Florida Keys

 

We traveled to Florida for our winter break from school. For the first time since COVID started, we took a trip outside of our host countries and not to our home in the Northwest. We found a vacation home and spent a couple of weeks enjoying the weird, wild, and beautiful Keys of South Florida. We stayed in Key Colony, in the Middle Keys and took day trips to Key West and up to Key Largo. 

We met Matt's brother and parents for a family Christmas. Cata had a great time with uncle Ben, Grace, Grandma, and Grandpa. Matt and Kristi got away for some paddling, diving and fishing.

Left: Ben checks the flats in the backcountry and below a day of conventional fishing = ceviche and fish fry.

Kristi completed an open water course in Kuwait at the end of 2019. We did a bit of diving the last time we traveled in 2019 and then had to cancel a dive trip to the Red Sea. She was excited to get back in the water for a couple days of diving in the Florida Reef-the 3rd largest in the world. (We dove with Captain Hook's in Marathon and Rainbow Reef in Key Largo and can recommend both!)

Initial phase of the stoplight parrot fish (above). Hog fish to the left.

Mahogany Snapper

Yellowtail Snapper

Blue Stripped Grunt 

Squirrelfish

Banded Butterflyfish

Redband Parrotfish

Florida has some gorgeous sunsets!

We had a good time exploring the area around where we were staying by kayak. This led to watching some great sunsets and checking out the local wildlife. Unexpectedly, this included a family of manatees that swam right up to the dock at our rental!

We also stumbled upon this small, wooden boat that had just been abandoned at the end of a journey from Cuba. People who saw it land told us that 4 people had climbed out, changed into clean clothes, and run through the forest towards the highway. In the boat was a large bag of bread and a few fuel containers. The boat would have required constant bailing. In the time since the occupants had left, water leaking in had covered the engine which was clearly repurposed from some other non-marine origin.

Obligatory American Alligator Pic

Ben enjoying the backcountry

Our adventures have become a little less adventurous than they used to be. In fact, we now prioritize going to one place and staying in the vicinity over more exploration. The adventure now is guided largely by enjoying the personality of our 3-year old and watching her eyes light up as she experiences new things.

The Florida Keys also turned out to be a great place to check out bird life. My favorite was this Yellow-throated Warbler that frequented the yard where we were staying.

Also near the house in a marshy area were the Greater Yellowlegs (left) and White Ibis (Right).

Tricolored Heron in the marsh and Least Sandpiper at the beach.

Right: Northern Cardinal. Left: White-eyed Parakeet (we spent two days in Miami before flying home and noticed that, like in Singapore, many of the birds are introduced species from other parts of the world).