Super (Bowl) Sunday in Key Largo

The cruise dictator, as Dan likes to call himself, had us scheduled to head over to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park today. The original plan was to all join the crew of Pekabu III ( with only 5 feet of draft) to go into the park, BUT we found out that the depths in Largo Sound and at the Marina in the Park were only 4 feet. We had heard about park moorings with 6 feet of depth, but we finally realized those are the ones outside on the reefs --NOT in Largo Sound. So, 5 of us drove with Ann & Howie (Pekabu III guests) while the other three rode bikes (we have two and Pekabu III has one). We walked around a bit and checked out the different beaches and mangrove areas and then went into the Visitor's Center where there is a large aquarium and several small ones each featuring a specific species. They were very interesting and informative and easily photographed. We also watched a video presentation explaining all about the different types of coral that make up a reef and all the inhabitants of a reef system. In spite of years of snorkeling we were surprised how much we had to learn! It was very well done.

The original plan had included a bar-b-q meal aboard Pekabu III, so we had to readjust our plans and we had our bar-b-q at the picnic area at the marina. We all remarked that it was like having a 4th of July picnic (under swaying palm trees) on Super Bowl Sunday! We were just practicing up for the real eating event later in the evening. We took a swim in the pool after lunch and I tried out the new snorkel equipment I had just purchased for our expected guests in the Bahamas.

True to expectations the gathering on the veranda with about 25+ people (including Bob, Lucia, Connie and Wally who drove up from Marathon) was a veritable feast. We made a show of watching the game, especially as there was a pool going and bettors were keeping tabs of their numbers. Last year, Cosmo (a dog) won, and this year it was his mistress Joy who raked in the big payoff! Tomorrow Arkeoo (the C-350 Marathon crew) will sail up here to join us for a day or two. ~~~_/)~~~M&D

The birds at John Pennekamp Park were not the least bit afraid of people, this Ibis was trying to see what some picnickers were having for lunch. The Least Sandpipers were also impervious to people and pecked up a lot of sand as they foraged along the beach.

The first of the small aquariums held three species of lobsters. The slipper lobster (on the left) doesn't have the long feelers and decided to give us a show by "standing" up - I liked his blue antennae. The spiny lobsters come in two varieties, the common one and the spotted one.

I have always liked the Blue Chromis and it was great to get an easy shot of one. The lionfish on the right is the new invader from the South Pacific who is ravishing the grouper and snapper population by eating their young. It has no natural enemies and has poisonous spines. It was released from the aquarium on Paradise Island in Nassau a few years back during a strong hurricane. We learned that sea urchins use sea shells to protect themselves, you can see them "wearing" bits of shells. The hermit crab (lower right) is barely visible except for his bright red legs.

This is a yellowhead jawfish. He digs a hole in the sand, edges it with small stones and hides out looking for small organisms to feed on. He was shy and it took patience waiting for him to come out. Then he darted away too fast for me to catch a picture of him finally out of his hole.