The Keys, worth a visit?

[soboyle www.oboylephoto.co]

I'm considering a trip to the Florida Keys this winter to escape the

northeastern winter for a week or 2, would like to combine

photography and pleasure on the trip, a difficult balancing act with

my wife and our 1 year old along. We would probably drive down from

Ft Lauderdale and make a side trip to the Everglades, so I'm looking

for recommendations on a nice day hike to do there (assuming you can

hike there), nothing to long but enough to experience the glades for

a few hours and perhaps shoot a few photographs. My wife and I both

like birding, and I would like to try out my 300 and 1.6 crop.

Any suggestions on places to see and photograph in the keys, and also

any reasonably priced accomidations anyone might recommend would be

very welcome. Things seems pretty expensive on Key West, are some of

the other Keys more laid back and less expensive?

[stemked]

Hi Shaun.

 

Actually I camped on Ohio Key and the prices were pretty reasonable. Otherwise it was almost impossible for us (in January) to find anywhere to stay.

 

My best photography in the Keys was underwater to be honest. That's not to say that there wasn't some really nice above water opportunities. There were Burrowing Owls, some nice tidepools with some great photo opportunities, Mangroves crawling with lizards, wading bird and aligators. We tried to photograph snakes too but they were too uncooperative. Overall though I had better nature photo ops in the Everglades and on Sanibel (W.Florida) I think largely because I found myself driving too much to see what the family wanted to see (which was mostly Key West). While Key West is a nice place to photograph it does lack something on the non-human nature side.

[phule]

There was a good thread last month that didn't get archived. The Wakodahatchee Wetlands is a great spot for birding. Gloria Hopkins, who's a photo.net member, talked about and even sent me, via email, a guide to exploring the wetlands.

<p>

Wetlands website:<br>

<a href=">http://www.pbcwater.com/wakodahatchee/">http://www.pbcwater.com/wakodahatchee/</a>

<p>

Gloria's user page on photo.net:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/shared/community-member?user_id=249273">http://www.photo.net/shared/community-member?user_id=249273</a>

[gloria_hopkins]

Hi Shaun:

 

I stay at Parmer's Resort on Little Torch Key (middle keys - 40 min from Key West). Here is their website.

 

http://www.parmersresort.com/

 

There are Key Deer to shoot on Big Pine Key just up the road from Little Torch Key. Just drive down Big Pine Key Road off the main street and you can't miss them (please go slow). Also on that road there are several places to get out and walk and do some birding.

 

You will probably see Great White Heron in numbers, as well as Magnificent Frigatebirds and tons of osprey, pelican, and cormorants.

 

Bahia Honda in the middle keys is beautiful for walking, has great beaches and good birding:

 

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district5/bahiahonda/info/activities.asp

 

In the everglades are Anhinga Trail and Shark Valley, both great for birding and photography, both part of ENP. I've always had better luck at Anhinga Trail, and there are many foot trails you can take for day hikes. For waders, Shark Valley is a morning shoot.

 

Have fun and good luck!

[eric friedemann]

Shaun, as has been mentioned, there are some opportunities for wildlife photography in the Keys. However, I've seen much more wildlife concentrated in the Everglades than in the Keys- particularly birds. Many of the birds near Flamingo (the Park Service camp) are tame and I saw photographers taking bird pix with 50mms practically standing on some of the birds.

 

Winter is a good time to visit the Everglades, as there are waaaaaaay fewer bugs. There is only one small road leading into the park from a Northeast to Southwest direction.

 

There is one motel in the park and it is operated by the Park Service in Flamingo. The motel is rustic (1960), but clean. The food at the restaurant is passable. If you're used to camping, it will be a step up and the place is certainly acceptable for bringing an infant:

 

http://pts.worldres.com/script/gen_prop.asp?hotel_id=2013&n=1416&front_end_id=7818

 

Though it is only about 100 miles or so from Lauderdale directly to Key West on U.S. 1, with traffic, the trip can take three hours or more. Its an interesting drive to make ... once. While there are some wonderful views on U.S. 1 between the mainland and Key West, there is also a bunch of tourist crap.

 

I really like Key West for the food and some of the old architecture. However, if I were to travel there on vacation again, I'd fly into the airport there rather than drive.

 

One other thing; fly into Lauderdale if you are going to embark from the mainland. Add a few goats and some chickens and Miami International could be La Paz. I swear to God, I was in a check-in line at the Miami airport and the American Airlines representative only spoke Spanish (my girlfriend at the time had been an American Airlines flight attendent for ten years and the monolingual ticketing agent even surprised her).

 

Regards, E

[eric friedemann]

Oh, yeah, while I'm thinking about it, there is the bizarre web fable from Slate of "monkeyfishing" at Lois Key. This is some wierd s&!#:

 

http://slate.msn.com/id/109707/

[david_a._wong]

From your description, Anhinga Trail in the Everglades sounds like what you're looking for. Short trail, lots of wildlife (albeit, more in springtime)a good "taste" of the Everglades in a short 1/2 mile loop.

 

Have fun.

[douglas_greenberg]

You might consider taking a boat/ferry out to Fort Jefferson/Dry Tortugas. The birds are not nesting this time of year, but I'll guess it still would be a great place to see some Florida specialties.

[mlfly]

For a "day hike", I think Key West would be a bit far. There are some great opportunities for Pelicans everywhere but the rest is isolated and up to luck. So far as a romantic trip with great sunsets + excellent food and drink, you and your wife would like it very much. The Continental Inn is pretty reasonable (http://www.seefloridaonline.com/continentalinnmarathon/). I'd turn around there unless you can live with just having a good time in Key West (But what's Key West without the Pier House - www.pierhouse.com - and it's never been reasonable <g>). Concentrate on your photography in South FL and go have fun in the Keys, if you have time for both.

 

Mike

[gloria_hopkins]

I agree with Mike (hi Mike!). Do the Keys for R&R and birding, and do your photography in the everglades. And, have fun!