Florida Keys Warnings and Dangers

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In spite of this sign, people were tossing food scraps to the tarpon and pelicans. People like to see the animals come up close where they can see them.

But as the sign says, this is not good for the animals. DO NOT feed any processed foods that contain sugar, salt, spices, cooking oils, or flavorings. Examples of bad foods include flavored peanuts, granola bars, bread, table scraps, and Cheetos. The foods people can offer are not as healthy as the varied diet they would normally eat

Feeding birds and fish leads to:

* behavioral problems -- they lose their fear of humans and become aggressive; unnatural feeding encourages species that would never usually come into contact with humans to interact. This may result in serious injury and harm to individuals.

* malnutrition from eating foods with low or no nutritional value; birds or fish may stop natural feeding cycles which are important to ensure they are receiving the correct nutrients to survive.

* increased spread of disease;

For birds in particular,

* birds may be injured from swallowing hooks and nonfood items and by swallowing large fish bones which they cannot digest -- large fish bones can puncture a bird's pouch, get caught in the throat, and even puncture a bird's stomach;

* degradation of water quality (from concentrations of bird feces);

* parent birds who are dependent on humans for food and therefore cannot teach their own young proper foraging techniques to feed themselves.

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The road down the Florida Keys can be beautiful, and for the driver distracting. Accidents can block the road for many hours, and there often are construction projects along the way which also hold up traffic. Except for a short stretch in the upper keys where there is a toll road that parallels US 1, there is only one road in or out of the Keys. If there is an accident, you have to wait until it is cleared. I remember one day when a motorcycle ended up under a propane truck and traffic was stopped on the highway for four hours. My daughter's family came down from Miami in a boat and they got there faster that way than they would have in a car.

So build a little extra time into your trip, and it may also work to travel early in the morning or late at night.

[But I took the picture of the orange barrel because my husband's name is Bob]

Every one will warn you about the traffic police and here is another warning. They hide in the verges of the Overseas Highway, you cannot see them until you are close. Stick to the speed limit which is at times a frustrating 30mph especially in the dark, there is no escape.

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Many of the fish you catch in Florida have the potential to injure you. Handeling them properly can can save flesh. Captain Bryan of the Iowa Fortune can help make your fishing trip safe as well as exciting!

Check out Captain Bryan's fishing video !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7IUUAAxrJE

In the Florida Keys, the same forces that create balmy breezes and warm waves also can bring high winds, heavy rain and tidal surges. Because they are on the northern fringe of the Caribbean, the Florida Keys occasionally are threatened by tropical cyclones and hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season formally begins June 1 and ends November 30. Historically, the chances of hurricane activity are greater between August 15 and October 1. During the past 100 years, the historical average frequency of a hurricane impacting somewhere in the state of Florida is once every two years. Evacuation routes and shelters are available and one should not really worry about the impact of a hurricane, since everyone would be informed well in advance!

These delightful small deer are found on Big Pine Key. They are an endangered species although numbers have risen in recent years. If you are lucky they can be spotted roaming in the woodlands.

Big Pine Key has strict speed restrictions that are enforced but despite this, many are killed on the road each year. Please, please, please drive with extra care in this area, particularly at night. If you are driving through the keys, you can not help noticing that you are approaching the National Key Deer Refuge because the speed limit changes from 45 MPH to 30 MPH at night. This area is from Mile Marker 29 to Mile Marker 33.

Careful driving will help us to preserve these creatures for future generations to enjoy watching.

Most of the time the sun is shining in Key West. But sometimes...........it can be bad.
The pictures was taken not at night, but at daytime. This is really what we saw. Behind us it was a clear blue sky. In front of us it was bad!!

If anyone is interested in renting the property Moon Over Paradise there is full disclosure available. Feel free to read the rental terms and conditions in advance. Go and read the ridiculous money making terms and agreement for this rental property at www.keywestvacation.us. "No refund of deposit (50% of total rental) within 60 days of rental, no refund for weather related cancellations including hurricane". Also there are other applicable charges including failure "to take in trash cans", failure to put "lid on trash can, cigarette butts on property", failure to clean "barbecue grill", 5% additional charge for credit card, $250 for date change," etc. Also, there is an additional "$150 charge for cleaning fee". If anyone wants to rent this property, please read terms and agreement carefully before signing. I am also a past renter ripped off by this guy's rental agreement.

If anyone is interested in renting the property Moon Over Paradise there is full disclosure available. Feel free to read the rental terms and conditions in advance. Go and read the ridiculous money making terms and agreement for this rental property at www.keywestvacation.us. "No refund of deposit (50% of total rental) within 60 days of rental, no refund for weather related cancellations including hurricane". Also there are other applicable charges including failure "to take in trash cans", failure to put "lid on trash can, cigarette butts on property", failure to clean "barbecue grill", 5% additional charge for credit card, $250 for date change," etc. Also, there is an additional "$150 charge for cleaning fee". If anyone wants to rent this property, please read terms and agreement carefully before signing. I am also a past renter ripped off by this guy's rental agreement.

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Our intention when we went to Florida in our boat was to buy a Conch Cruiser. This is what people call a car which runs OK, but looks like it is on its last legs. In the salt environment of the Keys, the car bodies rust out before the engine goes.

But we found that in addition to the initial cost, plus registration fees, taxes and insurance we had to pay an additional Florida "gotcha" fee of $100.00 for the first vehicle registered in Florida.

"Section 320.072, Florida Statutes, requires a fee of $100 to be imposed upon the initial application for registration on certain motor vehicle registration transactions. Whether the vehicle is new or used doesn't matter. Basically, the fee is due on any private-use automobile, any lightweight truck, or any motor home unless the vehicle being registered is a replacement for a vehicle that has been disposed in the same category of vehicles."

That would mean that a car we bought for $700 would actually cost us about $1000, of which $300 for taxes, registration and one-time fee would be non-recoverable. We could rent a car for a week for about $145, once a month and for 3 months, that would be only about $450.00.

So we made do with bikes.