Florida Keys - Day 2

This day was supposed to be our (Clifford and I) first dive day but when we got to Captain Hooks we were hit with some bad news. No diving. Lots of wind out to sea. Seven+ foot swells. No dive boats heading out. Bummer. We got dropped off by the girls and a staff member of the dive shop was nice enough to drive us back to our condo. Of course it would have been nice if they just called us in the first place and told us the dive was canceled.

Near the shore conditions were pretty calm, however. Our new friends, that hooked us up with the condo, were kind enough to loan Clifford and I their kayaks. The girls were heading to the beach.

This turned out to be a really great experience. Right outside their house is a narrow channel and on the other side is Boot key. Boot key is an island with solid ground in the middle, somewhere, surrounded by mangrove. We kayaked around the key and into the mangrove. Never have I experienced any habitat quite like this so it was a real treat. There are small channels into the mangrove where the trees grow right over you like a tunnel. In places, where it gets very narrow, you have to lay your paddle lengthwise on the kayak and pull yourself thorough. Stone crabs climbed up the trees as we passed and groups of clams were growing on the roots.

At one point we entered a small open area. The bottom was clearly visible only 1 to 2 feet down. I swung my legs over the side of the kayak and stepped down which upon reflection was probably not so good for this habitat. There appeared to be a grassy bottom and when my foot made contact it continued to sink right through. I could feel vegetation breaking apart as my foot was consumed. I stopped sinking through the bottom somewhere mid way up my calf. I took a few more steps. It was a fascinating and creepy feeling all at the same time. My mind raced through all sorts of things that could be hiding under there. I climbed back into the kayak. I was reminded of a similar experience probing the bottom of Lake Pleasant in AZ.

We left the mangrove and decided to head to the beach where Christine and her friend should be. They had left already. Time for a little snorkeling. Walking out into the water I thought to myself, "Shuffle your feet." A few minutes later Clifford confirmed my suspicion by reporting a sting ray sighting. Bad vis. Real bad vis. Back to the beach, the Laughing Gulls and the kayaks. Back to the house. We passed some shore divers along the way. Rescue diver training in progress.

The way back was tiring. The tide seemed to be against us. All in all we kayaked about 4 miles.