Key Largo Snorkeling
date:11/29-12/02/02
C,J,S, and I brave Florida- the land of compulsory bad tans and tight clothing- to experience the only tropical coral reef accessible from the continent of the United States. An unexpected cold front and a dreadful wind on our first full day puts a serious damper on snorkeling activities. 3 foot waves and much swallowing of salt water convinces J snorkeling is not meant to be. But happily the weather turns.
Despite 4 separate attempts, all operators took us to White Banks also known as the Sea Garden. A narrow strip of reef 5 miles off the coast of Key Largo, the Sea Garden revealed all the creatures shown on the laminated wild life identification posters.
Everywhere swim the great barracudas grumpily trailing our fins. Despite their ferocious exposed teeth, they are not human flesh eaters- they are upmost peeved at perceived competition. Ancient groupers hang about at the bottom along with pancake yellow sting rays amongst purple sea fans, and elk horns. Gargantuan mustard yellow brain corals larger than the span of my arms surprise C who is first and foremost a coral man.
Every snorkeler has their particulars. C cruises the outer edges of the reef for larger more elusive predatory creatures. It is C who shows us the resident 5 foot long green moray eel and a solitary nurse shark. How surprising the premordial beauty of the nurse shark's almost white eyes and sandy skin. I shiver- just the sheer elegance of form and line on that creature.
J loves the soft sandy bottoms where she spies a flounder- she loves winking fish. My true longing was again to meet the moody tentacled beast- the reef octupus. Sadly no encounters seemed possible so instead I chase down schools- trying to join the silvery needlenoses speeding just beneath the surface.
When I tire of the constant rejection from schools- my fins give me away, I patrol the waters pretending to be a predator. I spot a sea urchin wedged in a crevice and slyly think of cracking it open to slurp the poor thing down. But no such chance in a protected state park.
As my dentist proclaimed there is no reason a Californian should be in Florida when Hawaii is to the left. Perhaps.
The second day, we again ventured to snorkel with Pennekamp Park. As there were too many snorkelers booked, the 1:00 group had to be cleaved into two boats. We are the last to get sheperded into the first boat with Captain Albert and one blond lady as skipper.
We sit directly in front of the captain with whom we make pleasant small talk about the laminated wild life chart. As we pass out into the sea, the captain starts rubbing the skipper's back. And probably against regulations, he allows the skipper to steer the boat. As J whispers, "They're married, look at their matching Adidas"
Later after having satisfactorily snorkeled our heads off, we scour the town for Asian fare to fill our bellies. We find a Thai restuarant which also serves Chinese food and hosts a sushi bar. During our greasy appetizer of spring rolls, June turns her head to wave at new entrants being seated at a nearby table. It's no less than our captin Albert eating dinner with his family- wife, son and parents. Albert briefly glanced at our table and nervously tried to avoid looking our way all night.
Is it too trite to say the woman that dined with him was no blond skipper, but a brunette. Were we bothered or entertained at being witness to such common petty betrayal?