On Wednesday of our "half-week" in Key West we met the very engaging Captain Jennifer on the Glass Reef and went and visited the dolphins. After spending some time with a small pod of them, we ventured off to try snorkeling.
The pictures are not that good due to the "point-and-shoot" cameras we had but here are a few of our aquatic friends.
Give the crew of the Glass Reef a call for a wonderful trip out on the waters off Key West!
It is Easter Morning. Alleluia!
Sunsets are really nice, yet on a day such as this, a sunrise seems more apropos.
Although this sunrise is from Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, it's not too far from Key West. It is only a short drive away with only two turns!
Here are the directions...
Take Route 1 North.
Just after you pass the Leaning Tower of Pizza and the plastic cows in Saugus, Massachusetts, take a right onto Route 128 North.
Follow Route 128 North to the end in Gloucester and take a left onto Cross Street.
Stay on Cross Street. It quickly becomes Bass Avenue. Stay on Bass Avenue and continue straight onto Nautilus Road.
The footbridge to Good Harbor Beach will be on your left.
You can view more pictures of Good Harbor Beach at Simply Cape Ann.
Enjoy!
Late one afternoon, we took a walk away from the hectic Duval Street and happened to come upon the Saint Mary Star of the Sea Parish Catholic Church. One of the first impressions you will see at this church is the large Gumbo-Limbo tree.
In South Florida, gumbo-limbo has been called the tourist tree because of its red, flaking skin. The two largest gumbo-limbos in the US are at the St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Key West and on Captiva Island. The Key West Garden Club has a nice article about the gumbo-limbo trees.
The path from the tree leads down into the Grotto of Saint Mary. I did not take any pictures of the Grotto due to the sanctity of the place.
Sister Mary Louis Gabriel S.N.J.M. (Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary) built the Grotto of Saint Mary at the Saint Mary Star of the Sea Parish Catholic Church and dedicated it May 25, 1922. Built on the model of the Grotto in Lourdes, France, the Grotto of Saint Mary was built to protect Key West from Hurricanes.
Before the Grotto was built the last hurricane that killed anybody was in 1919 and 300 people in Key West lost their lives. Since the Grotto has been built nothing larger than a category 2 has ever gone over Key West and there hasn't been a single life lost.
More history can be read at the website for Saint Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Parish.
A few more pictures from South Beach in Key West. Kay at Suite Dreams said this is where the locals like to go and she was right!
A look down the pier at South Beach.
Back up the pier towards Duval Street.
My future office!
