Exploring the Florida Keys

We headed to Bahia Honda State Park for a few days.  A Looper friend had highly recommended a stop there.  

The weather was forecast to be a little sporty outside the string of islands that make up the Keys. So Lib and I decided to accommodate a bridge that only had a 20 foot clearance. Selkie can clear 24 feet with her radar mast up, but we can lower the mast to give us a height of around 14 feet.  So, we lowered the mast and headed to Bahia Honda. We easily cleared the bridge. 

The channel entrance shown on the charts to the yacht basin in the park was four feet. We needed more than that, but numerous reports said the channel was 5’ if you stayed in the middle. We made it with room to spare and docked. 

As it turns out, several of my friends who have not done the Loop, plus one sister have been to Bahia Honda before.  There’s a reason for that. Ite beautiful.

Bahia Honda State Park is over 500 acres in size and offers access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. 

The park is well-known for its diverse ecosystems, including sandy beaches, mangroves, and seagrass beds, as well as the iconic Bahia Honda Rail Bridge, a remnant of the Overseas Railroad. 

The park is open year-round and is a key stop for visitors exploring the natural and cultural history of the Keys.

The park is named after the deep natural channel—Bahia Honda, meaning “deep bay” in Spanish—that runs alongside it. The Bahia Honda Rail Bridge, completed in 1912, was part of an ambitious engineering project connecting mainland Florida to Key West. While the railroad ceased operations after the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, remnants of the bridge remain, serving as a reminder of the region’s history.

The park is known for its beaches, which are considered some of the best in the Florida Keys. Sandspur Beach, the largest, lies on the Atlantic side and features soft sands and clear, shallow waters. Calusa Beach, on the Gulf side, is smaller and offers calm waters, perfect for swimming and snorkeling. 

The shallow reefs just offshore are home to vibrant marine life, including tropical fish, coral, and sea turtles. The park’s natural landscapes also include seagrass beds, mangroves, and hardwood hammocks, supporting a variety of wildlife, such as wading birds and key deer.

There are 80 campsites suitable for tents and RVs. The marina features a boat ramp and 19 slips for overnight docking, making it a popular destination for boaters

In addition to recreational activities like kayaking, hiking, and birdwatching, visitors can climb a section of the old Bahia Honda Rail Bridge for a great view of the surrounding waters.

Libbie and I enjoyed our time there. We learned how to use the bus system to provision at Big Pine Key.

We snorkled.  I saw a rock crab and a lobster, but I left both alone. It brought back memories of lobster hunting almost 30 years ago in the Channel Islands off the coast of California. Bahia Honda was very different as the depths were less than 10 feet.  

As there was some bad weather forecasted we stayed at Bahia Honda five nights until the weather blew over.

We then headed to Key West. 

We went down the Atlantic side of the Keys through Hawks Channel. It was our first time on the Atlantic since we entered the Hudson River three years ago.

We turned the corner at the end of Key West and headed north to our marina.

As we made the turn into Key West, we could see a couple dozen sailboats out racing. It was the Southernmost Regatta v

The Southernmost Regatta is the first major race in the Keys for the year. It is held the end of January. It replaces the old Key West Race Week. Key West Race Week was legend in the annals of sailboat racing but it was stopped during Covid.

Key West is the southernmost city in the continental United States. It has a colorful history that reflects its strategic location, diverse influences and the characters that inhabited the place. 

The island was first charted by Spanish explorers in the early 1500s. 

Its name, “Key West,” is believed to be a corruption of the Spanish name “Cayo Hueso,” meaning “Bone Island.” 

In 1821, the United States acquired Florida. John W. Simonton purchased Key West, recognizing its potential as a naval outpost and port. 

Throughout the 19th century, Key West grew into a thriving town due to its proximity to major shipping routes, becoming a hub for industries like salvaging shipwrecks, cigar manufacturing, and sponge harvesting.

During the Civil War, Key West remained under Union control and served as an important naval base. 

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the city was flourishing, becoming one of the wealthiest per capita in the U.S., thanks to its maritime commerce and industries. 

When the Overseas Railroad (mentioned earlier) was destroyed by the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, it severely disrupted Key West’s exploding economy.

Key West later reinvented itself as a tourist destination and artistic haven, attracting writers like Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams.

Today, it is celebrated for its vibrant culture, historic architecture, and laid-back charm, serving as a unique blend of history and modern island living.

Key West was a highlight for us. 

Libbie and I enjoyed our time here. We toured several places after doing our always required chores and provisioning.  

The two places of note that we toured were the Hemingway House and Museum, and the Little White House. 

Ernest Hemingway lived here with one of his 4 wives while he wrote probably two thirds of his literature. 

Hemingway was also connected to both Libbie’s and my families.

Libbie’s mom danced with Hemingway as a young woman when he lived in Sun Valley, Idaho. 

My grandparents were friends with his only brother, Les, and met Ernest a couple of times.  

It was fun to reflect on this as we toured the place. 

The Little White House is a great piece of American History. 

President Truman stayed in the place during his time in office to escape the cold Washington DC winters; he suffered from lung issues and his doctor prescribed a southern, warm location. 

As it happened, the US Navy had a base in Key West, and an empty building used for officers quarters and their families was available.  After some renovation, Truman used the place for a while. 

The Little White House continues to be used for occasional functions, in a similar manner as Camp David is used, but because of its proximity to downtown Key West, security is a bit difficult, so presidents don’t come anymore. 

There is one thing we’ve noticed about Key West.

Many people come here in boats.  Those with money tie up in the local marinas.  Those who don’t grab a mooring ball or anchor.  

When storms come through, the older, sometimes derelict boats break loose and drift onto the local islands and reefs.  Of course, the area is famous for shipwrecks since Columbus crossed the Atlantic.  It’s a warning to everyone to be careful.

Earlier I mentioned the Southernmost Regatta was underway. The regatta was the J111 (a sailboat class) National Championship. A lot of top racers in the country race in events like this to get a trophy and bragging rights.

We met some of the crews that were racing. We’ve met a lot of people with Libbie racing on San Francisco Bay, and me being a former race officer running regattas.

It wasn’t that surprising to me to meet one individual from San Francisco who crewed on the winning boat. He knew some mutual acquaintances of ours from our yacht club in San Francisco, the South Beach Yacht Club. It was fun to talk racing with him. The racing world is a small world.

We also saw a few Loopers by bumping into them on the streets of Key West. We had a mini reunion while there.

Visiting Key West and the western-most Keys made us realize there was a lot more to do there.

We felt the same as our first year transiting Georgian Bay. We felt we were missing a lot, and resolved we would return the next year.

However, we do not have it in the plans to return to the Keys on Selkie. We will have to do that another time, maybe in another life.

It was time to turn a corner. It was time to head north.

We have to cross our wake sometime. But that is a few months away. There’s a lot to see and do before that.