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| Spiny lobster |
Day 2: May 30, 2002
We went to one of the small islands in the Ocean and were dropped off with a picnic basket full of food and a cooler.
While we explored the island and ate lunch, the men left in the boat.
When the men returned to the boat, the tide had begun to come in. The island was covered with water, but it was too shallow for the ship to land, so we had to swim out to the boat with our basket and cooler.
The men caught some fish, a Spiny lobster, and a small shark.
We had lobster for supper and fresh coconut from their yard, which Rick struggled to open.
The carapace of Panulirus Argus is subcylindrical and bears many strong, forward-facing spines.
A pair of rostral horns projects forward over the stalked eyes.
Whip-like antennae are longer than the body and are studded with small spines and setae. Antennules are also elongated, extending approximately two-thirds of the body length.
The abdomen is notched along its lateral margins but is otherwise smooth.
Each segment of the abdomen has a transverse groove that is disrupted at the midline.
Two pairs of biramous uropods flank the central telson.
The body color is varied but generally a gray or tan base color mottled with shades of green, red, brown, purple, or black.
The second and sixth segments of the abdomen have large yellow or white ocillaria, with smaller ocillaria scattered dorsolaterally along the abdomen. Legs are striped longitudinally in a dull blue color. Dactyls of the walking legs are setose. Pleopods are bright orange and black.
The endopodites in female pleopods are well-developed and hook-like, bearing many setae. In juveniles, the antennae and pereiopods are banded white, and a broad white stripe runs the length of the dorsal midline across both the carapace and abdomen.
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| The island, where we had a picnic |
Day 3: May 31, 2002
We went snorkeling in the Ocean, where the water was shallow at one point and over our heads at the next point.
We saw many unusual seashells, but could not bring the live shells out of the Ocean.
We walked along the 7-mile bridge, which was featured in the movie True Lies.
The highway included the Seven Mile Bridge, the Bahia Honda Bridge, and the Long Key Bridge (although these three original bridges are no longer open to vehicular traffic, except for part of the Seven Mile Bridge, they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are currently used as fishing piers).
The 7-mile bridge spans a channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait.
The new bridge is known as the Overseas Highway (US 1).
Movies made on the Old Highway are 2 Fast 2 Furious, License to Kill, Up Close and Personal, and True Lies.
We saw the Marquesa Hotel, located at 600 Fleming St, Key West, Florida.
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| Seven Mile Bridge |
Day 4: June 1, 2002
We visited the Tropical Crane Point Hammock Crane Point History Museum, where you can feed the fish and interact with hands-on sea creatures. We also visited Los Niños de Los Cayos, an interactive vessel complete with pirate clothing and treasures.
Crane Point, MM 50.5, Bayside, 5550 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL
Phone: (305) 743-9100
Here we also saw:
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Kemp's Riley Sea Turtle
Leatherback Sea Turtle
1. The Loggerhead turtle weighs approximately 200 kg and is characterized by reddish-brown markings.
2. The Hawksbill turtle is a small, beautifully patterned turtle that weighs approximately 50 to 100 kg.
3. Kemp's Riley Turtle is the smallest and most endangered sea turtle. It has an oval, olive-green shell and weighs about 50 kg.
4. The leatherback turtle is the largest of the sea turtles. It has no shell but leathery skin with raised stripes.
It can reach over a meter in length and weigh about 700 kg.
All sea turtles are protected because they are classified as Endangered.
Their numbers are reduced because of human activity, such as capturing or killing adults for food and their shells, taking eggs, the destruction and pollution of nesting beaches, ocean pollution, and being caught up in fishing nets.
We took the many trails in the park, and it was a very hot day.
Teresa and Rick Milberger walked ahead, and Paula and Becky returned to the museum because the mosquitoes were biting them.
After walking the trail, Dad wanted to cool off, so he asked me if it was okay to put his feet in the water.
The next thing I knew, he called for help, for he had lost his balance and fallen into the water.
I knew I could not pull him out by myself, so I called out for Rick and Teresa, and they came running.
Rick pulled Dad out of the water. When he found them, his glasses had fallen off his face into the water.
They were broken, and he was dripping wet.
This was another wild adventure with my family.
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| Tropical Crane Point Hammock, Crane Point History Museum |
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| Tropical Crane Point Hammock, Crane Point History Museum |
Day 5: June 2, 2002
We rode the Henry Pigeon Express to the Overseas Railroad, which was built by Henry Flagler from 1912 to 1935. It is the eighth wonder of the world.
Pigeon Key Museum—Located on Pigeon Key, where Flagler railroad workers lived, this museum houses memories of the railroad's construction. The museum is actually a restored home where several families lived during the construction era and throughout the years. Today, hundreds of postcards and early photos of the island are displayed inside the house. A display model of the Seven Mile Bridge details the construction process.
MM 47, Oceanside, Marathon, FL
Phone: (305) 743-5999
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| Henry Pigeon Express |
Day 6: June 3, 2002
We took the Old Town Trolley Tours of Key West - Old Town Trolley's 90-minute tour covers more than 100 points of interest, and passengers can enjoy the tour at their own pace. At any point, passengers may choose to get off at any of the routine stops to shop, dine, or sightsee and then re-board another trolley later.
Mallory Square, Key West, FL
Phone: (305) 296-6688
After the trolley tour, we walked to Ernest Hemingway's home, located at 907 Whitehead St, Key West, Florida 33041.
Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote for more than 10 years.
We walked past the cruise ship Enchantment of the Seas, which was docked in Key West. Florida
We stopped at many of the shops along the way, where I:
Bought postcards of:
The Hemingway House Key West
Key West- The Conch Republic Southernmost Point Continental USA Key West, FL.
Key West Lighthouse
Teresa, Rick, and Becky walked up to the Key West Lighthouse, and I walked through "The Keeper's Quarters' Museum."
The lighthouse is at 938 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040.
We walked to the Southernmost Point in Key West.
South Street in Key West, Florida, is 90 miles from Cuba. Point 1.
Before leaving the Florida Keys, we enjoyed a lovely meal at
Margaretville Café is located at 500 Duval Street, Key West, Florida 33040
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| Hemingway House Key West Postcard |
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| Key West Lighthouse Postcard |
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| Southernmost Point Postcard |
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| Margaretville Café |
Day 7: June 4, 2002
We loaded into my sister's truck, and she drove us to Miami International Airport, where we boarded and flew to Atlanta International Airport, then to Huntsville International Airport, and finally, back home on the road.
May 29-June 6, 2002, Miami, Florida, Delta Airlines
Delta Flight DL378
Leave 6:40 A.M. Huntsville International Airport (HSV) Seat 28E gate 6-ticket ticket 1 006-2198887297 4 LG6JHFN.
Arrive at Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Leave Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Arrive at Miami International Airport (MIA)
Return Flight
Leave Miami International Airport (MIA)
Arrive at Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Leave Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Arrive Huntsville International Airport (HSV)
