South to the Keys

Mark & Beth at New River Groves - Photo by Judi

Noah had to return to North Carolina for school, but we didn’t have to go north yet. We dropped him at the airport in Fort Lauderdale and one of the other student’s parents picked him up in Durham. We waited at the airport until we watched his plane take off so we could be sure he was safely on his way. There was a good park right next to the runway where we could relax and watch the planes come and go.

With Noah safely back at school, we headed south to the Florida Keys. On the way we stopped to visit with a friend in Miramar. Being concerned about our finding a parking spot large enough for the van in South Florida, she suggested meeting at New River Groves. It turned out to be a traditional orange grove and fruit stand with tasty lunches. The highlight was their Key Lime pie. We liked it so much we bought one and put it in the freezer so we could take some home for Noah. A friend of the owner gave us a tour of the grounds. There were several Happy Birthday banners around, so we asked if the owner was still active. It turns out he had passed away in May – at the age of 104!

I’d always heard about the great diving at John Pennekamp State Park, so we reserved three nights there. Consider reserving eleven months in advance if you want to insure you get a spot. This was the last campsite available when we reserved it back in June. 

The campground, on the island of Key Largo, was small with only about forty sites. Our site was nicely shaded. The main expanse of the park is in the ocean stretching 3 x 21 miles while protecting coral and fishes along the coast. 

We signed up for a snorkeling expedition where they took us three miles out to a reef. The seas were a little choppy, so we ended up diving at Grecian Rocks instead of the reef with the famous Christ Statue. The visibility was good and the reef was alive with a wide variety of reef fishes.

Beth managed to fit our wetsuits, fins, masks and snorkels in the van. We were very happy to be able to fit into the suits seven years after leaving our sailboat. What we hadn't counted on was that we needed to dry them inside the van since it kept raining outside. Ever resourceful, Beth set-up a line in the cab so they could dry out.

Waves Breaking on the Reef Three Miles Offshore

Winding through the Mangroves as we Head to the Atlantic

Drying wetsuits in the cab of our van.

 We had three nights at the Pennekamp and about the only time it wasn’t raining was when we were diving. We did run into interesting local residents. It turns out that Iguanas are invading the islands. We found these prehistoric looking lizards in the campsite, in trees over the water, and even walking across bridges between the islands. 

Iguana in our Campsite

Iguana Perched in the Mangroves

Beach at Pennekamp State Park

A wide variety of people came to see the park and we heard all kinds of languages. A couple from Germany shipped their van over and are exploring the USA. Their duck, cat, and bear paint job is much more interesting than a standard RV! Another family had a Sprinter with a Hobie Tandem Island Sailing Kayak on the roof. We have the same boat and tow it on a trailer. I can't imagine lifting it nine feet in the air. We may bring ours if we return here. The park has a good dock for campers and there is no extra charge to keep a boat. The kayak would be perfect for exposing the mangroves and sailing in the shallow bay.

Tandem Island on a Roof Rack

Dock for Campers

With the off and on rain, we set off down the overseas highway to see more of the Keys. We made it as far as the Seven Mile Bridge before the weather pushed us back to Key Largo. There was a good spot to park the van at the Pigeon Key visitor center. The guide was helpful and showed us how to get to walk to the bridge without having to cross the busy road.  There are boat tours that leave here and head out to Pigeon Key where the workers lived when Flagler built the railroad that linked these islands in the early 1900's. An old Florida East Coast Railway passenger car serves as a visitors center and gift shop.

The Keys are interesting! We hope to return when we have more time and better weather.