John Pennekamp State Park

On January 28 Richard and I headed to Key Largo, John Pennekamp State Park. We have many pamphlets on what do around the Miami and The Florida Keys and we are taking one thing at a time to do on our days off.

Before we arrived at the State Park, we stopped by this little place called Harriets. It is a little place off of US Rt. 1 around Mile Marker (MM) 96. If you weren't looking for it, you would miss it. We were told about this place by a couple who goes there a lot. The omelets were big and delicious and the biscuits that came with the omelet was huge and very good.

This is how the park is outlined. As you come in to the park you stop and pay the fee of $6 for 2 people. Follow the road to the first parking lot and turn left. Park anywhere you can find a spot. The Visitor Center is to the right of the parking lot and the John Pennekamp Store and Tours is to the right of the Visitor Center. In the store is where you buy the Tours tickets for snorkeling, scuba diving and the glassbottom boat tours. We purchased the Glassbottom Boat Tour at $24 each for the 12:15pm tour. We had a little bit of time to kill so we went in to the Visitor Center.

In the Visitor Center is various information, shells of all sorts and fish tanks. There is a slide show in a room that tells you about the reef fish and corals. In the Visitor Center we signed our names to the Guest Book and then proceeded to take some pictures of the corals, shells and fish in the tanks.

Care to see some crab shells.

This fish (don't know the type) is pretty cool.

There was a spiney lobster in one tank. A moray eel in another tank which is to the right. Other fishes that I could not get a picture of cause of the glare of the tanks.

After visiting the Visitor Center for about 10 minutes, it was time to head over to the line for the Tour. The boat was being boarded about 12:10pm. All rules were told to us and on the boat we went. There were places that we couldn't go yet until we have been on the water for about 20 minutes. It took about 30 minutes to get to the Atlantic Ocean and then more time to get to the area, which I thought was called Molasses Reef. The channel that we were traveling was very pretty. The trees along the channel are called Mangrove Trees. When we told that we could go to the front or back of the boat, we headed to the front. It felt so good to stand there and feel the breeze and take pictures. Richard headed up to the top deck to take his pictures.

This is the entrance to the Atlantic Ocean.

When we arrived out to the Atlantic Ocean, and was on our way to the reef, some of us got to see a stingray come out of the water and go back in the water. That was so cool to see and none of us had time to take a picture of it.

When we arrived at Molasses Reef, everyone was asked to come indoors and find a spot at the railing to the glassbottom sections, of which there were 2 areas. Richard and I found our spot and then while waiting to be told that we could go down the next level and sit with our feet dangling took off my shoes. They said that no loose shoes could be worn where the glassbottoms where. Richard and I sat down and after about 5 minutes, we both felt sweaty, warm, and sick. At this point, the speaker was saying how if anyone felt sweaty, warm, or sick to please go to the top of the boat and get a mint. To sit and watch the horizon and suck on the mint to feel better. Both of us got up and headed upstairs. As time was going by, more and more people were coming up to the top deck. I think that if the area was more air conditioned than it might have been better but I think they turned off the air cause most of the people who came upstairs to the top deck said that it was very warm in the area where we could see the reefs. But I did get a few pictures on my camera before leaving. The pictures you may see are "others" pictures to show you what we could have taken pictures of.

The picture to the right is where the Glassbottom Boat was moving around at Molasses Reef. By this time I was sitting on the top deck with Richard having a mint to help with the seasickness.

After about 30 minutes of being out at the reef, the Captain said that we were heading back to the marina. The ride back wasn't too bad but we both were still feeling pretty bad. So bad that no pictures were taken until we arrived near the marina. Then I took a few pictures of the marina area.

We got off the boat and Richard went to the Visitor Center to go to the dark slide show room to be in the coolness and the darkness. He was really feeling bad. I was slowly feeling better. I went in to the store and walked around and took pictures of some of the merchandise that said Key Largo or other stuff. I got a sprite to sip on and got some magnets since we collect magnets of places that we go. Then I went to get Richard and we sat outside on a bench to enjoy the fresh air. After a little bit, I walked over to the beach area and took pictures of coral and people in the water snorkeling. When I felt better to drive, we headed home. It took Richard a while to feel a lot better. It was a shame that we could not enjoy the reef and all the fish and coral that are out there.