to open Unwind Magazine - May/June 2014

10 MILE
KEYS CRAWL
Gazing the Night Sky
SAND
SCULPTORS page 14
Fossils, Railroads & Rumrunners
GEOCACHING
SEARCHING FOR TREASURE
MAY/JUNE 2014
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8
Essentials: Outdoor Gear
10
Island Charm: Stargazing the Keys
14
Local Profile: Castles in the Sand
20
Southernmost Appeal: Geocaching
26
Local Flavor: Crawling the Keys, 10 Miles at a Time
32
Rewind: Windley Key
38
Essentials: Wine Pairings
Publisher’s note:
Here we are with our 5th issue of UNWIND, one that’s sure
to expose you to those little known secrets the Florida Keys
keeps as all its own.
This issue’s theme is OUTDOORS and while the water is
certainly essential to any outdoors discussion here in the Keys,
we thought we’d save the water for our July issue and focus
more on the land in this one.
We’ll cover Stargazing, Sand Castle building, and
Geocaching, subjects perhaps obscure to many, but very much
a part of the Keys and subjects that don’t typically get a lot
of ink. We’ll also introduce a new on-going feature, “Take 10
and Unwind”, a 10-mile perspective of those landmarks and
hideouts that truly define this region.
We hope you enjoy this issue. Feedback from readers
throughout the Keys and even from visitors has been
exceptional. We’re certain UNWIND is capturing the most
interesting, compelling content of any local publication based
on your feedback. Ultimately, we hope your experience with
UNWIND causes you to laugh, smile or even raise an eyebrow
or two.
If you have photos or ideas for future issues, please send
them to: [email protected] - Enjoy!
THE FLORIDA KEYS
A Special publication produced by the
Keynoter Publishing Company
Relax Outdoors in Island Style!
Interior Design for your home inside & out!
Custom Fabrics, Wallpaper,
Window Treatments and so much more!
Publisher: Richard Tamborrino
Creative Director: Emily Pulis
Advertising Coordinator: Joanne Pulis
Production Manager: Todd Swift
Contributing Writers: Alyson Crean, Cammy Clark,
Ellen T. White, Brad Bertelli, Jana Vandelaar
unwindFloridaKeys.com | 305-743-5551
P.O. Box 500158, Marathon, FL 33050
Cover Photo: Mermaid & Turtle by Sand Isle
Morada Way Arts & Cultural District and Pasta Pantaleo present
Millard Wells Days
June 19 - 22, 2014
TELL YOUR STORY....
SHARE HIS STORY...
CELEBRATE THE LIFE & ARTISTRY OF MILLARD WELLS
THE ART OF MILLARD WELLS
an exhibit of the
Keys History & Discovery Foundation
June 19 - August 10
Millard Wells Days “First Night”:
Third Thursday ArtWalk celebration 6-9 pm
Official Toast at Chef Michael’s 7 pm
Event Schedule available at MoradaWay.Org
Learn about the
RED KERCHIEF PROJECT
by visiting MoradaWay.Org
Millard Wells (1921-2012) was surely the most exciting and
prolific watercolor specialist in Florida. From his longtime home and
studio in the Florida Keys, he recorded a lifetime of impressions of
his spectacular surroundings. An artist, a storyteller, a character
-- Millard Wells’ infectious smile and “trademark” red bandana
were always a welcome sight throughout this island community.
Morada Way Arts & Cultural District
is a not for profit 501(c)3 organization
registered with the State of Florida.
151 Morada Way | Islamorada | 33036
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unwind | May/June 2014
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ISLAND CHARM
STARS ALIGNED
Amateur astronomer
Jay Elliott captured
this image of Saturn,
Mars and the Moon
with thunderstorms
coming from Cuba.
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The stars shine bright over the islands
There are few other places with the views
WRITTEN BY Cammy Clark PHOTOS BY Jay Elliott
J latitude 23.5 to 25.5, which enables
im Moscheck of Michigan didn't
viewing of southern constellations that
travel 1,000 miles to the Keys for
cannot be seen anywhere else in the
island and water activities. He
continental United States because of
made the trek for the spectacular view
the curvature of the Earth.
of the universe.
“Further north, you don't have the
“It's amazing what you can see here
Southern Hemisphere,” said Libby
that you can't see where I live,” he said.
Moscheck stayed up night after night Moore, a member of the Florida
Keys Astronomy Club who also
on Scout Key in the Lower Keys during
runs stargazing programs at Crane
the annul Winter Star Party with his
Point Museum & Nature Center in
Midnight Mistress, the nickname his
Marathon. “Down here at 24 degrees
wife gave to his homemade telescope
latitude, you're only
that looks like a
missing 24 degrees
Civil War cannon.
Keys stargazers can view
of the Southern
While the island
southern constellations
Hemisphere, so
chain is known
that can't be seen
you're not missing a
globally as the
anywhere else in the
whole lot.”
home of the world's
continental United States
That's why
third-largest
many amateur
coral barrier reef,
astronomers from more northern
its night skies also are a special gem
latitudes come to the Keys—to see
from nature, offering some of the best
what they are missing.
stargazing in the United States.
“Where I live, we can't ever see the
The reason: A combination of low
Southern Cross,” said Chuck Jones of
light pollution, steady air and the
Detroit.
subtropical location.
The Southern Cross, also called
The Keys span from about north
10
unwind | May/June 2014
THE MILKY WAY
Ron Poller of
the Florida Keys
Astronomy Club
explores the center
of our galaxy.
Crux, is the smallest of the 88
constellations. But it also is the most
distinctive. For centuries, sailors in the
Southern Hemisphere have navigated
by using its bright stars, just as those
in the Northern Hemisphere have
used the Pole Star. And beginning in
the colonial age, the brightest stars of
the Southern Cross have appeared on
the flags of several southern nations,
including Brazil and Australia.
The Keys also are a good place to
see Omega Centauri, a globular star
cluster, and Canopus, the brightest star
in the southern constellation of Carina.
Moore says she has been gazing into
the night skies for decades because
For more than eight years, Hear 4 U / Hear 4 Kidz has helped South Florida
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State Park, Bahia Honda State Park and
they are inspirational. “Just look at the
elsewhere in Monroe County.
number of poems and songs that have
But unlike the nursery rhyme,
been written about the stars and the
astronomers don't want to see twinkling
galaxies and the universe.”
stars. They want to see sharp planetary
They include Crosby, Stills & Nash's
views. That's another reason the Keys
1982 hit song “Southern Cross,” which
make for good viewing. The air is stable
is about a man who sails the world
everywhere because the atmosphere
following a failed love affair.
over the water does not have the
Ron Poller, treasurer of the Florida
turbulence from the rising heat over the
Keys Astronomy Club, said stargazing
earth's surface.
is “pretty good anyplace in the Keys,
“And there is only about 10 degrees
as long as you try to get away from the
difference between the highs in the
highway.”
daytime and the
“Even my
lows at night, which
neighborhood on
“We're never going to
also makes the air
Ramrod Key is
eliminate light pollution,
very stable,” said Jay
good. I have a little
but we should try to
Elliott, a member
sky glow close to
control it.” - Ron Poller
of the Florida Keys
Boondocks [Grille
Astronomy Club.
& Drafthouse], but
“You know how you look down a road
I can easily see the Milky Way with my
on a hot summer day and it shimmers,
naked eye.”
well the stars do that also. You don't
Anne's Beach in Islamorada is a
want to look through that because it
popular place to set up telescopes. The
distorts the views.”
Florida Keys Astronomy Club also holds
But viewing is not as good as it used
events for members at Curry Hammock
Your Complete
STARRY NIGHT
Chuck Jones of
Rochester Hills,
Mich., prepares his
telescope for a night
of viewing the stars
in the dark skies
above Scout Key.
to be in the Keys, with development over
the past decades leading to more light
pollution. While the linear geography
of the island chain mitigates some of
its effects, Poller said the night sky is a
“natural resource” that is not being very
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PHOTO BY Cammy Clark & CONSTELLATION BY Chuck Jones
ISLAND CHARM
well protected. While light at night in
cities and towns is inevitable, a lot of
horizontal light is being wasted.
“It's like the iguana population
here,” Poller said. “We're never going to
eliminate light pollution, but we should
try to control it.”
Moore says people would be more
concerned if light pollution was equated
with water pollution. “Nobody would be
in the Keys if the reef was ruined and
there were no fish,” she said.
The universe is one of the last
great frontiers to explore. “We really
haven't gotten very far out,” Moore
said. “We're getting to see things we've
never seen before all the great new
telescopes that are up in space. It keeps
me going. What's out there? What more
can I find?”
Elliott said the exploration can begin
with “just a pair of binoculars. It's a
wonderful way to start stargazing. And
if you come out with the club, there
are plenty of telescopes that we enjoy
letting people use.”
5 WONDERFUL SIGHTS ABOVE THE KEYS
The Southern Cross
Also known as Crux, it's the smallest
of the 88 constellations, but it's also
among the most distinctive. While
it can be seen from the southern
hemisphere year round, the Florida
Keys are one of the few places in the
northern hemisphere that it is visible.
Omega Centauri
It's the Milky Way galaxy's largest and
most luminous globular star cluster,
located in the southern sky. While it
can be seen as far north as Canada
at certain times of the year, it's more
spectacular to see in the Keys.
The Jewel Box
It's a star cluster in the Southern
Cross that was discovered by an
astronomer in South Africa around
1751. Sir John Herschel later named
it the Jewel Box because through a
telescope it looked like a "casket of
variously colored precious stones."
Canopus
It's the brightest star in the southern
constellation of Carina, and the
second-brightest star in the night
sky. Located in the far southern sky,
Canopus helped ancient Polynesians
navigate between islands in the
Pacific Ocean.
Orion Nebula
Also known as Messier 42, it's a
diffuse nebula located south of
Orion's Belt in the constellation of
Orion. While it's one of the brightest
nebulae and visible to the naked
eye in the night sky, the Keys'
great visibility conditions make for
especially great viewing of it.
LOCAL PROFILE
2
1
duo lives for over-the-top
sand sculptures
3
“Most art is an acquired taste.
But everybody—young and old, and people everywhere—loves sand building.”
- Marianne van den Broek
WRITTEN BY Alyson Crean
MERMAID & Turtle
This sculpture,
commissioned by
Casa Marina in Key
West, stayed on
display for months.
T
heirs is a business built of sand—
passion for the impossible art of
sand castles, sand animals, sand
building wet sand into huge intricate
monsters. Even their marriage is built
on a foundation of sand.
Marianne van den Broek and Chris
“I was intrigued. That was near
Sand Isle, based at the Casa Marina
Amsterdam. It was the beginning of an
Resort in Key West. Their passion for
odyssey in sand.”
and together they bring their passion to
the world.
unwind | May/June 2014
“Some friends wanted me to help
shovel sand for sculpting,” she said.
Guinto own the internationally known
sand sculpture brought them together,
14
works of art.
5
That was in 1999.
van den Broek traveled around
Europe competing at sand-sculpting
van den Broek and Guinto met
festivals and perfecting her art. In 2002
as competitors in sand sculpting,
she came to the U.S. to compete in her
discovering in their rivalry a shared
first master-level solo competition. The
4
1 Marianne and Chris love to build
Halloween/horror sculptures, especially
at competitions. 2 Their Sand Masters
Sculpture for Kona Brewing Co. beer
festival in Hawaii—the sand volcano
actually erupted 80 feet into the air.
3 Commissioned by a couple getting
married, who wanted their pets included
in the ceremony. 4 Created with the Sand
Guys for a 2012 Land's End catalog cover.
5 Built for a fire walking ceremony in Fiji.
May/June 2014 | unwind
15
LOCAL PROFILE
ART CELEBRATES LIFE
One of the many Sand
Isle sculptures at the
center of a celebration.
event put her head to head with Guinto.
den Broek says. “But everybody—young
Guinto starting sculpting sand in 2002
and old, and people everywhere—loves
and quickly made his mark in the field.
He has showcased his unique view of
Sand bar
On the set of Sand
Masters in Micronesia,
the team created a
hollow sand bar to
serve drinks at the 10th
anniversary celebration
of Palau's Shark
Sanctuary.
sand building.”
Sand art takes a special kind of sand,
the animal kingdom wrought in sand
and Sand Isle brings it in from Miami.
on several Travel Channel television
van den Broek explains that it’s the
programs. He is especially intrigued with
same sort of sand that most Key Westers
animal behavior, especially reptiles. The
saw put into the road bed as part of
former iguana-catcher of Key West lets
the reconstruction of North Roosevelt
his fascination with the creatures seep
Boulevard, the city’s main thoroughfare.
into his artwork.
Since then they’ve
Locals got their
first glimpse of the
couple’s artistry when
they started the Sand
moved to the Casa
Sand Isle offers
sand sculpting
classes in Key West.
Box on White Street.
artwork has graced
team-building
from the popular Sandy’s Cafe walk-up
exercises and festivals. They travel the
bodega, the couple crafted spectacular
world to create sculptures for a myriad
and complex formations: Castles,
of clients.
dragons, robots, knights on horseback,
In addition to making art for special
cartoon characters. The world-class
events, Sand Isle offers classes in sand
formations were eye-opening for the
sculpting in Key West.
small community.
“Most art is an acquired taste,” van
unwind | May/June 2014
Street, and their
weddings, corporate
In a vacant lot across
16
Marina on Reynolds
“We begin by teaching how it works,”
van den Broek says. “We start with
May/June 2014 | unwind
17
LOCAL PROFILE
Key West Harbour
CELEBRATING YOUR
FIRST DAY AS ONE!
LEARNING THE CRAFT
Aspiring sand artists
attend a team building
event on Little Palm
Island.
making blocks, teaching how to make
the sand stick together. Once you get the
basics, you can understand how to make
more complex creations.”
Competition is still part of their lives,
though van den Broek says Guinto is
© Lona Hall, Blueye Images
the more competitive component of the
couple.
“Competition is a small world,” she
says. “There are only a couple of hundred
competition over Thanksgiving this year,
hard to imagine how an artist deals with
and the couple is stoked.
the transitory nature of sand sculpture.
“This will bring in professionals from
“You get really good at letting things
people worldwide who professionally
all over the world,” she said, “including
go,” says Marianne. “It’s like a puzzle. It’s
sculpt sand.”
two from the ‘Sand Masters’ TV show” on
more about the work than the result.
the Travel Channel.
When it has to come down, I have no
She notes that there are quite a
few couples in the competitive sandsculpting universe. Sand Isle will host a
Looking at the intricate jellyfish and
other gravity-defying works of art, it’s
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SOUTHERNMOST APPEAL
KEYS KRITTERS
If you go after the
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Geocaching in
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in great finds
This is not your TYPICAL
Treasure Hunt
20
unwind | May/June 2014
WRITTEN BY Ellen T. White
X
PHOTOS BY Ellen T. White & COURTESY OF Groundspeak
When Josh and Liz Wilson were planning
their Key West wedding two years ago, they
flew into Miami, rented a convertible and
soared together down U.S. 1, which they call
“one of the best drives in the world, crossing
over bridges that connect key after key.”
To kick their adventure up a notch, they
embarked on geocaching—which led them
onto a phenomenal trail, a deserted beach and
a historic site along the way.
“The cool thing about geocaching,”
says Josh, who blogs on the subject
(peanutsorpretzels.com) “is that the game
takes you to places you would never know to
go on your own. The appeal is in the journey
as much as anything.”
Think of geocaching as a kind of treasure
hunt held on an international scale. Instead of
a crinkled old map with an X marking the spot,
geocachers find “treasure” with a handheld
GPS or through an app on their smartphones.
May/June 2014 | unwind
21
geocache. Because it was hidden where
Alas, your hunt will not put you on
most tourists feared to tread, their hunt
to a winning lottery ticket. Treasures
made them “feel a bit like Indiana Jones.”
are typically trinkets—small toys, coins
How did geocaching start, and what
and stickers—hidden inside innocuous
accounts for its growing popularity?
airtight containers such as Tupperware. If
Before technology intervened, the
you take a trinket, the rules say you have
practice was called letterboxing or
to replace it with something of equal or
scavenger hunting—undertaken by a few
greater value. The sport is really in the
intrepid souls with a handful of clues, a
challenge of solving the puzzle and in the
map and a compass. However, in 2000,
pleasure of discovery along the way.
then-President Clinton announced an
According to geocaching.com, the
end to the intentional degrading of global
game’s official site, geocaching has more
positioning systems, which meant that
than 6 million enthusiasts worldwide.
civilian GPS devices were accurate for
Some geocachers travel to cache; others
the first time. A day later, computer
cache wherever their travels happen to
consultant Dave
take them. More than
Ulmer tested the
2 million finds are
Over 2 million caches are
waters, so to speak.
hidden in locations as
hidden around the world.
He left a black
far flung as Antarctica
bucket in the woods
and Easter Island,
near Beavercreek, Ore. He filled it with
as well as high-traffic sites such as the
videos, books, software and a slingshot,
London Tube (train system) or around the
along with a logbook and pencil, and
Eiffel Tower.
posted its coordinates online. Within
In the twisted tree roots around
three days, cachers found the booty
an abandoned temple at Angkor Wat,
and geocaching was born. As the online
Cambodia, the Wilsons turned up a
smb cafe ad 7.375 X 4.8438 rd01.indd 1
community of cachers grew, so did
interest in the game internationally.
The Seattle-based company Groundspeak,
launched shortly thereafter, effectively
manages the game worldwide at
geocaching.com. Aspiring geocachers can
register their membership for free; however,
a premium membership—which can
customize a search—is a mere $30 a year.
Download Groundspeak’s app onto
your smartphone, and you’re off and
running. Punch in a zip code, and the app
provides a map with the coordinates of
the geocaches nearby. A search turns up
1/16/14 11:57 AM
PHOTOS BY Curt Williams & Groundspeak
SOUTHERNMOST APPEAL
670 possible geocaches from Key Largo
to Key West. A few ambitious geocachers
have logged them all.
You don’t have to know how to hit the
ball, metaphorically, to enjoy the game.
The terrain and the level of difficulty of
each cache are noted, so you can play at
any level you choose.
When you locate a cache, you sign the
physical log inside and register the find
virtually. If you’re having trouble, you can
“cheat” (yay!) without being penalized;
geocachers track their own experiences,
along with snap shots that all give the
JOIN THE HUNT
Download
Groundspeak's
geocaching app on
your smartphone,
and you're in the
game.
TRAVELLING
ADVENTURISTS
Rebecca Varley
and Curt Williams
have chalked up
an incredible 7,495
geocache finds, and
created 121 of their
own, in 38 states.
SOUTHERNMOST APPEAL
oTHErside
BOARDSPORTS
MM 82 Bayside
305-853-9728
MM 59 Oceanside
305.414.8245
LESSONS | TOURS | SALES | SERVICE | FUN
Charter Boat Rental • Sport Fishing • Deep Sea Fishing • Fishing Trips • Fishing Charter
TRACKABLES
Geocaching coins
can be tracked
online as they move
around the world; a
Cache In Trash Out
token representing
environmental clean
up events.
83413 Overseas Hwy Islamorada, FL {305-664-4511}
The crisp air of the sea
along with sun-kissed
blue skies and perfect
sailing weather, it’s the
ideal fishing trip, and
you’ll find it all at Whale
Harbor Marina, home of
the best fishing charters
Islamorada has to offer.
Our Gulf Stream location presents
the finest atmosphere for top-level
fishing and fun-in-the-sun
entertainment.
So,
305.664.9669
whether you’ve
grown up on the
sea or have never
been on a boat, you’ll have a day
packed with fantastic adventure.
For a complete list of charter boats at Whale Harbor, visit
www.whaleharbormarina.com
or contact us at [email protected]
Paddleboarding
Kiteboarding
Wakeboarding
Key L argo’oTHErsideboardsports.com
’s most photographe d sunset
Key Largo’s Premier Italian Restaurant.
Local Seafood, Pasta & Certified Angus Steaks.
RULES OF GEOCACHING
1.
If you take something from
the geocache (or "cache"),
leave something of equal or
greater value.
2. Record your find in the
cache logbook.
3. Log your experience at
www.geocaching.com.
Keyribbean Kooking and Kocktails
Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour, Live Music
Key Largo’s Most Photographed Sunset.
99530 OVERSEAS HWY, KEY LARGO, FL 33037
KEY-LARGO-RESTAURANTS.COM
UNDERCOVER
Geocaches come
in all kind of
containers, some
of which are
cleverly disguised
to blend into the
environment.
CACHE, EH?
Josh Wilson homes
in on a geocache, as
he and his fiancee,
Liz, make their way
down Route 1 to
their wedding
in Key West.
Cardenas, a former biological technician
game away. Geocaching.com keeps track
for the Florida Keys National Wildlife
of your “stats” of found caches, which is
Refuges who launched geocaching within
particularly alluring for the competitive.
the refuge’s complex (FavorFloridaKeys.
Caches can be concealed underwater.
com/GeoCaching.htm). Cardenas was
An astronaut returned one from its
hooked after she found her first geocache
hiding place on the International Space
in Belize some years ago.
Station. But you are just as likely to find a
The aim was to bring more people
geocache in the parking lot of a shopping
into the refuges and educate visitors
mall, along a village street, in an urban
about Keys wildlife and the natural
park—or, according to Denise Johanowicz,
environment.
near that huge model lobster outside the
Caches with names like “Watson
Rain Barrell in Islamorada that startles
Nature Trail,” “Pine Rocklands” and “In a
motorists heading down U.S. 1.
While Crocodile” have intriguing online
“We were so stumped by the clues. We
descriptions of the local flora and fauna
kept running back and forth across Route
and lead to more information about the
1,” she laughs.
Keys’ delicate ecosystem. For instance,
Johanowicz and her husband vacation
why does the Bartram’s scrub hairstreak
in Islamorada each spring with their
butterfly thrive in fire? How do you
two daughters to fish and snorkel, but
identify a poisonwood tree? What happens
they like to change it up with a few local
when you disturb a female crocodile?
geocaching trips. “We like being outdoors,
A feature called “trackables” allows
and it’s a really fun thing to do as a family.”
geocachers in the refuges to carry
To the delight of Johanowicz’s
trinkets representing
daughters, there was
various species of
a bracelet and a tiny
“Earthcaches” forfeit
birds, such as the
maze inside a cache
treasure and highlight
blue goose, osprey or
along U.S. 1, which
American goldfinch,
they replaced with
something about the
on “missions”—either
their own loot—
location or geology.
to a new refuge or on
“cheddar head” erasers
a path that follows
from their Wisconsin
their migratory patterns. Through tags
home. But it’s not so much what’s inside
registered online, geocachers can track
the cache that’s the draw, according to
their birds’ progress as they “fly” across
Johanowicz’s youngest daughter, Ellie, 10.
the country, moved from destination to
It’s the “happy feeling you get when you
destination by the next geocacher.
finally find it.”
Geocaching.com connects members
For Johanowicz, the charm is in the
with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and
serendipitous discovery of new places. A
Instagram, where they post their
geocache called Ancient Coral led them to
adventures online. Members also
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State
congregate at events, listed on the site
Park for the first time.
state by state; attendance often counts
Caches can come in series, such as
toward their overall score.
“Keys Kritters,” or with hard-to-crack
At popular Cache In Trash Out
clues—some in treasure chests with
(CITO) events, cachers convene in an
combination locks. The containers can be
effort to clean up designated areas.
homemade, and deceptively creative.
The National Key Deer Refuge in the
On one trip, the Wilsons found a tiny
Lower Keys typically holds an annual
log inside a hollowed-out pinecone
CITO event at Long Beach on Big Pine
dangling by a thread from the branch of
Key in conjunction with the Ocean
a tree. “Earthcaches” forfeit treasure and
Conservancy’s International Coastal
highlight something about the location or
Cleanup in the fall.
geology. “Virtual” caches take players to
“Geocaching can take players to
historic sites.
beautiful places,” says Cardenas, “and
“It’s kind of amazing to think that
that often leads to a real sensitivity for
wherever you are in the world, there
the environment.”
is a geocache nearby,” says Kate Perry
PHOTOS BY Liz Wilson & Groundspeak
May/June 2014 | unwind
25
LOCAL FLAVOR
Kids can splash in the pool while
adults grab a drink and enjoy the
heavenly cool breeze under the gigantic
new tiki bar. Every inch of your body will
relax as you take in the beautiful water,
the crazy decorations (a lot of which
were locals' personal treasures donated
on opening day), delicious food, great
music and a sandy beach.
They describe themselves thusly: “If
you want to experience the real Keys,
then come to Gilbert’s Resort. If 5 stars
is your standard, then this is not the
place for you.” Yep. Even their website
is quirky.
TAKE 10 AND UNWIND
All you need to know about the Keys, 10 mile markers at a time
WRITTEN BY Jana Vandelaar
BREEZES, BIKINI’S,
BOATS & BANDS
Instead of sitting
in traffic, locals &
tourists park at
Gilbert’s and suck in
the fresh air.
FUNKY DECOR
Gilbert’s customers
enjoy icy drinks while
taking in turquoise
water and Keys
decorations under
the giant tiki bar.
26
unwind | May/June 2014
The people who say beauty is
only skin deep obviously haven’t been
to the Florida Keys because there is a
lot more depth to this place than the
obvious turquoise waters and lush green
palm trees.
The true beauty of the Keys is its
personality. Sometimes we forget to
embrace this, um, unique quality. The
Keys offer more than just visual delights;
they offer rich surprises.
In unwind, we’ll help you discover
these funky treasures, 10 miles at a time,
covering the length of the Florida Keys
from mile marker 110 in Key Largo all the
way down to mile marker 0 in Key West.
We’ll find everything from underwater
weddings to underwater concerts,
from ginormous tarpon to minuscule
bioluminescent plankton, from sleeping
in a tent to sleeping underwater.
So grab a crazy cocktail – and enjoy
the ride in this first segment, traveling
down U.S. 1.
Mile Marker 107.9
Here’s the visual: You’re supposed to
be going away on vacation but instead
find yourself stuck in a long line of cars
inching southbound on the
18-Mile Stretch that connects
the mainland to Key Largo. You
1
swear you see a snail moving
0
faster than your convertible and
8
begin doubting your decision
to drive down to the Keys on a Friday
afternoon.
But then you see an exit sign with a
nerdy name – Gilbert’s – and think, Maybe
I should get off this bridge and go for it.
Instead of sucking in more fumes from
the car’s exhaust in front of you, take the
exit and discover why we live in the Keys.
Gilbert’s Resort and Marina has
something for everyone and represents
the Florida Keys perfectly. No matter
where you’re from or who you bring – the
whole family, dogs included – will be
happy here.
PHOTOS BY Jana Vandelaar & Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau.
BRUSHING UP
Jana Vandelaar
participating in
Amy’s Amoray Dive
Center’s annual
underwater pumpkin
carving contest.
Welcome to the
LOR •E• LEI
Restaurant & Cabana Bar
Beach/Waterfront Dining: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Featuring the best Seafood, Live entertainment
nightly and Full Bar Service until Midnight
Mile Marker 106.5
PIRATE BOOTY
Cheap beer and
crazy locals make
Shipwreck’s Bar
& Grill a rich
experience.
Just past Gilbert’s, you’ll find a large
sign on the ocean side advertising the
Buzzard’s Roost and a smaller sign
sitting on the corner advertising
the Shipwreck's Bar & Grill.
Now we’re really getting into
1
some of the hidden treasures.
0
Both of these places are worth
6
exploring though they have
different vibes.
Buzzard’s Roost is beautifully
decorated with an eclectic menu
ranging from a lobster Rueben to
barbecue baby back ribs. There’s
a delicious Sunday brunch with a
Breathtaking views
for the nightly
Sunset Celebration!
Look for the Mermaid! MM 82, Islamorada
305-664-2692 | loreleicabanabar.com
LOCAL FLAVOR
WHERE’S WALDO…
OR THE DOOR?
If you can find it,
Shipwrecks Bar
& Grill is a tucked
away secret.
Mile Marker 104.2
Anyone can get married in a church,
but how many can get married
underwater? Amy Slate’s
Amoray Dive Resort is the
quintessential choice for water1
0
loving lovers.
4
Her logo has two moray eels
28
unwind | May/June 2014
intertwined into a heart – and Amy is
famous for having a giant neon green
eel wrapped around her while diving.
Amoray’s has been marrying couples
since it opened almost 30 years ago yet
each marriage is unique, as would be
expected when you’re tying the knot
underwater.
If you’re not ready for marriage, how
about carving a pumpkin underwater?
Amoray hosts annual underwater
pumpkin carving contests around
Halloween, and they’ve gained national
attention over the years. The challenge
of carving a pumpkin while underwater
is an experience you’ll never forget.
Amoray’s also runs one of the most
popular dive/snorkel resorts in the Keys
with a pool and hotel on the premises.
Check out their website for all of the
splashy details, www.amoray.com
Mile Marker 104.1
What does Humphrey Bogart have
to do with illiterate dogs and a local
church? They’re all connected to
one of the most well-known
places in the Florida Keys, the
Caribbean Club.
1
This is where the 1948
0
Humphrey Bogart film “Key
4
Largo” was set – although the
movie was mostly shot in Hollywood.
The movie, about a gangster holed up
in a Key Largo motel during a hurricane,
not only put the Caribbean Club on the
map, but also put the Keys on the map.
The Caribbean Club also had a role in
the 1996 film “Blood and Wine,” about
a wealthy wine seller (Jack Nicholson)
who has no more use for his alcoholic
wife and his stepson. Nicholson’s
character Alex soon gets into jewelry
theft, and Key Largo is where he wants
to pawn the stolen goods.
So how do illiterate dogs fit in with
these A-listers? Asked if dogs are
allowed at the Caribbean Club, owner
Robby Whitehurst pointed to a sign
above the front door that says “no dogs
allowed.” Then he grinned and said,
“Fortunately, dogs can’t read.”
Still, even illiterate dogs, Bogey
and Nicholson are no match for the
Caribbean Club’s favorite A-lister, Father
John from St. James the Fisherman
Episcopal Church. Every third Sunday,
Father John holds a service next to a
rusty old cannon by the water – right
behind the Caribbean Club. How many
people can (legitimately) say they go to
church at a bar?
Mile Marker 103.3
Everyone knows sleeping with the
fishes usually isn’t a good sign in
gangster movies but here in the Keys,
it’s something people put on
their bucket list.
When you visit Jules’
1
Underseas
Lodge at 51
0
Shoreland Drive, along with
3
the Hideout Restaurant at 47
Shoreland, just off mile marker 103.3,
you’ll find a sunken treasure – 21 feet
under the water. It’s an underwater
hotel that has been visited by
astronauts and heads of state including
former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre
Trudeau, and celebrities such as rock
stars Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Jon
Fishman of Phish.
If you’re wary of sleeping with the fish
overnight, you can simply dive down to
PHOTOS BY Jana Vandelaar & COURTESY OF Jules’ Undersea Lodge
complimentary glass of champagne. It’s
always delicious and it’s a tucked away
favorite of the locals.
But Shipwreck's Bar & Grill blends in
so well with the stacks of lobster traps
on the side of the road; you could easily
drive right on by without knowing there
is a restaurant right next to the water.
To be honest, this almost makes it more
appealing. It is well worth roughing it.
When you find the door and step
inside, you know your first impression
is still correct. Although Thurston
Howell III might consider it even
beneath the standard of living on
“Gilligan’s Island,” he’d still love the
dollar bills tacked all over the ceiling
and walls.
The food is fried and the beer is
cold and you can meet some colorful
new friends any day of the week. One
particular day, two customers sitting at
the bar pointed out that Shipwreck's
has what everyone wants - $1.50 beers
for happy hour. They also said they
prefer people in the Keys over people
from Northern Florida because they
consider everyone up there snowfrogs –
people who go there to croak.
NEW MEANING
TO MULTI-USE
The Caribbean Club
is where church
and cocktails
occasionally
congregate.
peer through the windows of the hotel,
catch a glimpse of someone enjoying a
lobster dinner or see a pizza delivered
underwater – maybe even book an
underwater experience for yourself.
Seeing this place is a priceless
memory, yet the real treasure is the
education promoted on the property.
Since 1985, nearly 5,000 students
from around the world have visited
the premises and dove in the emerald
lagoon surrounding the hotel to study
ocean science and resources through
their MarineLab education programs
(www.mrdf.org).
In October 2014, two aquanauts,
Professor Bruce Cantrell and Adjunct
Professor Jessica Fain from Roane State
(Tenn.) Community College, will live in
the underwater habitat while teaching
SLEEPING
WITH THE FISH
The Jules'
Underseas Lodge
is a functioning
underwater hotel.
a college-credit course. They plan to
stay underwater for what would be a
record-breaking 72 days.
But possibly the best secret on
this property is the Hideout, a fun
restaurant that is like eating on your
grandma’s back porch. You’ll feel right
at home as you enjoy preservative-free
homemade food. One of its owners,
Kathy, said it’s the “only free zoo in
the Keys because we always have an
abundance of conch critters,” - locals
enjoying the easy atmosphere.
Although they do have real
bathrooms, Duck, one of their favorite
critters, showed us the bathroom sign
that says “Restrooms 3rd tree on right.”
Sure enough, if you count three trees
to the right, you’re going to find a toilet
paper dispenser.
LOCAL FLAVOR
LOVE IS
IN THE WATER
Underwater isn’t just
for diving. Weddings
and eel hugs can be
found at Amoray
Dive Resort.
Gifts & Boutique
OPPOSITES
DO ATTRACT
Whether you
prefer fun or fancy,
delicious fish "hooks”
everyone at Encore
and the Fish House.
At marker 102.4, you’ll find the Fish
House and Encore restaurants, both right
on the highway and easy to find. Although
operated by the same owners,
they contrast each other perfectly.
Encore is one of the nicer
1
restaurants in the Keys with a
0
beautiful piano bar and classier
2
decor. It has signature drinks and
a wall of awards showing its popularity
among the locals and travel magazines alike.
The quirkiest thing about Encore is that it is
elegant – not easy to find in the Keys.
Its older brother, the Fish House, has
been around a lot longer and there’s a
reason for its staying power. It has stories
(well, the main reason it has been around
for so long is because it uses only fresh fish
delivered daily at the back door, but that’s
not as fun to point out).
The stories date back to when C.J.
Berwick and Doug Prew bought the place –
and motorcyclists insisted on parking their
Harleys inside the restaurant. That’s also
when the cook would throw food – across
the restaurant – at the waiters if they took
an order the cook didn’t like.
They had enough stories to make up
a fascinating book of the restaurants,
“The Fish House & Encore Restaurants
Exceptional Florida Keys Cuisine.” Page 13
introduces Oliver, a parrot who worked at
the Fish House. He once was interviewed by
Al Roker, and once got the owner out of a
traffic ticket after Hurricane Andrew.
The book includes recipes of their
famous drinks and entrees. Marine-life
artist Wyland’s artwork graces the cover.
Enjoy the book while taking in the funky
fishing nets on the ceiling intertwined with
strings of pink flamingo and martini lights,
or pictures of the old Florida Keys nailed to
the walls next to original artwork.
This is just a sampling of the endless
treasures found in the first ten miles of
the Florida Keys. There are secret surprises
everywhere and the best ones are what you
can discover on your own.
Stay tuned for the next issue of unwind
and the next 10 miles of treasures.
Fabulous Food &
Great Nightly Entertainment
Over 75 tantalizing Seafood and Italian favorites
in a relaxed family-friendly setting. Sip on
vintage wines, enjoy great frozen drinks or kick
back in the lively neighborhood lounge with
one of the Inn’s famous “Espresso Martinis.”
Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner
(305) 743-0100
MILE MARKER 53.5
100 W. OCEAN DR.
KEY COLONY BEACH
People’s Choice Award Marathon’s Best Restaurant!
Book your
next special
event in the
Inn’s Tropical
Great Room
Early Arrival Specials 5 to 6 pm
We Can Cater to Your Needs
20
YEARS
Catering for parties of 20 to 200 people,
at your place or ours, for any occasion!!
Prime Rib
Friday & Saturday
Live Music
Friday - Sunday
Come visit us online at www.kci.com
PHOTOS BY Jana Vandelaar & Stephen Frink
Mile Marker 102.4
95175 Overseas Highway • Key Largo, FL 33037
mm 95 oceanside • open 7 days • 305.896.8735
shopwec.com or
Waters Edge Gift Cottage
REWIND
Key Lime Tree
MM 95 Oceanside
Open 7 Days | (305) 853-0378
WINDLEY KEY
TEAK FURNITURE SALE
Lic # SP3644 & SP4117
www.KeyLimeProducts.com
FOSSIL REEF, THE RUMRUNNER & MUCH MORE
Lots of folks know Windley Key
merely for Theater of the Sea and the
Postcard Inn Beach Resort and Marina
at Holiday Isle, but the small Islamorada
island has a long history.
Besides having the highest elevation
in the Keys at 18 feet above sea level, the
island’s most prominent features are
quarry pits left behind by not only Henry
Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway
crews, but from quarry operations
utilizing the limestone substrate for
more decorative purposes.
A 1857 report written by U.S. Army
Capt. Abner Doubleday (the man once
inaccurately credited with creating
baseball) calls the island between
Plantation and Upper Matecumbe keys
Vermont Key. Once two islands, it was
32
unwind | May/June 2014
also called the Umbrella Keys.
Workers building the Key West
Extension of Flagler’s railroad used
limestone, sand and marl to fill the
narrow channel that once separated the
two islands. Today, the single island of
Windley Key is home to the Fossil Reef
Geological State Park—and considered
the birthplace of the consummate Keys
cocktail, the rumrunner.
One visit to the Fossil Reef Geological
State Park, mile marker 84.9, is all it takes
to reveal the true nature of the Keys.
Once upon a time, these islands
were the barrier reef system now just
a handful of miles offshore. It can
be one thing to make that claim and
another thing altogether to see an
8-foot exposed wall of the limestone
substrate the islands are built upon
filled with the fossilized remains of a
once-vibrant coral reef. The evidence is
eye-opening and
breathtaking.
The Fossil
KEYS ORIGINAL
Reef Geological
Theater of the
Sea opened its
State Park
doors in 1946.
opened in 1999
Park admission for
and is home
adults was $1.50.
to several rock
PHOTOS BY Brad Bertelli & COURTESY OF Jerry Wilkinson
WRITTEN BY Brad Bertelli
Landscape Design
Installation
Maintenance
Sod Installation
Pavers ~ Stones
Pea rock ~ River Rock
Sand ~ Soil
Tree Trimming
Grading ~ Lot Clearing
Pressure Cleaning
Free Estimates
104475 O/S Hwy • Ph: 305.453-9377 • Fax 453-9356
www.beachhousegardens.com
REWIND
GUIDED TOURS
Friday through
Sunday at 10:00 AM
and 2:00 PM provide
a mix of history and
hammock info.
quarries that were in operation just after
the turn of the 20th Century.
After Charles Smith officially surveyed
the island for the government in 1872,
the land was open to homesteading.
Benjamin Russell homesteaded 127
acres in 1883. It was 1895 when the
remaining 97 available acres were
deeded to the Jacksonville, Tampa and
Key West Railway, which operated a rail
and steamship network.
A rusty channeling machine found
at the park site was used to quarry
limestone. The machine would chisel
two narrow criss-cross grooves into the
fossilized coral bedrock. The machine’s
chisel was used to cut a small trench in
the limestone six inches at a time. After
one pass, the machine would make
another, cutting the trench 6 inches
deeper every time.
John Rowe operated the Russell Quarry.
Charles Cale Sr. operated the Keystone
Quarry for the Keystone Art Co. out of
Miami. Their job was to extract slabs of
the limestone that were then shipped
to Miami, where the fossilized stone
facades were polished to a sheen and
sold as decorative art called keystone.
The facade of the Hurricane
Monument (it's formal name is the
Florida Keys Memorial) on Upper
Matecumbe Key is an excellent example
of keystone (the monument marks the
deaths of some 400 people in the 1935
Labor Day hurricane that slammed
Islamorada and put an end to the
railroad). The quarry was operational
until the 1960s.
RAILROAD TOWN
When Flagler’s men operated the
quarry to help supply building materials
for the Key West Extension, a town aptly
named Quarry sprung up near what is
today the marine-mammal attraction
Theater of the Sea, mile marker 84.7.
The water feature at Theater of the Sea
is the site of one of the old quarries.
Once flooded, it was first used to raise
stone crabs by Alonzo Cothron and Berlin
Felton. They were local businessman
whose initials spell out a fine Key West
eatery overlooking the Schooner Wharf
Bar, the A&B Lobster House.
Phelps McKenny made Theater of the
Sea what it is today. He was vacationing
from his native Georgia when he
saw the property’s water feature and
imagined dolphins jumping out from
the water, splashing and leaping to the
delight of an enraptured audience.
Theater of the Sea opened in 1946
with its first performing Atlantic
bottlenosed
dolphin trained
and delivered
KEYSTONERS
Charles Cale, Sr.
by none other
left and J.P. right
than Grassy Key
working at the
legend Milton
Keystone Rock
Company - c. 1900
Santini, the
man responsible
QUARRY REMAINS
Several pieces of
old machinery once
used to work the
quarries can be seen
around the park.
for the star of television and the silver
screen, Flipper.
Theater of the Sea is the secondoldest marine mammal park in the
world and the third marine mammal
facility in the United States to offer a
swim-with-the-dolphin experience.
In 1952, Ed Goebel bought the Green
Mangrove, a small restaurant that
stood on a narrow strip of oceanside
property. Goebel renamed the
restaurant the Big Blow. He also bought
the 7-Mile Reef Marina and five rental
units at the locale.
THE RUMRUNNER
After purchasing several acres of sea
floor, Goebel brought in a dredger and
began filling in the oceanfront property
until he created seven additional acres
on which he constructed Holiday
Isle. In the 1970s, what is now the
World Famous Tiki Bar, birthplace of
the rumrunner, was nothing more
than a small wooden shack built out
of driftwood because, according to
Goebel’s son, Greg, “money was tight.”
The frozen sensation is a blend of
rum, lime juice, grenadine, banana and
blackberry liqueurs. John Ebert, better
known as Tiki John, created the subtropical libation back in the mid 1970s.
Originally made with sugar, not
grenadine, the drink received its
reddish-pink hue one day when
bartender Tiki John ran out of sugar and
didn’t feel like going to get more.
Ask for a floater and the bartender will
top your drink off with a touch of Bacardi
151; the original recipe called for it.
May/June 2014 | unwind
35
Must Haves
ves
Summer 2014
305.853.9400 • Fax: 305.853.0094
www.NeptuneAtlanticBoatlifts.com
81902 Overseas Hwy. 727 776 3389
www.SeasideGlassworks.com
JOHN ESSLINGER,
State Certified General Contractor
Cell 305-664-6665
Office 305-664-8900 • [email protected]
www.islandvillaconstruction.com
From Ocean Reef to Key West
We are the Shallow &
Deep Water Specialists
The company’s reputation for quality, service, and customer
satisfaction is unrivaled and exhibits its on-going, personal
commitment to every client, every time.
We’ve Moved, Come see our new location!
94401 Overseas Highway • Tavernier, FL 33070
WWW.ISLANDFLASH.COM
www.c21Schwartz.com
®
FREE ESTIMATES and CONSULTATION
81681 Old Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036
Rich Tompkins
Senior Residential Mortgage Consultant
Cell: (305) 395-2095
Office: (305) 289-0621 x126
Toll Free: (800) 7665011 x126
Fax: (305) 289-0184
[email protected]
www.keysproperties.com
Home Buyer Credit
Up To $1,000
ISLAND FLASH
BEAD DESIGNS
BEADS • SUPPLIES
TOOLS • LESSONS
CUSTOM JEWELRY
10:30 AM - 5 PM Tues. - Fri.
10 AM - 2 PM Saturday
305-853-0855
Plaza 88 • 88005 Overseas
Hwy • Islamorada, FL 33036
®
CGC #A57773
GET AWAY, GET IT ALL.
CLARA MAYETTE, GRI
REALTOR
Key West
Big Pine
Sugarloaf
305-735-4322 305-745-1856 305-292-2923
Stacie Kidwell P.A. (305) 731-9075
REALTOR
[email protected]
BUILDING THE KEYS SINCE 1981
Barge and Push Boat
Installing & Servicing
Pilings, Docks and
Seawalls
Key Colony Beach Realty, Inc.
220 Sadowski Causeway, P.O. Box 510095
Key Colony Beach, Florida 33051-0095
Key Largo
Islamorada
Marathon
305-451-1500 305-664-4637 305-289-5670
Feed the soul...
MM 58 Oceanside, Florida Keys
305.743.7373
TED
IS
TL
S
Barge Division
Glassworks
CALL ME TODAY FOR A LIST OF AVAILABLE HOMES TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS
JU
CUSTOM
CUSTOM GLASS
GLASS PENDANT
PENDANT LIGHTS
LIGHT
Add
Add that
that perfect
perfect finishing
finishing touch to
your
your room with one or a collection
of
of custom made pendant lights.
Come visit
visit our
our gallery and
and browse
Come
our selection or design
design your
your own!
our
Available in 3 sizes and aanvariety
of
Available
endless
styles. Pricing
from
$125
amount
of styles.
$125-$325
Seaside
OCEAN FRONT HOME ON GRASSY KEY
Docks • Davits • Elevator Lifts
Cradle Lifts • Pilings
305.393.3926
NMLS# 713377
[email protected]
1-866-726-8259 • SantaMariaSuites.com
1401 Simonton Street • Key West, FL
TROPICAL CLEANERS
SMS007 Ad 4C 3.5938x2.3282 1
100101 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037
(305) 451-0023
Custom Dry Cleaning - Alterations
Shirt Laundering - Leather & Suede Cleaning/
Repair - Full Shoe Repair - Area Rugs
Formal Wear Rentals - Wash & Fold Service
6/26/13 3:18 PM
ESSENTIALS
Seafood & Wine
Pairings
The Keys are well-known for its seafood.
Sometimes, finding that perfect wine to pair with that
savory seafood dish can be a chore. Here, with the help
of Bayside Grille in Key Largo, we take the guesswork
out and provide some elegant wine suggestions to
accompany that special meal.
3
1
1 Seared Tuna
38
2 Fried Yellowtail
3 Conch Chowder
4 Sauteed Hogfish
Try it with: Shiraz
Recommends: Rosemont
Try it with: Pinot Gris
Recommends: Erath
Shiraz—with it's intense,
spicy fruit and long, richly
textured finish. Subtle
use of American oak
completes the wine.
Pinot Gris—the juicy
palate of ripe honeydew
melon, citrus, and exotic
lychee melds into a rich,
plush crescendo.
Try it with: Pinot Noir or
Try it with: Riesling or
Chardonnay
Rosé
Recommends: Atticus
Recommends: Sea Glass
Pinot Noir—elegant,
balanced & framed with
well integrated tannins
and a bright, juicy acidity.
Riesling—perfumed white
flowers are supported by
juicy apricots, peaches
& melon with a hint of
honeysuckle.
unwind | May/June 2014
4
PHOTOS BY www.vincentdevriesphoto.com DISHES PREPARED BY Bayside Grille.
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