Thanks for taking the time to make this thread Ron. There is a ton of valuable information for us noobs. I'm new to the hobby and would love to harvest some of my own stuff. I go fishing often, but I'm not much of a diver. Hopefully I can check out some of the shallow spots your recommended. Thank you!
Florida Keys snorkeling locations
- Thread starter Ron Reefman
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Thanks for taking the time to make this thread Ron. There is a ton of valuable information for us noobs. I'm new to the hobby and would love to harvest some of my own stuff. I go fishing often, but I'm not much of a diver. Hopefully I can check out some of the shallow spots your recommended. Thank you!
Ron Reefman
Active member
And are they the green ones or the red ones?
Mr06evo, zoas are legal to harvest if you have a saltwater fishing license and the limit is 5 polyps per license holder per day. The green ones are all over the area at the SE corner of Money Key down along side the Seven Mile bridge.
Awesome, thanks! Going to take a drive down there soon. As far as crabs and snails go do you think I will have any luck in the south Florida beach area?
Ron Reefman
Active member
It depends on the south Florida beach you are at. I don't think there is much on or near shore along the Miami beaches, but I really can't say as I haven't spent much time there. But along Key Largo (Pennekamp State Park area) and further south along the Keys... yes. And for my money you can't beat Bahia Honda State Park for great off the beach snorkeling. And the next couple of keys to the south for collecting! Just be aware of the state limits and licence requirements as the FWC does patrol (we have been checked several times both on the water and at the boat ramp). And although I've never been fined, I understand that fine are severe!
The variety of things you can find, and how easily things change in the shallows along the Keys is amazing. We have seen tiny hermits by the hundreds on rocks very near shore at times and none at other times. We find all kinds of stuff off Little Money Key most of the time, but in 2014 there was a algae bloom that almost killed everything... well, made the area look like winter up north. It all looked dead, but it was mostly hiding. The next year we found most of the smaller creatures were back, but bigger ones, like the queen conch, were almost wiped out there. In 2016 it appeared that new queen conch had moved into the area. We always find lots of emerald crabs in the shallows. Snails are there, but a bit harder to find. Either side off the highway as soon as you get onto Spanish Harbor Key is great for off the beach snorkeling. Little Money Key, Money Key and Molasses Key are all great if you have a boat. Little Bahia Honda is 1/4 mile off the beach in the state park (no collecting) and you can rent a kayak there to get to the island. The shallows along the east and southeast side of the island have incredible wildlife. More rock boring urchins than you can count! And they make holes in the rocks that make great homes for all kinds of other creatures.
Go slow and watch very carefully and you'll see all kinds of stuff. We've seen several octopus (or whatever the plural form is) and you need to be very observant in order to find one. They have great camouflage and blend into the background perfectly.
BTW, late spring (warming water and no storms) and early fall (still warm water and storms have quit) are great times to do a snorkel trip in the Keys. If you have the time and money, consider a trip to the Dry Tortugas and Ft. Jefferson (see pics below). We are planing 1 or 2 trips there next year and will camp out overnight. They allow night snorkeling and you are 70 miles from Key West and any lights, so the night sky is just crazy with stars.
Enjoy and good luck. And be sure to come back here and tell us how your trip goes. Or ask more specific questions if you have them.
Ron Reefman
Active member
Congratulations on finding the blue leg hermits. And I'm happy to have another local guy (as in 'local to the Keys') here in this thread. The more the merrier.
The last time we snorkeled in December was 4 or 5 years ago. We had pretty heavy wetsuits and an hour in we were both getting cold! Besides, the shallow water bottom kind of goes into hibernation. Polyps stay closed up, critters stay under rocks... it's just a lot less interesting than when the water is warmer.
BTW, your handle, Mr06evo, is that a car reference to a 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution? I have an '08 Miata that was making 240hp at the rear wheels. But it's in the shop getting a re-tune of the ECU and a new boost controller and a boost/air:fuel mixture/shift light gauge installed. We are going to do a dyno run at 2lbs more boost just to see what we can get!
Yeah I only walked around in knee deep water so I didn't get the full effect of the cold water lol. Almost all the crabs were right there by the shore.
I used to own a 2006 Evolution 9, it was my pride and joy. It had full bolts ons, cams and meth injection. It made a little over 400whp. I'll see if I can dig up a picture to show you. I'm starting to notice that this aquarium hobby can be just as expensive as modifying cars. I'm hoping to get back into cars once if these days. The only racing I did was at the 1/8 mile, never had s chance to auto-x or track it.
Ron Reefman
Active member
Three points:
1) Please keep us informed about any info related to the Keys or local snorkeling (anywhere in Florida).
2) Being fairly new to this hobby you can always ask questions. And yes it can get expensive. I just hope you never have to deal with a 180g aquarium that develops a 30gph leak at a place where it is unreachable. I ended up having to replace bathroom cabinets that were on the opposite side of the wall the aquarium was on. Ouch!
3) Would love to see a pic of the car (maybe by PM rather than in this thread). The last drag race I did (legally) was back in 1969 with a 1967 Chevy Nova with a 327 cu in engine making 375 hp and I thought that was crazy! The Miata at Sebring is just awesome.
1) Please keep us informed about any info related to the Keys or local snorkeling (anywhere in Florida).
2) Being fairly new to this hobby you can always ask questions. And yes it can get expensive. I just hope you never have to deal with a 180g aquarium that develops a 30gph leak at a place where it is unreachable. I ended up having to replace bathroom cabinets that were on the opposite side of the wall the aquarium was on. Ouch!
3) Would love to see a pic of the car (maybe by PM rather than in this thread). The last drag race I did (legally) was back in 1969 with a 1967 Chevy Nova with a 327 cu in engine making 375 hp and I thought that was crazy! The Miata at Sebring is just awesome.
Ron Reefman
Active member
Come back any time. Where are you from?
SFish
New member
Wisconsin
I thought the upside down jelly fish were pretty cool my self. My wife is afraid of sharks so she won't dive or snorkel. We did a glass bottom boat. I wish I would have had someone to go with. I heard that bridge that's washed out with that gravel plant or what ever it is at the end is supposed to be a good spot as well. I've only been there once.
I thought the upside down jelly fish were pretty cool my self. My wife is afraid of sharks so she won't dive or snorkel. We did a glass bottom boat. I wish I would have had someone to go with. I heard that bridge that's washed out with that gravel plant or what ever it is at the end is supposed to be a good spot as well. I've only been there once.
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Ron Reefman
Active member
Ha! I assume you mean the one along side the Seven Mile Bridge? That was the old Flagler Railroad bridge and the sections that are missing were removed to make room for tall boats or to stop people from going out to fish off them. The little island at the end of the section about 2 miles out is a railroad museum I think. It's called Pigeon Key. I haven't snorkeled there yet, but I will some day soon.
BTW, my wife isn't afraid of sharks at all, but she doesn't like getting too far from shore in a 10' inflatable Zodiac. She's getting better, and this summer I intend to really try and push the envelope.
If you ever want a snorkel buddy in the Keys, just let me know. I'll meet you there and show you around!:beer:
SFish
New member
That would be awesome!
Ron Reefman
Active member
Up until a couple of years ago you could walk or ride a bike out the old railroad bridge to Pigeon Key, but the bridge is closed down now for repairs (it's 100 years old). My wife and I walked out there a few years ago and standing up on the bridge looking down into the water along the east side of the island, we saw some pretty cool marine life. There were 2 big spotted rays going after conchs and we saw a huge barracuda and a small shark (about the same size as the barracuda) swim past each other within a couple of feet, and they paid absolutely no attention to each other. I think the Pigeon Key Museum now offers a boat ride from the west end of Marathon out to Pigeon Key for snorkeling... but I'd rather do it in our Zodiac so I can come and go as I please and maybe do a little collecting if I find anything unusual that might do well in one of my tanks.
I'm serious about being a snorkeling buddy. I'm retired and my wife is still working (she likes her job) so if the weather is right, I can be in the Middle Keys in about 5 hours with an 11' Zodiac!
I'm serious about being a snorkeling buddy. I'm retired and my wife is still working (she likes her job) so if the weather is right, I can be in the Middle Keys in about 5 hours with an 11' Zodiac!
SFish
New member
I use to surf when I lived in California so being out a ways in the water doesn't really bother me. I'm not really use to being around sharks but for the most part from my understanding if you don't bother them they won't bother you. Any cheap hotels by you? I want to get certified to dive at one point.
Will do Ron, that's a crazy story. I hope to never have to deal with something as crazy as that. I'm in the process up going from t5's to hydra 52's, but I need two more. Also got a good deal on a fluval m60 to use as a quarantine tank. Going to get all my fish out and let my DT sit for the 72days to get rid of the ich.
Let me dig up some old pics of the car and I'll pm them to you.
Ron Reefman
Active member
I'm in Cape Coral which is on the west coast of Florida about 4 to 5 hours from the Keys. There are 'inexpensive' motels in the Keys, but any that are 'cheap' are really trash. We stay in Marathon which is on Vacay Key just before the Seven Mile Bridge. The Blackfin Resort is where we always stay. It's really a mom & pop type motel. But it is well kept, has a nice pool, a nice little marina with a boat ramp and a little old coral head island about 100 yards off their 'beach' (it's tiny and not all that beach like!). We usually do a test snorkel out to the island the day we arrive to test water temps and visibility. It's quite reasonably prices as small Keys motels go. In the same area there is the Kingsail motel and the Sea Dell motel. Both are quite similar prices and room quality. There is a Holiday Inn Express very nearby and a couple of bigger motel/hotels have opened up in the past year. We aren't looking for fancy rooms because we spend so little time there!
We (my tuner) just put a rod through the block of my car! At 5500 rpm it was making 250hp at the rear wheels. The guy up in front of the car said he heard a couple of 'pings' and then all heck let lose... We are looking for a donor motor or even a wreck to pull from. The new motor will be rebuilt with better internals and a few extras like better cams. But in the meantime I'm without my hot rod Miata.
SFish
New member
I'll have to look around for a deal. I pretty much do the same thing as you guys. I don't care about the hotel because I spend so little time there. I have been snorkeling in Thailand before. That was pretty cool the fish were so use to people they would come right up to you but that was a guided tour. Got stung by jelly fish. Clear blue about the size of a silver dollar. Wrapped around my thumb. There were some cool green fish with black strips almost looked like some kind of Angelfish.
Ron Reefman
Active member
We see juvenile tropical fish all the time. But they are so hard to collect. I'm to the point that unless it's something I don't have, like a spaghetti worm (hard to transport), or an unusual color serpent star, I don't bother. I just enjoy the shallows because I can play with the animals which you really can't do very well snorkeling out on the big reef with a charter. Following an octopus or a reef squid watching them change colors as they move from place to place is always fun. I got to feed a 2' cowfish when I'd break open a rock boring urchin (there are thousands of them) at the site we were snorkeling off Bahia Honda State Park.
