It has long been a desire of ours to camp at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys. It is difficult to get reservations, however. The place is booked solid for 11 months in advance. Occasionally, you will find a site open for a day or two. I found a couple of days open in October while we were traveling out west last summer. I quickly reserved them. Later, I found another site open that would allow me to have three days there. I am told by the park rangers that they have a few sites that are not reservable for those who happen by. So there is the possibility of dropping in early in the day and finding a vacant site.
As we traveled along the alley we saw several very large gators sunning themselves on the bank of the canal along the highway. We saw a very large snake swimming across the water. We both estimated it to be at least ten feet long. There are no native snakes in the glades that large so it must have been a python.
Pythons are estimated to number in the thousands in the glades. It is unknown what affect they will have on native species. They compete with alligators, crocodiles, panthers and native snakes for food. It has been thought that these snakes could migrate to all the southern United States. However, last winter’s record cold temperatures killed many pythons, according to trappers and researchers. It is possible that cold temperatures will prevent them from spreading much further north than the glades.
Unfortunately, Florida has had many invasive species introduced to it through the pet trade. When the animal gets unmanageable, people let them go in the wild. Our home city, Cape Coral, has a breeding population of monitor lizards. They can be very aggressive. They often prey on dogs, cats and native species of wild animals. A trapping program is attempting to rid the city of the pests but success is limited.
As we entered the Florida Keys on Route 1, also known as the Overseas Highway, a large green iguana ran across the road in front of us. Yet one more invader from another land. The trip down through the keys offers a variety of scenery. The upper keys are very heavily populated with dive shops, fishing charter companies, boat yards, motels, resorts and restaurants. There is no shortage of seafood restaurants, our favorite. There are many interesting little shops to poke around in.
The further south you go the more water you see. The Atlantic is on one side of the road. Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. The highlight of the trip is the seven mile bridge. This beautiful bridge stretches from Marathon to Little Duck Key. Beautiful turquoise water stretches as far as the eye can see. Small islands dot the horizon. As the driver, I have to discipline myself to watch the road and not the scenery. Hard to do but better than landing in the drink.
We arrived at Bahia Honda State Park around 4:00 PM. We set up our campsite, unloaded the bikes and set off to explore this tropical wonderland. The air is fresh with the smell of the ocean. Beautiful beaches line the shore. The beach at Bahia Honda has been voted “Best Beach” many times by Conde Nest Traveler.
There is a very large marina area with boat launching and ample trailer parking. We rode to the other end of the key where we found another beautiful beach. Darlie forgot to bring the camera. So we will have to retrace our path tomorrow. Along our route we saw a hawk with a large rat in his talons. He was just about to enjoy a meal when we came along and startled him. He took to flight with the rat tightly grasped in his talons. He will have no problem finding a secluded place to eat his dinner in peace.
Later we took a walk around the campground. We noted the best waterfront sites for next time. The lucky campers sit with a view of the bridges and water. We noticed several casting fish lines while others sat staring off over the water lost in their thoughts.
Our walk took us under Route 1 to the Bay side of the park. The wind was cool and brisk. It kept the pesky noseeums away. For the uninitiated, Florida has a tiny bug the size of a flake of pepper or smaller. Under a microscope they are nothing but teeth with wings. The little buggers pack a very irritating bite that can fester up on some people.
While gazing over the water and enjoying the breeze, a sea turtle popped right up in front of us. His head was the size of a football. He got a look at Darlie and ducked back under really fast. :-) He must have gotten over the initial shock because he appeared several more times as we stood there.
Back at the MH we sat outside for a time until the noseeums started pestering us. We retreated inside to fix dinner. It is nearly dark. Both of us are tired. We ate a light meal and hit the hay early tonight. We will go down for a swim tomorrow and do some more exploring.
October 6
The wind blew all night long. I would estimate it to be 20 to 25 knots. The wind gently rocks the motorhome bringing back memories of our sailing days rocking at anchor. We had a tree limb scratching on the roof during the night. At first Darlie thought we had a mouse.
In the morning, we were greeted with bright sunny skies, a steady breeze and pleasant temperatures. We rode our bikes up to the old bridge that spans the pass. It is a rusting hulk from yesteryear. Originally built by Henry Flagler for his railroad to Key West, a highway deck was built above the railroad track to accommodate automobiles.
The pavement is very narrow. I can’t imagine driving a motor home over it. Two vehicles of that size wouldn’t be able to pass each other. Today part of it has been refurbished as an observation deck. We walked out on the bridge for a view of the surrounding expanse of water. We had a spectacular view of all of Bahia Honda with its campgrounds, beaches and marina.
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| Bahia Honda Bridge |
Darlie found many flowers to photograph. Numerous butterflies fluttered from flower to flower in the butterfly garden. There is a rich mix of native vegetation surrounding the walkways. Sea grapes form a tunnel over one stretch of the path.
From the bridge, you can see the sandy white beach that lines the Atlantic side of the island. The water is shallow for many yards offshore making it an ideal place for families with children to swim and play in the water. Many people bring snorkel gear to drift along looking at the underwater beauty the keys have to offer.
This afternoon we sat under our awning enjoying the breeze, pleasant temperatures and reading some books about the rich history of the Florida Keys. We have lived in Florida for 32 years and have only come down here one other time. We now realize how much this area has to offer.
There are so many things to do and see here. They are too numerous to list. We have already decided we will return here many times to experience what this area has to offer.
If you would like to plan a visit to this area, this is a very good time of year to come. The winter tourist season hasn’t begun. Temperatures and humidity are much lower than during the summer months. The weather usually is drier this time of year also. Traffic is low so getting around is very easy. We visited here the last time during the tourist season. Traffic was bumper to bumper all the way to Key West. But regardless of when you can come, by all means come down. You won’t regret it. This is a place where you can lay back and relax.
We finished off the day by grilling a couple of steaks outside. The stiff breeze kept the noseeums away. We took a walk around the campground stopping by the waterfront to watch the last rays of light fade into the water off to the West. The sound of laughter, children playing and the ever present wind filled the air.
October 7
We slept late this morning. It is so quiet and peaceful here. The island is primitive and lush with native vegetation. At home everyone extols the beauty of Sanibel Island which is world known. This island is in a class all its own when it comes to natural beauty. It is unspoiled. There are few buildings or human encroachment. Much of it appears as it would have centuries ago.
There are nature trails on the east end of the island that take you through thick groves of red mangrove, black mangrove, buttonwood, poisonwood, gumbo limbo, seven year apple, seagrapes, coconut and other trees I could not identify. The dunes are covered with a lush growth of sea oats and railroad vine. It is like a finely groomed garden but it is all natural. Just the way God made it. Many butterflies flutter from flower to flower adding to the natural beauty of it all.
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| Railroad Vine and Sandspurs |
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| Seven Year Apple |
We rode our bikes to Sandspur Beach to spend the day walking along the shoreline. There are few people here. The beach is uncrowded. The water is gin clear and sparkling. White sand stretches as far as you can see. It beckons you to come explore. We strolled along watching seabirds of various kinds, herons, sandpipers, osprey and hawks. Pelicans were gliding wing tip to wing tip, their breasts nearly dipping into the wave crests as they flew. This is one of those places you never want to leave.
The only negative I could say I find with this park and the whole of the keys, for that matter, is the sound of traffic on the Overseas Highway during the day. All of these islands are so small the road cuts through the middle of them with short side streets running off either side.
The mile marker location is the manner things are found here. A business will advertise its mile marker location rather than its address. They even address which side of the island it is on such as: Mile Marker 30.6 Bayside or Oceanside. It is a very easy way of locating businesses you wish to visit.
Being all keys traffic must travel this one highway, there is the constant sound of vehicular traffic in the background. By dusk traffic falls off and by dark it is quiet again. There seems to be very little traffic at night. I suppose locally on some islands that is not the case but I am referring to the through traffic that we hear at Bahia Honda.
A steady breeze keeps us cool as we walk along the beach. The sun is hot so I am careful to cover up. My days of getting a tan are over. Annual trips to the dermatologist ended that. You don’t realize how much damage you are doing to your skin when you are young. Over exposure to the sun comes back to haunt you later in life.
Darlie, however, seems not to have learned this lesson. She managed to get a nasty burn on her back. She was bemoaning the fact that it hurt, so I had to rub her down with lotion before she went to bed tonight.
Later in the day, we went over to the bayside to fish off from the seawall. The tide wasn’t running so the fish weren’t biting. It was pleasant just the same. I did manage to snag one little snake fish. He was about the size of my Johnson Sprite.
As the sun began to sink on the horizon, we went down near the bridge to get some sunset photos. Darlie is always looking to improve on her sunset photos. We have hundreds on the computer. They all look the same to me. It keeps her humored so I sit by quietly while she lines up her next shot.
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| I Like This One! |
Our neighbor is a campground volunteer from Buffalo, N.Y.. He has been coming down here for years every fall. This is his favorite place in the world. He loves to dive and snorkel. The lobster season is open during the fall months so when he is not working around the campground he is out looking for lobsters. He says he has to stick his hands back into holes in the coral and pull them out. I would be afraid something other than a lobster lived in there and it would grab me instead.
As a volunteer, he can stay here beyond the 14 day limit for campers. He also gets his campsite free. He works four days a week. The work is just light maintenance and clean up. He gets to visit with folks from all over the world. It is very interesting and he never tires of it.
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| I hate this one but it makes up for some Darlie didn't like of her that I posted |
We sat outside until the bugs started getting the upper hand. They haven’t been bad when you consider we are camped in the middle of a salt marsh. We have mangroves right behind the MH. It is the perfect breeding place for them.
October 8
Another beautiful day in paradise. We certainly picked the right time to come down here. The weather has been perfect. The humidity is low with temperatures in the mid 80s.
We haven’t visited the nature center here in the park so that was on our agenda today. When we got there we discovered they were going to be closed until 1:00 PM today. We decided to walk up to the bridge again. The view is so spectacular a photo can’t capture it.
The tide was coming in. We stood by the rail watching for fish around the bridge abutments. In the channel, two very large sharks circled and rose to the surface several times. They must have been feeding on something we couldn’t see from our lofty perch. Several large rays floated by but we didn’t see any other large fish.
We spent about an hour on the bridge taking in the sights. Afterwards, we rode our bikes back to the MH to get my fish pole. With the tide running so strongly I thought there might be a good possibility of catching a fish. We went to a seawall under the Overseas Highway bridge. The water was sparkling clear. I cast for an hour without any luck.
At one o’clock we went back to the nature center. It is a small one room affair with stuffed birds, seashells, photos and charts. They had a film about the history of the Keys. It was about a half hour long. It was quite interesting.
Most of it centered on the building of the Overseas Railroad by Henry Flagler. It was a massive undertaking. The construction was washed out twice by hurricanes but Flagler was persistent. It was finally completed in 1913. Key West was now connected to the mainland. The train made it possible for people to visit the remote island and it also carried various kinds of freight from this important deep water port. From Key West, people could catch a ferry to Havana, Cuba. The ferry returned with pineapples, bananas and other fruits which were transported north by the Flagler railroad. Sadly, the life of the railroad was short lived. In 1935 a hurricane took out all the land based infrastructure. The bridges held, for the most part.
We then were off to the snack bar where we satisfied our intense hunger for ice cream. We each had double dips. We sat out on the porch overlooking the marina eating our cones when a young couple came out and sat down next to us. They struck up a conversation and we gabbed for an hour. Both of them had grown up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They insisted we had to put Copper Harbor on our travel schedule. They said it was one of the most beautiful places in the country. By their enthusiasm, we had no reason to doubt them. Maybe next summer we will work that in.
Darlie was dressed so little skin was showing. She is sporting a very bad burn. I wanted to go walk the beach again. She graciously agreed to go with me but she was staying covered up.
She took pictures of me wading in the shallow clear water. It was cool and refreshing. Soon she rolled up her britches and got in with me. It is very difficult to resist. Tomorrow we have to leave this wonderful place. We could stay longer but we have obligations back home this week. In all of our travels across the United States this summer, nothing outshines Bahia Honda as far as I am concerned. I love the ocean above all other kinds of scenery. You can't look at it without wonder, desire, curiosity and fear. It beckons, "Come out here."
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| She looks well done. |
Back at the MH we grilled outside and sat under the stars listening to kids next door playing hide and seek. Neighbors across the street had a telescope set up gazing at the stars. Even the bugs seemed to have something else to do tonight as they didn’t show up for their evening meal. Not that we minded at all.
October 9
I was up before daylight. I love to sit in my big comfortable passenger seat with my feet propped up on the dash drinking my morning coffee. I find the early morning stirrings of the other campers interesting. I try not to let them see me watching.
A man and his wife across from us are camped in a tent with their two kids. This morning just as it was getting light, I saw them going up to the bathhouse with their towels and toiletries holding hands. I thought that was so sweet.
Another man, just out of sight behind some bushes, started up his motorcycle and raced the engine a few times. Quiet time is until 8:00 AM. It wasn't even 7:30 yet. He did this several times. For what reason, who knows?
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| Bahia Honda Bayside |
My neighbor came out with a cup of coffee and headed up the street. More people came out and headed to the bathhouse. That must be a very busy place in the morning. I have never used one so I have no idea.
I went outside to wash the windshield of all the bugs I killed on the way down here. A young couple stopped by to ask some questions about our MH. They have a pop up and would like something bigger but don't know if they want a trailer or a MH. They really don't want to have to tow a car.
They live in Miami. He is retired Coast Guard and now is a Florida State Trooper. They have traveled extensively while he was in the service. He did duty in California, Hawaii and Alaska along with many other places. I loved listening to their stories.
I started picking up and packing up in preparation for the trip home. I hate to leave this place. We could stay longer. The site is available but we have other obligations. We will return.
Darlie got up while I was visiting with the young couple. She came out to join us and help with the packing up. When we were done, we decided to take another bike ride around the park.
By 11:30 we were loaded up and ready to leave. Darlie heard something splash in the water behind the MH. See looked in the mangroves and saw what we believed to be a juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron with a big crab in his mouth. She made a video of the bird cracking and eating it. It swallowed it down shell and all. Notice the bulge in his neck when he swallows a big piece of the crab.
We planned to stop at the Cracked Conch Cafe in Marathon for lunch. We love cracked conch.
We arrived at the cafe at about noon. We each had a cracked conch sandwich. It was delicious. I could have eaten two.
Darlie went next door to the Key Lime Pie Factory to buy a key lime pie.
The traffic was light and we made good time. We got to Alligator Alley late in the afternoon. Darlie was spotting alligators as fast as she could count. Soon she lost track of how many she had seen. Sitting up high in the MH you have a very good view of the water along the road. She pointed out some real monsters. At one point she saw a small heron perched on the back of a large alligator.
I said, "you can't say the glades are boring today." She said it was no big deal. She sees alligators behind our house almost everyday. I said, "yeah, but you never saw one with a bird riding on its back." I won that one.
We saw wood storks, anhinga, ibis, herons, egrets, gallinules, hawks, buzzards and one bald eagle. One of our hobbies is trying to identify birds everywhere we travel.
It is always good to get home. My dog was delighted to see me. Dogs are always delighted to see you. Wonder why people can't always be like that? That will have to be a topic for another time.
