Snorkeling Sand Key Lighthouse with FURY Water Adventures Key West : Ep.08
Best reef in the continental United States.
Prior to arriving in Key West I had been researching reefs on google earth and found a spot about 5 miles out. I have snorkeled in Cancun, Hawaii, and Dominican Republic and I was curious to see how the Florida Keys compared. We booked a Catamaran Morning Snorkel Tour 24 hours ahead of time with FURY Water Adventure.
It takes about 45 minutes to motor/sail to the Sand Key Lighthouse from the Margaritaville Marina. The ride out is actually very enjoyable. The turquoise water is just so calming and tranquil. The crew is very friendly and they all seemed very professional and well-trained. They provide all the snorkel gear and give a short safety briefing and let you loose into the water.
The Reef and the Fish
Once we jumped in I was highly impressed with how clean and clear the water was. The visibility was great and from what I could tell, Hurricane Irma had spared much of the reef. Lot’s of sea fans, brain coral, blue tang, butterfly fish, damsel fish, parrot fish, yellow tail snapper, chromis, banded butterfly fish, bluehead wrasse, blue chromis, silverside, black dragon fish, and a green moray eel. Not too shabby! The reef was healthy and thriving. I was hoping to spot a sea turtle or black tip reef shark but no luck on this trip.
The sail back to the marina was smooth and relaxing with the crew serving complimentary beer and soda. We were fortunate enough to be in town during the World Championship Power Speed Boat Races. We got to catch some speedboats zooming by us as we neared the Marina.
Mallory Square
After wrapping up an epic snorkel session at key west lighthouse we explored Mallory Square with is a tourist destination close to the Cruise Port. This tourist site is full of great shopping and street performers. One of my favorite shops was the Key West Shell Warehouse. They have a huge selection of Shells, Starfish, and Coral for sale.
No trip to Key West is complete without a trip to the Margaritaville Restaurant for a lime margarita. So freaking good, but just prepare yourself, they are $15!!!
On a tip we decided to walk across town to a place called Sandy’s Cafe to try the world famous Cuban Sandwich. Amazing! Get the Authentic Cuban, you will not be disappointed.
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Artists build sand sculptures at Florida competition
Sand sculptors from Canada, the Czech Republic, the United States and Singapore have been competing in sunny Key West in Florida. Using just sand and water, the artists spent up to four days creating huge renditions of people, children, animals and mythical creations.
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January 9, 1827 - Construction Starts on the First Sand Key Lighthouse
Sand key is situated next to a channel that leads to Key West. It's located roughly eight miles to the north west of Key West. In normal conditions, a significant amount of sand accumulates on the submerged reefs at Sand Key and it actually creates a small island.
Soon after the United States took possession of Florida in 1821, a wooden daymark was placed on the island to warn mariners of this navigational hazard. Lighthouses to mark Florida's reef had just recently been completed at Cape Florida, Key West and the Dry Tortugas, when Congress allocated $16,000 on May 18, 1826 for a lighthouse on Sand Key. The plans for this tower were similar to those us for the other three calling for a 70 foot conical brick tower, exhibiting a light from 11 lamps set in 14 inch reflectors.
Sand Keys light revolved, producing a flashing signature that differentiated it from the nearby fixed light at Key West. The first keeper of Sand Key Lighthouse was slated to be Joseph Ximenez. However, keeper John Flaherty and his wife Rebecca were having a terrible time adjusting to their isolated lives on the Dry Tortugas. So the collector of customs at Key West, William Pinckney arranged for the two keepers to trade assignments. Shortly after the Flaherty's arrived on the island, Sand Key Light was exhibited for the first time on April 15, 1827.
With fisherman, wreckers and picnickers from Key West frequenting the island, the Flaherty's thoroughly enjoyed their new social life. Their joy however, was short lived as John became very sick in May of 1828, and then passed away in 1830. Rebecca remained on the island and was appointed keeper after her husband's death.
In June of 1831, William Randolph Hackley, and attorney in Key West, recorded the following account of a visit he made at Sand Key Lighthouse. The wind was so light that we did not get to the Key until noon. I went up to the lighthouse. The light is revolving and it's one of the best in the United States. It's kept by Mrs. Flaherty. She with her sister and a hired man are the only inhabitants of the Key and sometimes there are none but the two females. The length of the key is from 150 to 200 yards, and the average breath 50 yards. We remain till evening and having spent a pleasant day, returned to town around 8pm.
The November 23, 1834 edition of the Florida Herald reported a wedding on Sand Key Lighthouse. Rebecca Flaherty had married Captain Frederick Neill. The newlyweds took a lengthy trip the next year to visit family while, a temporary keeper watched the light. Upon their return, Captain Neil was appointed the keeper and served in this role until he resigned in February 10 of 1836.
Captain Francis Wallington was the next keeper maintaining the light until July 27, 1837, when the colorful Captain Joshua Appleby succeeded him. Born in Rhode Island in 1773, Appleby became a widower at a young age when his first wife, Sarah Vaille died at 23. Leaving him alone to care for their one year old daughter, Eliza. In 1820, Appleby sailed for the Florida Keys, where he co founded a settlement on Vaca Key and made a living from the sea through fishing, turtling and salvaging shipwrecks. Appleby's salvaging practices were soon called into question as he was accused of conspiring with a privateer, Charles Hoffner, to intentionally run aground vessels captured by Hoffner so the cargo could be salvaged and sold.
Commander David Porter, head of the naval Squadron a key was responsible for eradicating piracy had Apple be arrested in 1823, and takeen to the irons in Charleston, South Carolina.
Appleby must have been innocent or had friends in high places as he was released after Smith Thompson, the Secretary of the Navy and President James Monroe reviewed the case. Upon securing his freedom, Appleby returned to Rhode Island for a time and then he relocated to Key West. In 1830, the government granted Appleby a license as a wrecker, a trade he practiced for several years. Then on July 27, 1837, he accepted an appointment as the head keeper of Sand Key Lighthouse. While Applebee's livelihood had previously depended on ships misfortunes, it was now his duty to keep these ships safely away from the reef.
During Applebee's tenure at the lighthouse, hurricanes struck Sand Key in 1841 and 1842. With the 1842 hurricane destroying the keepers dwelling and seriously damaging the land. In 1843, a seawall was built around the lighthouse to properly provide protection from the storm surge that accompanied the hurricanes. The following year, that wall was put to the test and it failed. The new keepers dwelling was swept away along with a good portion of the island.
Applebee's daughter, Eliza, have visited the lighthouse on October 1846, along with her husband and their three year old son, and Mary's adopted daughter. On October 11th, a hurricane described as the most destructive have any that has ever visited these latitudes and the memory of man hit Sand...
Soggy Dollar Bar Live Webcam - Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands - Live from the Soggy Dollar Bar. Visit paradise at ... Listen to Soggy Dollar Radio... streaming LIVE worldwide from the Soggy Dollar Bar - one sip and you'll be sitting on sand in white bay...
Florida Keys and 7 mile Bridge 4K
The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost portion of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about 15 miles (24 km) south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry Tortugas. The islands lie along the Florida Straits, dividing the Atlantic Ocean to the east from the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest, and defining one edge of Florida Bay. At the nearest point, the southern part of Key West is just 90 miles (140 km) from Cuba. The Florida Keys are between about 23.5 and 25.5 degrees North latitude.
The climate of the Keys is defined as tropical savanna according to Köppen climate classification. More than 95 percent of the land area lies in Monroe County, but a small portion extends northeast into Miami-Dade County, such as Totten Key. The total land area is 137.3 square miles (356 km2). As of the 2010 census the population was 73,090 with an average density of 532.34 per square mile (205.54/km2), although much of the population is concentrated in a few areas of much higher density, such as the city of Key West, which has 32% of the entire population of the Keys. The US Census population estimate for 2014 is 77,136.
The city of Key West is the county seat of Monroe County. The county consists of a section on the mainland which is almost entirely in Everglades National Park, and the Keys islands from Key Largo to the Dry Tortugas.
The Florida Keys are the exposed portions of an ancient coral reef. The northernmost island arising from the ancient reef formation is Elliott Key, in Biscayne National Park. North of Elliott Key are several small transitional keys, composed of sand built up around small areas of exposed ancient reef. Further north, Key Biscayne and places north are barrier islands, built up of sand.
The Florida Keys have taken their present form as the result of the drastic changes in sea level associated with recent glaciations or ice ages. Beginning some 130,000 years ago the Sangamonian Stage raised sea levels to approximately 25 feet (7.5 m) above the current level. All of southern Florida was covered by a shallow sea. Several parallel lines of reef formed along the edge of the submerged Florida plateau, stretching south and then west from the present Miami area to what is now the Dry Tortugas. This reef formed the Key Largo limestone that is exposed on the surface from Soldier Key (midway between Key Biscayne and Elliott Key) to the southeast portion of Big Pine Key and the Newfound Harbor Keys. The types of coral that formed Key Largo limestone can be identified on the exposed surface of these keys.
Starting about 100,000 years ago the Wisconsin glaciation began lowering sea levels, exposing the coral reef and surrounding marine sediments. By 15,000 years ago the sea level had dropped to 300 to 350 feet (110 m) below the contemporary level. The exposed reefs and sediments were heavily eroded. Acidic water, which can result from decaying vegetation, dissolves limestone. Some of the dissolved limestone redeposited as a denser cap rock, which can be seen as outcrops overlying the Key Largo and Miami limestones throughout the Keys. The limestone that eroded from the reef formed oolites in the shallow sea behind the reef, and together with the skeletal remains of bryozoans, formed the Miami limestone that is the current surface bedrock of the lower Florida peninsula and the lower keys from Big Pine Key to Key West. To the west of Key West the ancient reef is covered by recent calcareous sand.
Just offshore of the Florida Keys along the edge of the Florida Straits is the Florida Reef (also known as the Florida Reef Tract). The Florida Reef extends 270 km from Fowey Rocks just east of Soldier Key to just south of the Marquesas Keys. It is the third-largest barrier reef system in the world
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Key West Snorkeling At The Coral Reef With Fury Water Adventures
Snorkel into Key West's most popular attractions: the reef and crystal blue waters surrounding our island paradise. For almost three decades visitors and locals alike have been choosing Fury Catamaran for snorkeling Key West's nearby reef.
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Clearwater Beach Florida USA
Chicago Downtown Illinois USA
Best American Beach - camera Apple iPhone 6
Clearwater Beach includes a resort area and a residential area on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County on the west central coast of Florida. Located just west over the Intracoastal Waterway by way of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway from the city of Clearwater, Florida, of which it is part, Clearwater Beach is at a geographic latitude of 27.57 N and longitude 82.48 W.
Clearwater Beach is characterized by white sand beaches stretching for 2.5 miles (4 km) along the Gulf and sits on a barrier island. It has a full marina on the Intracoastal Waterway side and is linked on the south by a short bridge to another barrier island called Sand Key, where Sand Key Park is located.
The area offers shopping, restaurants, and activities such as parasailing, jet ski rentals, boat tours (with a common sighting of dolphins in the Gulf waters), miniature golf, fishing charters, and pirate ship cruises.
Clearwater has frequently been ranked one of the best beaches in the United States. Its Sandpearl resort was named one of the best beach resorts in the U.S. In 2009 an episode of Brooke Knows Best was shot on the beach. In January 2013, Clearwater Beach was awarded the designation of Florida's Best Beach Town by a USA Today reader poll ranking 10 Florida beach destinations.
Jules Underwater Lodge in Key Largo
Amazing underwater lodge. Once in a lifetime adventure!
Highly Recommended!
США ???????? Флорида и Наш выходной на пляжах Флориды. Зеркально голубые воды флоридского побережья
Explore some of the best beaches in Florida on your family trip to one of these unique destinations. Choose from small secluded islands, quiet FL beach towns and city getaways with great state parks just steps from famous museums, attractions and restaurants. Play in the water, relax in the sun, build sandcastles and have fun with your kids on these stunning Florida beaches.
A
Alligator Point, Florida
Amelia City, Florida
Amelia Island
American Beach, Florida
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria, Florida
Anne's Beach
Atlantic Beach, Florida
B
Bahia Honda Key
Bal Harbour, Florida
Ballast Key
Belleair Beach, Florida
Belleair Shore, Florida
Bethune Beach, Florida
Beverly Beach, Florida
Big Lagoon State Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Boca Chica Key
Boca Grande, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boneyard Beach (Florida)
Bonita Springs, Florida
Boynton Beach, Florida
Bradenton Beach, Florida
Briny Breezes, Florida
Butler Beach, Florida
C
Caladesi Island State Park
Canaveral National Seashore
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, Florida
Cape St. George Island
Captiva Island
Captiva, Florida
Carrabelle, Florida
Cayo Costa State Park
Cedar Key, Florida
Clearwater Beach
Cocoa Beach, Florida
Crandon Park
Crescent Beach, St. Johns County, Florida
D
Dania Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach Shores, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Deerfield Beach, Florida
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
Delray Beach, Florida
Destin, Florida
Dog Island (Florida)
Don Pedro Island
Don Pedro Island State Park
Dry Tortugas
Dry Tortugas National Park
Dunedin, Florida
E
Eastpoint, Florida
Egmont Key State Park
Estero Island
F
Flagler Beach, Florida
Fort De Soto Park
Fort Island Gulf Beach
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
G
Gasparilla Island State Park
Golden Beach, Florida
Grayton Beach State Park
Grayton Beach, Florida
Gulf Islands National Seashore
H
Hallandale Beach, Florida
Haulover Park
Henderson Beach State Park
Highland Beach, Florida
Hillsboro Beach, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
Holmes Beach, Florida
Honeymoon Island State Park
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Hutchinson Island (Florida)
Hutchinson Island South, Florida
I
Indialantic, Florida
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
Indian River Shores, Florida
Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
Indian Shores, Florida
Inlet Beach, Florida
Islamorada, Florida
J
Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Jacksonville Beaches
Jensen Beach, Florida
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
John U. Lloyd Beach State Park
Juno Beach, Florida
Juno Dunes Natural Area
Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida
Jupiter Island
Jupiter Island, Florida
Jupiter, Florida
K
Key Biscayne
Key Colony Beach, Florida
Key West
L
Laguna Beach, Florida
Lake Worth, Florida
Lanark Village, Florida
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida
Lido Key
Little Duck Key
Little Gasparilla Island
Little Talbot Island State Park
Loggerhead Park
Long Key
Long Key State Park
Lovers Key State Park
Lower Matecumbe Key
M
Madeira Beach, Florida
Manalapan, Florida
Manasota Key, Florida
Marathon, Florida
Marco Island, Florida
Marquesas Keys
Mashes Sands
Matanzas Inlet
Matheson Hammock Park
Melbourne Beach, Florida
Mexico Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miramar Beach, Florida
Money Key
Mule Keys
N
Naples, Florida
Neptune Beach, Florida
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Nokomis, Florida
North Captiva Island
North Redington Beach, Florida
O
Oleta River State Park
Orchid Island (Florida)
Orchid, Florida
Oriole Beach, Florida
Ormond Beach, Florida
Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida
Oscar Scherer State Park
Osprey, Florida
P
Palm Beach Shores, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Key
Panama City Beach
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Pensacola Beach, Florida
Perdido Key, Florida
Pine Island (Lee County, Florida)
Pine Island, Hernando County, Florida
Playalinda Beach (Florida)
Pompano Beach, Florida
Ponce de León Island
Ponce Inlet, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
R
Redington Beach, Florida
Redington Shores, Florida
S
St. Augustine Beach, Florida
St. Pete Beach, Florida
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
Santa Rosa Island (Florida)
Satellite Beach, Florida
Scout Key
Sea Ranch Lakes, Florida
Seaside, Florida
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Siesta Beach
Siesta Key, Florida
Smathers Beach
South Beach
South Beaches
South Palm Beach, Florida
South Patrick Shores, Florida
South Venice, Florida
St. Andrews State Park
St. George Island (Florida)
St. George Island State Park
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park
St. Teresa, Florida
St. Vincent Island (Florida)
Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
Sunset Beach (Treasure Island)
Surfside, Florida
T
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Tea Table Key
Treasure Island, Florida
U
List of beaches in the United States
V
Vanderbilt Beach
Venice, Florida
Vilano Beach, Florida
Virginia Key
W
Wabasso Beach, Florida
Wilbur-By-The-Sea, Florida
Woman Key
Z
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Wings You Can't See~~~~ Boca Grande Beach
Mid April on the beach of Boca Grande Florida...Just north of Ft. Myers on the west coast with my nieces and nephew...Here we have besides beauty galore a very modest amount of beach goers which makes for lots of leg room, relaxation and no parking nightmares!
The next video will be from famous Siesta Key Florida where you will be able to see the difference in the sand and it only being 40 minutes north along the coast yet it is like white baby powder coupled with the many colorful umbrella's in harmony with the teal blue water then add a dash salty sea air and you might think you are there...yet, what was that? That bird just took my sandwich out of my hand. Hey kid no running...you're kicking up sand! Sunburned, unorganized and tired when realizing you paid $10 to park 2 miles away...and now you have to walk back to your car bla`bla`bla will they make it?
LQQK for them here on YouTube soon...Summer on Siesta
How this house survived Hurricane Michael
Russell King and Dr. Lebron Lackey, the homeowners of one of the few houses left standing in Mexico Beach, Florida, following Hurricane Michael, say when they built their home they kept asking themselves what would survive The Big One.
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KEY WEST EXPRESS: Fort Myers to Key West Ferry
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In my salty traveler's opinion, the Key West Express is the best way to get to Key West. It's better than being cramped on an airplane and dealing with airports. It's better than driving for 6+ hours and dealing with slow traffic down US 1.
Why not get to Fort Myers, jump aboard the Key West express, order a nice rum drink and watch the Gulf of Mexico go by. In 3.5 hours, you'll be in Key West and ready to explore the island's treasures.
If you have any questions about the Key West Express, let me know. I travel on it a few times a year and know both Ft. Myers beach and Key West well.
Have fun!
Cheers,
Ryan
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A Salty Passion: Hi! We are Ryan (RumShopRyan) and Crystal (Castaway Crystal), we document, photograph, and film the best the Caribbean has to offer. Whether it’s stunning beaches, relaxing hotels, friendly restaurants, or soggy beach bars…we want to share it and inspire others to explore the islands.
MEET US!
Who Is RumShopRyan:
Howdy! I’m Ryan and I hail from the land-locked, can’t get any further from the ocean, state of Kansas. I moved to laid back southwest Florida in 2001. I didn’t know a single person and didn’t have a job. Risky I know, but the ocean was calling and I had to answer.
I’m a huge fan of Kansas City sports, so you’ll probably see a lot of Jayhawks, Chiefs and Royals attire in my photos. Kansas City is a great town and I’m glad I’m from there, but the coastal life was calling. It’s kind of like Kenny Chesney’s “island boy” song. Check out the lyrics and you’ll see what I mean.
I write because I’m passionate about the Caribbean and the island lifestyle, and it’s my way to share it with you. If it has anything to do with the Caribbean, rum drinks, beach style music, or Caribbean culture, you’ll be able to find it on this site.
When in the Caribbean you’ll find a camera around my neck and note pad in my pocket. This is how I document the experiences in unique and interesting ways and bring it back to you, the Castaways.
Who is Castaway Crystal:
I was raised in Southwest Florida so it’s no surprise that I have a love for beaches, water and nature. As a child, most weekends were spent fishing in the warm gulf waters on the family boat. As an adult, most weekends are spent soaking up the sun on Ft. Myers Beach. Even though I have always loved the coastal life, I don’t think I fully appreciated it until I moved to Nashville, TN. I’m all about experiencing new things, and as a Licensed Massage Therapist I thought it would be amazing to massage some of Nashville’s biggest stars (a girl can dream right?). But I missed the sun and sand too much—and let’s not forget the rum runners! After a year I couldn’t take it anymore, this sun bunny moved back to her coast of somewhere beautiful.
I’ve always been passionate about photography and writing, but my passions never really had a purpose until I met Ryan. I couldn’t be happier being Ryan’s first mate and sharing my photos and stories with you. May they inspire you to go after your tropical dreams and wishes. Make a plan…Set a date…Just go!
Island Hopping Is A Must In Fort Myers Beach
Unlike the gridlocked hustle of sister cities Tampa and Miami, Fort Myers Beach is the gem on the Gulf that still has the magic of a Florida long forgotten elsewhere. It's the kind of view you're convinced you need a passport to see until the windows of the car roll down crossing over the Matanzas Pass Bridge onto Estero Blvd. In the mid-morning sun, the salted fresh scent wakes you up to the kind of American island you really can still find.
Here on Fort Myers Beach on Estero Island in Southwest Florida, there are as many families in the seven-mile surf as there are couples, newlyweds to retirees. We spent a long weekend at the Pink Shell Resort in September 2019, and planned your perfect day in Fort Myers at the best beaches and locations we could fit into a long weekend. There are always things to do here for day trips on the surrounding islands of Sanibel Island and Captiva Island, click here to jump to digest below.
Island hopping, shelling, and eco-tours
You're here in Florida, grab that lovely continental Pink Shell Resort breakfast and get outside. If you love deep sea fishing, book one of the local fishing charters in town to catch your own dinner. Not in the mood to fish? Book a trip with EcoVenture Florida where Captain Matt Hetrick and First Mate Lauren will guide you through a true island hopping adventure. We coasted around the famous Sanibel Lighthouse and anchored at our own private little beach for shelling on the gorgeous Costa Cayo. The seashells are shades of reds and pinks, and some are as big as your face.
If you thought you needed to leave America to find white sand beaches and clear crystal water year-round, it's all right here in the United States' coastline on the Gulf of Mexico. We saw dolphins, manatees, fevers of rays, and one incredible sea turtle in our time with Captain Matt, but he asked me to say that seeing all those in one day is incredibly lucky. Ol' Captain Matt is a modest guy.
Water sports, parasailing, and paddle boarding
If you're not in the mood for a boat ride, head out to the Pink Shell's beach resort zone where you can start your morning ocean kayaking or paddle boarding in the gentle surf. The serene view from the room each morning is all the convincing you need to feel the mild saltwater on your toes. Take a short waverunner course and grab the jet ski views of the boardwalk from the ocean. Bike around Lovers Key State Park, the one place every guest at the resort raved about. We didn't get to make it here, but learned it's a popular spot for lovers of all ages to take sweet photos.
Downtown Fort Myers
The Edison & Ford Winter Estates are a must-see for any kind of traveler, particularly those botanical garden lovers! These vacation homes of first Thomas Edison's family, followed by Henry Ford's family later, are preserved with the original knickknacks and science center, including the working laboratory. Mina Edison is responsible for the exotic and blossoming flora on the estates and she is the true patron saint of Fort Myers. The history of the city, once a popular cattlemen stop, begins with the Edisons arriving and rebuilding the dock. The Royal Palms lining the Edison's estate roads are just one of the legacies left behind.
Fort Myers & Sanibel Island
If you're looking to escape somewhere gorgeously serene with more activities than you could possibly fit into one week, Fort Myers Beach is the spot for you. This barrier island gem is budget-friendly, pet-friendly, and impossibly clean, a nod to the high eco-standards Lee County holds itself to. The next time you want to escape somewhere south, just remember that you need to go as far as Key West to find white sand perfection. Fort Myers Beach is Florida's Florida, the kind you're looking for.
For more, visit us at WideOpenCountry.com
Key Largo Coral Reefs: Hurricane Irma Aftermath 2017
Key Largo Coral Reefs: Hurricane Irma Aftermath 2017
Key largo did not receive a direct hit, but with hurricane force winds and the resulting wave action pounding the reefs, I was very interested in getting back out to see what it all looked like. This video includes footage from Molasses reef and Sand Island Reef on December 23rd 2017 (about 3 months after the Hurricane).
The descriptions and possible causes presented in this video are based on talks with our dive masters and observation. There is little published research yet, so I will definitely be back with more solid info at a later date.
Either way, it is obvious the reefs have undergone significant change in some locations, and in other areas, the corals survived surprisingly well. Our dive masters expressed their belief that a lot of the sand was removed from Molasses Reef, leaving bare/rock/rubble bottom. I definitely see how they could say that, but it also looks like corals were hammered to pieces in some areas as well.
The fish assemblages have changed a lot as well...there are many more than I remember before, but that could be just circumstantial.
The Florida Keys reef track has been undergoing a stressful few years with widespread bleaching and disease impacting the coral. Add on a hurricane and I do worry about the reef track as a whole.
Hurricanes can actually be good for a coral reef. Broken fragments of coral will get redistributed and start growing in new areas, causing a rejuvenation of sorts. But when the water quality and conditions are not conducive to coral growth, it makes me more difficult.
I was encouraged by seeing large stands of Elkhorn still intact, and broken fragments beginning to grow where they landed…. This is nature’s way and hopefully will lead to a rebuilding of coral.
Either way, these were great dives filled with a high diversity of fish and marine life.
Until next time!
P.S.: I did delete the first posting of this video as I needed to make a few corrections.
Music from Epidemic Sound
References About the Florida Keys Reef track.
Florida’s Coral Reef is Disintegrating
Florida’s Dying Reefs Could Devastate Keys’ Economy
South Florida Corals Dying in “unprecedented” bleaching and disease
Saving Florida’s Precious Coral Reef After Hurricanes Irma and Maria
Range of Conditions’s for Florida Keys Reefs After the Hurricane
Divers Looking at Coral Reefs After Irma didn’t Expect what they saw down below
Sanctuary: Reef bruised but not destroyed
KEY WEST FAMILY VACATION - PART 1
My sister, mom and I decided to venture a little more south for a little quick vacation with the boys. Check it out!
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Old key west water slide
My Son James and I wanted to film the slide at Old Key West at Disney. So we did it with a Go Pro cam showing the front and aft view. Enjoy
The Resort at Little Harbor
The Resort at Little Harbor is one of the most convenient venues for a destination wedding in the Tampa Bay Area. It is about 30 minutes south of Tampa just off I-75. It has so many advantages over the Pinellas County Beaches. There is not as much traffic and crowds to deal with. There is a variety of scenery for wedding photography and all within easy walking distance. There is no issue with parking. The scenery is great with the Pier, beach, the rocks along the board walk, and plenty of lush tropical greenery. Even if you do not like to deal with the sand, you can get many great shots of the water and pier without even having to walk in the sand. It has two great restaurants on site. The larger Sunset Grill which also the Royal Palm Ballroom which holds up to 180 guests. It also has the smaller more quaint Hooks Bar & Grill which had nice outdoor seating on the creek. Both restaurants has some incredibly delicious food.
It is Ideal for weddings with out of town guests as you actually have two different options for lodging on Propoerty. The larger Harborside Suites has spacious rooms and an impressive patio area next to the boat docks which make great areas for photography. The smaller Inn at Little Harbor is a little closer to the pier right next to Hooks Bar & Grill.
For more information on having a wedding at The Resort at Little Harbor see
To see more of our highlights of weddings at Little Harbor see
Stock footage of this video available from Tampa Aerial Media for $100 with copyrights. Pay online here and we will send you a mp4 of this video without the graphics This does not cover the music used for this video.
For Aerial videos from around the world see
Florida Keys Wedding at Coconut Cove Resort
If you are looking for an exotic wedding venue on the Florida Keys, check out this wedding at Coconut Cove Resort & Marina at Islamorada .
Wedding at Coconut Cove Resort. The Ceremony was right on the water, on the Atlantic Side of the Florida Keys. Wedding complete with 6 Florida Girls, a great ring dog that had one Coors Light too many, and a spectacular fireworks show put on by Coconut Cove as Dawn & Dennis danced underneath the moon on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The reception area which features a big covered tiki bar amidst tiki torches provided a great atmosphere for the guests.
There are plenty of great tropical areas on the grounds of this Florida Keys venue that make for great wedding photography & video. We absolutely love the tunnel of tropical trees amidst native vegetation that lead out to a concrete dock as you see in this video. Magda, the cordinator at Coconut Cove was excellent to work with, it was obvious she really cared about making the bride and groom happy. That was here, the bride was trying to stuff a cup cake down her mouth at the end of the video.
I always enjoy shooting weddings on the east coast, theres very little backlighting issues as there are on the west coast of Florida where we shoot many weddings at. The sun is setting behind you instead of in front of you so the light is on your subject instead of fighting the light behind your subject. Ofcourse if you you want the sunset, you can easily walk 1/4mile to the west coast of Islamorada. On the night of the rehearsal there was just a spectacular moon rise over the wedding, which I was excited to shoot for the wedding, however, clouds had covered it. Later on in the evening, as you can see during the fireworks, the full moon did appear for a scene, seeming from a Disney movie as Dawn & Dennis danced on the beach.
Coconut Cove also offers nice hotel accommodations in the midst of a nature preserve, which make it convenient for your wedding guests.
Photography & Video provided by Celebrations of Tampa Bay
KEY WEST 1979
For licensing inquiries please contact Historic Films Archive
(historicfilms.com / info@historicfilms.com)
00:58:47 KEY WEST: AERIAL PAN MIAMI'S GOLD COAST WITH ITS HIGH RISE
HOTELS ALONG THE BEACH. EVERY YEAR MILLIONS OF VACATIONERS GO HERE.
00:58:58 AERIAL PAN OF GROUP OF ISLANDS KNOWN AS FLORIDA KEYS ON SOUTHERN TIP OF FLORIDA. A SINGLE HIGHWAY CONNECTS OVER TWO HUNDRED KEYS, SEPARATES ATLANTIC OCEAN AND GULF OF MEXICO. MANY NEW TRAVELERS VENTURE HERE
00:59:25 AERIAL PAN CAR TRAVELS ON SECTION OF THE 192 KILOMETER ROAD STRETCHING ELEVEN KILOMETERS LONG, WITHOUT TOUCHING LAND. ALMOST THE ENTIRE ROUTE HAS BEEN SETTLED. ALL THE WAY TO KEY WEST.
00:59:30 AERIAL KEY WEST, THE SOUTHERNMOST TIP OF THE UNITED STATES
LIGHTHOUSE ON KEY WEST. MAN RIDES HIS BIKE ON SANDY BEACH. FISHING BOAT OFF SHORE. MOST PEOPLE IN FLORIDA KEYS ARE PRE-OCCUPIED WITH FISHING.
00:59:43 MONTAGE SMALL BOY ON BOAT DECK HOLDS FISHING POLE
CONTAINING SMALL FISH HE CAUGHT. DIVER HOLDS UP LOBSTER TO CAMERA. MAN HOLDS UP HUGE FISH HE JUST CAUGHT, CU HAND OF FISHERMAN HOLDS UP SMALL FLAT FISH. MAN POSES WITH THREE FISH HE CAUGHT. LITTLE
GIRL HOLDS UP SMALL SHARK. VARIETY OF OTHERS
01:00:01 MAN FEEDS FISH TO PELICAN. FISHING BOAT GULF STREAM II PASSES WITH NUMBER OF PEOPLE FISHING FROM ITS SIDE RAILING. THESE BOATS TAKE AS MANY AS THIRTY PEOPLE TO FAVORITE FISHING SPOTS, FOR SMALL FEE. PROVIDES RODS, REELS, BAIT, ADVISE.
01:00:12 FISHERMAN PULLS UP LARGE FISH USING GAFF. LITTLE GIRL REELS ONE IN, DECK HAND GAFFS IT.
01:00:27 MAN, WOMAN AT HELM OF SMALL SPEED BOAT, ON THEIR WAY TO QUIETER WATERS OF GULF, WHERE THEY DO SHALLOW WATER FISHING. IN ONE METER OF WATER STING RAYS, BONE FISH, SAND SHARK, FLOUNDER ARE
CAREFULLY SOUGHT IN FLAT BOTTOM BOATS.
01:00:40 YOUNG FISHERMEN CAST FROM THEIR SMALL BOATS.
01:00:54 MEN, WOMEN SIT ON BENCH IN BOAT, SCUBA GEAR AT THEIR FEET. MAN IN SWIM SUIT THROWS OUT ANCHOR ON ATLANTIC SIDE OF KEYS, WHERE LIE THE ONLY ONLY LIVING CORAL REEFS BORDERING THE U.S.
01:01:06 MONTAGE, MAN DONS HID FLIPPERS, WOMAN PUTS ON FACE MASK, MAN STRAPS DAGGER TO LEG. CU YOUNG WOMAN AIMS CAMERA AT CAMERA. OTHERS TEST BREATHING APPARATUS. MAN DONS TANKS ON BACK. CU ANOTHER WALKS ON AWKWARD FLIPPERS. MAN DIVES IN.
01:01:31 UNDERWATER SHOTS OF COLORFUL TROPICAL FISH, CORAL. YOUNG SHAPELY GIRL IN BIKINI WITH FACE MASK, SWIMS TO BOTTOM. THEN UP. SHE POPS OUT OF WATER.
01:01:52 ZOOM OUT FROM EYE TO WHOLE STUFFED MARLIN MOUNTED ON WALL. MONTAGE CRAFTSMAN SKILLED AT ART OF TAXIDERMY WORKING AT THEIR TRADE WITH FISH. MAN LIFTS COMPLETED MARLIN, HANGS IT ON RACK.
01:02:10 FISHERMEN LIFT CRATE OF LOBSTERS FROM BOAT TO WORKER ON PIER. TWO WORKERS POUR CRATE FULL OF LOBSTERS INTO OTHER CRATES. HANDS OF WORKERS SEPARATING THE LOBSTERS BY SIZE. KEY WEST IS
LOBSTER, SHRIMPING CAPITAL OF U.S.
01:02:25 SHRIMP BOAT HEADING OUT. BLACK WORKER DIRECTS LARGE METAL BUCKET CONTAINING SHRIMP, ICE AS BOOM LIFTS IT FROM HOLD. CU THOUSANDS OF SHRIMP ON CONVEYOR BELT.
Aerial Drone Tour of Key West Florida in 2015
In this video we take you on a tour of the sights of Key West using our aerial drones and traditional cameras.