern Loop, Boyton to Miami, Part 2
Tales of the Southern Loop, Miami to Tavernier, Part 3
Tales of the Southern Loop, Tavernier to Marathon, Part 4
Today, we would be passing some of the most famous areas of the Florida Keys such as Islamorada, where a memorial stands in remembrance those who perished in the all time historic Labor Day Hurricane of September 2, 1935. The tropics were buzzing this 2020 as well as Ed and I inched southwest through the drizzle.
Within a few hours the weather was mostly behind and a family of dolphins welcomed us to their home of Florida Bay. Florida Bay, a magnificent body of water that for centuries has cast its spell upon multitudes. A water body that now has its fair share of ecological issues due to Florida’s extensive agriculture and development that has basically stopped the flow of fresh water from the once Everglades, “River of Grass. “
-Historic Florida map, 1884.
- Dolphins jumping in our wake, Florida Bay with video!
2. Before us was beautiful…
When time and weather allowed, Ed and I spun around in the dingy. We saw iguanas, darting Northern Rough Winged swallows, minnows, nurse sharks, parrot fish, loads of penguin like cormorants, American egrets, white egrets, various herons, ospreys, magnificent frigate birds, pelicans, an island rookery, and visited a place achieving “ecological sainthood,” the world famous Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital.
5. Sea Turtle Hospital display, Marathon
6. Crab and lobster traps lined the streets/lots of Marathon
The water in Marathon looked as healthy as anywhere we’d seen with lush seagrass beds and substantial wildlife. The only thing we noticed was that there were not many pelicans flying in formation as we regularly see along the Treasure Coast. Here, if we saw a brown pelican, it was flying alone.
10. Dingy adventure reveals seagrass beds, rookeries, and wildlife
Towards the end of our stay, Ed and I walked at least a mile along US1 to Publix. We wore our masks the whole way; it was so hot! I felt miserable. Cars zoomed by along a busy road that could have been anywhere. It was hard to believe all of this was all once mangroves and a native wildlife habitat. I really wanted to take off my mask. But I didn’t. Ed and I knew the importance of keeping them on, plus, in Monroe County the fine for not wearing a mask was $250.00.
11. Ed walking along US 1 in Marathon
“Ed! Take off your mask!” I said to Ed. “Let’s take a selfie!”
We took off our masks, came together, and smiled. I thought about the smiles on the faces of the dolphins that had greeted us and I was eternally grateful for the beauty around Ed and me. Hurricanes, pandemics, changing landscapes, and impaired waters…the world remained a beautiful place!