by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)

Are you still itching to head somewhere warm for the winter and aren’t up for as trip offshore? South Florida has some excellent waters south of Miami worth a trip, though how you get there and how you get around may take a little planning. Whether you come by land and get out on the water down there, or get there with your own boat, it will be worth the trip.

Clear water, Keys and Reefs

People know the Florida Keys for quite a few things. It’s the home of the laid-back island lifestyle in the U.S. Breezy, open-air bars, rum drinks, sunset in Mallory Square on Key West – these are all the most known highlights. But the waters around the keys are also stunning, with an incredible diversity of tropical marine life, great diving and snorkeling on coral reefs, a range of fishing options from offshore for big game to the flats for bonefish, and miles and miles of clear water.

What are the Florida Keys?

Biological processes, not geological ones, form a key, distinguishing it from an island. Islands can form many ways, including volcanic action, earthquakes, tectonic movement, and others. Coral forms a Florida Key. They’re the bones of ancient coral reefs, left behind when waters receded at the start of the last major ice age. South Florida used to be covered in much more water, but as the ice caps and glaciers grew, the water level dropped, exposing the coral that thrived in warmer times. Today, a chain of limestone keys stretches from south of Miami to Dry Tortugas.

The first proper key you can drive to is Key Largo, which connects the southerly keys with highways and causeways all the way to Key West. Most people think it’s the start of the keys, but it isn’t. The first actual key in the chain is Soldier Key, at the north end of Biscayne National Park, just south of Key Biscayne (which is not actually a Key…confused yet?).

Upper, Middle, and Lower Keys

For convenience, we categorize the inhabited keys as Upper, Middle, and Lower keys. The upper is the northernmost keys heading south from Key Largo down to Long Key. The Long Key Bridge takes you from Long Key to Conch Key, and the Middle Keys run to Pigeon Key. Past the Seven Mile Bridge, the Lower Keys start at Little Duck Key and end at Key West. After Key West are a couple of uninhabited Keys, one private community Key, then Dry Tortugas, 68 miles west of Key West.

Navigation Challenges

The waters south of Miami pose some challenges, because the predominant depth inside the keys is best described as “pretty shallow.” The average depth of Biscayne Bay is 4-8 feet, with the deepest spot only around 15 feet. Deep draft boats have a struggle, and some may only transit the area near the Intracoastal Waterway, which runs all the way to Key West. Further south, controlling depths inside the bays are quite low, with shallows and flats all over.

The tidal range in the Keys is only about two feet, but there can be current in the cuts through the Keys, and some channels can be tricky.

The clear waters are like Caribbean and other tropical waters, and color is often your best clue about what’s ahead. Blue water is deeper, green is less deep, and brownish and yellowish waters are usually dangerous shoals. Pay close attention to government marks, and avoid cutting across shoals and reefs. But that safe-looking, deep, blue water? You won’t see very much of it.

Few power boats will have trouble with careful navigation, and multihulls which only draw a few feet are fine. Shoal draft monohulls also do well, but deep draft boats may wish to move entirely within the ICW while closely watching charted depths. Or just head outside to the ocean to move south.

Flora, Fauna, Wildlife and Night Life

The Florida Keys are full of diverse and beautiful wildlife, with hundreds of species of fish, birds, plants, and marine mammals scattered throughout the region. Dolphins are a regular sight, and gentle manatees constantly graze the shallows, congregating in the summer as the water warms. The mangroves are nurseries for hundreds of fish species, with predators of all sizes coming in to hunt. Coral reefs teem with life, and aquatic birds thrive in the mangroves, trees, and waters.

People also know the Keys for other types of wild life, as the keys have lively and varied nightlife throughout. Throughout the keys you’ll find great dining – mostly alfresco – from casual seafood stands to great dining with ocean views. Key West is a social scene all of it’s own, with historical and fun casual bars and an almost non-stop party vibe. It’s the place where everyone stops to watch the sunset and applauds the most spectacular, then the party continues far into the night.

National and State Parks

Many national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, state parks, and other preserves protect the Florida Keys. You’ll need to pay attention to which park or body of water you are in, as there may be different rules about anchoring, fishing, staying overnight, or prohibitions on certain types of boats (like PWCs).

Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park starts just south of Key Biscayne and runs down to just north of Key Largo and Card Sound. The park borders the mangrove shores to the west, and out to the sixty-foot depth line in the ocean east of the parks Keys. 95% of the parks 173,000 acres is under water.

You can stop and come ashore on three keys – Boca Chita, Elliot Key, and Adams Key. Boca Chita and Elliot both allow overnight dockage and camping on shore, though there is a fee for day use (most days) and overnight camping on shore or on your boat. The park preserves the other keys, and natural mangrove barriers make access extremely difficult even if it were permitted. That doesn’t mean you can’t anchor near the keys and explore with snorkels, paddleboards, or kayaks.

Outside the keys are buoys available for snorkeling and diving near the reefs. There are wrecks up and down the coast, and the Maritime Heritage Trail highlights several you can see with and without scuba.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Located mostly on the ocean side of Key Largo, this Florida state park is also accessible from the water. The park entrance is at mile marker 102.5, and there is a small fee by the carload and a has a visitor center with information about the park, an aquarium, and a concession for boat rentals and tours.

Offshore, there is fantastic snorkeling and diving on the reefs in the park. You can do this on your own boat, or with a group tour from the park concession.

Everglades National Park

Everglades park is the largest, and most of it lies north of the keys. But its southern edges on Florida Bay are reachable for careful mariners. Even if you don’t work your way in there by boat, it’s worth a visit to kayak the trackless beauty, looking for alligators, crocodiles, manatees, and countless other birds, reptiles and fish.

Other parks, preserves, refuges, and sanctuaries

There are several other state parks in the keys tha visit, including Fort Zachary Taylor, Bahia Honda, Lignum-vitae Key, and the Florida Overseas Heritage Trail. Many areas serve as designated sanctuaries and preserves for specific bird or animal populations. These run the range of prohibited access areas to excellent viewing and spotting sites. Check local resources as you plan.

How to see it from the water

Millions of people visit the keys every year, and many of them never get farther on the water than the beach in front of their hotel. But we’re all boaters here, and it’s the spectacular boating and water sports in the keys are a big part of the draw of the keys. Conch fritters, cold beer, and those Mallory Square sunsets are up there too, but this is a boater’s guide!

Your own boat

Bringing your own boat to the keys is an excellent way to get on the water. But it’s a long way to travel on a big boat unless you’re already based in Florida. However, it’s also an ideal spot to bring a smaller, trailerable boat. There are public boat ramps in most parks, and plenty of marinas to launch from.

Take care in a deep draft boat. Even without a boat you can sleep on, staying on shore and day tripping up and down the keys or camping on shore in some parks is a fantastic way to see the park.

Rentals and Charters

Rental boats and charters are available from Miami all the way to Key West. You can charter a small center console to explore the bays and sounds, or sailboats or cabin cruisers to overnight in. Chartering for several days or a week is an ideal way to island-hop. Note that boats will typically be catamarans, power boats, or smaller monohull sailboats for draft reasons.

Many are private companies, and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has a day rental concession for center console power boats to get you out to the reefs.

Tours and cruises

Tours and cruises run from Miami, as well as within some of the larger state parks and the national parks. You won’t have full control of the boats, but private tours are available in most locations.

In Biscayne National Park, the Biscayne National Park Institute can take you out snorkeling, paddling, or touring the park out of the Visitor’s Center and Coconut Grove. John Pennekamp state park has snorkeling, diving, glass bottom boats and rentals, and Everglades National Park offers ranger-guided tours and a variety of other tours through permitted and regulated vendors.

Worth the Effort

The Florida Keys reach the southernmost point in the continental U.S., and can be a little tricky to get to. And yes, it’s a popular tourism destination for people with varied interests, so it’s not an inexpensive place to stay. But if you can get out on the water to take in some of that fresh air and wild, natural beauty, it’s well worth the trouble.