Stayed at the Marriott in Key Largo located in the Upper Keys, or north end of the string of islands.
We checked into our hotel and dropped our luggage in our room. Then we set out to explore the grounds and enjoy the sherbet colors and laid back, easy "Key-Z" vibe so famous in the Florida Keys.
The water was as clear as a clean window. You could see the sea grass straight through to the bottom. Needle fish are also plentiful in the clear Gulf Bay. Crab spotting is one of my favorite things to do when walking along rocks near the water...and we weren't disappointed.
The lovely mangroves are so prevalent throughout South Florida in the Everglades and the Keys. The roots look as if you are seeing a tree below the ground with a web of tubular fingers arching and extending from the bottom of the tree. But, much of it is above ground...or should I say above water.
It was time for lunch and to meet up with Bobby and Suzy, lovely neighbors from home who spend two months each year in the Keys. So, we headed over to Snapper's Waterfront Restaurant for some grub and pub. Did you know Snapper's grows their own herbs which is used in their menu? Neither did I. I spotted a lone pineapple growing towards the back of the garden...little orange-yellow spot. See it?
Snapper's has this gorgeous fish tank behind their bar. Lovely.
This passenger looked real at first glance. But closer inspection revealed a mannequin with a mask on, sunglasses and some clothes. Kind of clever in a strange way.
After lunch, the four of us drove to a campground called "Point of View" located in Key Largo. There we met up with another couple, Ralph and Janet, who are also neighbors from home. Ralph and Janet are the proud owners of a 2015 Cornerstone Entegra dream home coach on wheels...45 foot long. It has four slide outs and an outdoor entertainment center (cooler, television and storage for a grill). Gorgeous!!
Inside is leather, marble, electronic touch control panels, fireplace, televisions, dishwasher, washer and dryer, one and a half bath, king size bed and huge bedroom closet.
Ralph and Janet had a lovely campsite right on the Bay (Gulf of Mexico). So we all pulled up some chairs and sat outside watching a remarkable sunset right before our eyes. Truly heaven. A perfect end to a perfect day.
The next morning Rick and I went in search of the REAL African Queen. I read it was docked in Key Largo behind a hotel and we found it. Built in 1912 in Lytham, England and originally named the S/V Livingston, she was shipped to the British East Africa Railways Company to work the Victoria Nile and Lake Albert. In 1951, Director John Huston saw the vessel and commissioned her for the famous movie "The African Queen" starring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. In 1982, Hal Bailey Sr. purchased the vessel and eventually brought her to Florida to charter year round. In 1982, "The Old Queen" was purchased again, taken to Key Largo and restored to be historically correct. Finally in 2012, under new ownership, "The Queen" saw further restoration for her centennial celebration. She received a new boiler and her steel hull and engine was rebuilt. As an old movie buff, I found it so exciting to see this restored movie prop and actually touch her.
Needless to say, it was getting super hot and the sun was intense (it was June and beginning of a typical summer in Florida). So Rick and I went back to our hotel and plunged in the pool and spent the rest of the day being lazy and doing absolutely nothing.
The next morning we had a big breakfast at Harriette's (check them out on Trip Advisor: Harriette's Restaurant Key Largo ). It's a local hangout and "best breakfast in town". Homemade biscuits with honey, eggs and ham. The biscuits are BIG and wonderful. They are also known for their freshly made muffins...the Key Lime sounded fantastic but I was too full.
After breakfast, we headed south to Marathon Key and the home of The Turtle Hospital, a rescue, rehab and (possibly) release for injured sea turtles.
It was going to be another hot one!
The Turtle Hospital (check out their website: The Turtle Hospital - Marathon, Florida) was once a bar called "Fanny's". It was purchased in 1993, fully renovated with state of the art equipment and is now a hospital for sick and wounded sea turtles. It is the only state-certified veterinary hospital in the world for sea turtles.
It has two turtle ambulances.
Our tour began with an educational seminar on the five types of sea turtles that come to the hospital and about the common causes of injury and types of disease that plagues these gentle marine animals. We then went to the surgery center where it just so happened a 50 pound Green Turtle named Yertle was about to undergo surgery. He was found floating in the marina behind the hospital in mid-May and was badly entangled in fishing line. Yertle had also ingested some of the line but successfully passed it in the beginning of June. Yertle was now strong enough to endure laser surgery for the removal of a tumor and an endoscope. Yertle is expected to recover successfully.
Next we walked around the rehab tanks where various turtles were recuperating slowly and being cared for. Any turtle that came to the hospital with tumors must be "cancer free" for one year after their surgery date before they can be released back into the wild. Other common injuries are loss of fins or damaged shells from boats; disfigurement from being caught in fishing nets; swallowing hooks, plastic bags (which look like jellyfish, a food source, under water) and all kinds of flotsam and jetsam which gets caught in their digestive track and can't be released.
Inside a turtle's shell lies it's vertebrae. If a turtle's shell gets badly damaged and thus it's spine gets cut or broken, the turtle can become paralyzed. This turtle has damage to it's shell and it's two rear flippers are paralyzed. Thus, it's ability to descend under the water is hampered. The black "v" on top of the turtle's rear shell are weights. They help the turtle balance and move under water and teach it to dive again.
When a turtle gets injured and air gets trapped under their shell, they get a syndrome called "Bubble Butt" and can't descend under water. Thus, they can't feed and eventually starve. This turtle was named "Bubble Butt" as he was the first turtle to come to the hospital with this type of injury and thus the syndrome was named after him. Unfortunately, his injury is permanent and he is one of the few turtles who have made a permanent home with special care here at the hospital.
Various types of turtles are slowly healing.
We left the recovery tanks and walked to the rear of the compound, past a long row of motel rooms. The hospital used to be fully funded by the Hidden Harbor Motel. In 2005, Hurricane Wilma caused the closure of the hotel. The rooms are now used for personnel and visiting doctors and students from out of state and overseas. The hotel is owned in conjunction with the hospital and all funding is from personal donors, grants, foundations, etc. Beyond the motel rooms are docks on the ocean with a boat for emergencies.
In the back of the compound by the docks are large tanks holding solitary turtles in each tank. These turtles are kept by themselves because they are too ill to be with other turtles or bite/snap.
Before we left the hospital, we stopped by their gift shop and purchased a little ceramic turtle to put on our "memory shelf" at home. We named our turtle Yertle.
What a fantastic tour that was! So glad we did it.
We headed north again to Key Largo. Saw lobster traps stacked high and wide along the roadside...oodles and oodles of them.
Along the way back, we decided to look for a historic marker dedicated to hurricane victims in Islamorada at MM 81.5 (good directions given in the Keys ALWAYS include mile markers, or MM). We found it.
Dedicated on November 14, 1937, this site memorializes WWI veterans and civilians who perished in the hurricane of 1935. It was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
There is a crypt made into the upper level that contains skeletal bones and cremated remains of the veterans and citizens who perished, some after the hurricane. There is an interesting story behind this monument - check it out at: Islamorada Hurricane Monument.
Next, we decided to hunt for some of those colorful, creative, so "Key-Z" mailboxes that we had seen along our many drives in the upper Keys. So we spotted a few:
We had been invited to a cookout back at Ralph and Janet's campsite. So we headed to the "Point of View" campground for an evening of good fun and good company. Ralph made his "famous" barbecue ribs, Janet made her "can't go wrong" corn and slaw and we popped open some brews while watching another gorgeous setting sun. What could be better? This is a great time for Rick (and I) to say "cheers" to the big hearted,
lovely hospitality of Ralph and Janet.
Thanks for meeting us in the Keys and for opening your new home to us. You are great neighbors and we are blessed to know you.
(Janet - left picture; Ralph - right picture in red cap)
As a plus on our drive home the next day, we spotted a Google Maps vehicle with it's giant 3-D camera on top of it's car driving past us and mapping the roadways. So cool!
I would like to thank my "seldom seen but always there" assistant editor, co-photographer and forever supportive Rick for all he does to help me on my blog. This blog is a passion and he shares my excitement with me and encourages me with his participation. I catch him advertising my blog to strangers and friends alike on the side and I love the way he respects the joy this gives me. I love you, Rick.
If you have enjoyed this blog post about Florida, then why not see more hidden gems this lovely state has to offer? Click on this link: Florida
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