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Jimmy Johnson: From Football to Fishing in the Florida Keys
Former NFL and college football coach Jimmy Johnson has lived in the Florida Keys for more than 15 years. Now an analyst for "Fox NFL Sunday," Johnson's name graces Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill at Fisherman's Cove, a dining and entertainment complex, as well as a private residence club in Key Largo. But JJ's reasons for residing in the Keys go beyond business interests. Watch the video to discover why.
Sail aboard Java Cat for a Key West Eco Tour
The Florida Keys offers one of the most unique ecological systems in all of North America and Java Cat will take you into the heart of it aboard a custom built sailing Catamaran. Sail into a shallow backcountry marine sanctuary filled with many unique creatures. Kayak around uninhabited mangrove islands. Discover multitudes of tropical fish while snorkeling over a pristine sponge and coral garden. As we sail west from Key West, we glide into the aqua and emerald colored water of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge.
Filming a JetPack Flight with GoPro Cameras
We love our GoPro Cameras. They allow us to capture video right in the middle of all the action. This video was captured in Key West, Florida during a Jet Pack flight.
Paddleboarder Completes Solo Cuba-to-Key-West Crossing
A South Florida lifeguard landed on a Key West beach Thursday, completing a historic paddleboard crossing of the Florida Straits from near Cuba to the island city.Cynthia Aguilar finished the 103.2-mile journey in 29 hours and 12 minutes, after beginning Wednesday morning about 14 miles off northern Cuba. She is the first solo prone paddleboarder (propelling the board with her arms) to cross the Florida Straits and, when verified, should set a record for the longest nonstop prone paddle.Her effort, along with a documentary, are to benefit the Make-A-WishFoundation of Southern Florida, a non-profit that grants wishes for childrenwith life-threatening medical conditions.
Kenny Chesney live at the Hogs Breath in Key West, Florida
Kenny Chesney playing live at the Hogs Breath Saloon in Key West, Florida.
Teams Navigate Minimal 'Vessels' in Sink-or-Swim Regatta
Minimal construction and marginal seaworthiness meant maximum hilarity Labor Day Weekend, when nearly 40 teams tried to keep plywood-and-duct-tape vessels afloat during Key West's wacky Schooner Wharf Minimal Regatta.Rules required each team to build a boat out of a four-by-eight-foot sheet of plywood, two eight-foot two-by-fours, a roll of duct tape, a pound of fasteners and epoxy paint. As spectators cheered, team members navigated the vessels through a "sink or swim" course at Key West's Historic Seaport Sunday afternoon, trying to stay afloat the longest. Many got "that sinking feeling" soon after launching, but a few craft proved surprisingly seaworthy.
Coast-to-Coast Conga Line Celebrates Key West¹s Cuban ...
In what may be the world’s only coast-to-coast conga line, revelers in Cuban attire congaed from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico to celebrate Key West’s colorful Cuban heritage. Led by the Comparsa Key West dance troupe, the conga line proceeded down the mile-long Duval Street from the ocean to the gulf Friday evening.Located just 90 miles from Cuba, Key West welcomed thousands of Cuban immigrants in the 1800s and was the site of a flourishing cigar industry. At the industry’s peak, the island boasted nearly 150 cigar factories whose workers produced 100 million hand-rolled cigars annually. The conga line and other weekend events recognize the vibrant culture and customs those immigrants brought with them. Other Key West Cuban American Heritage Festival events include a Saturday night cigar dinner recognizing Key West’s cigar-making legacy.
Divers Race on Key West Shipwreck
A Sunday dive on the world’s second-largest ship ever sunk as an artificial reef might have have appeared like the set of a James Bond movie, but it was actually the first event of the 2011 Formula H2O-Underwater Scooter Racing season.The Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg became an underwater racetrack for competitors using diver propulsion vehicles during the Vandenberg Underwater Grand Prix staged off the Florida Keys.Divers using DPVs raced around the Vandenberg’s superstructure, competing in multiple classes to achieve the fastest speeds while staying within safety parameters. Rick Iossi won the event’s expedition class and Kelly Friend of Key West won the recreation class, both racing faster than their competitors around the superstructure of the 523-foot-long former U.S. Air Force missile tracking ship that was scuttled almost two years ago seven miles south of Key West.The bottom of the Vandenberg’s hull rests on sand in approximately 150 feet of water, but the ship is so massive that its superstructure begins about 45 feet below the surface.
Dragon Boat Racing Hits Marathon's Sombrero Beach
Elaborate racing "dragons" are to invade Marathon's Sombrero Beach during the annual Battle in the Bay Dragon Boat Festival set for Saturday, May 14.A unique direct-from-the-beach launch enables spectators to get close-up views of the sleek, 40-foot-long race boats. They can observe the boats in action as teams of 20 paddlers power them in unison along a 380-meter race course parallel to the beach — a display of strength and teamwork among men and women of all ages.Dragons represent strength and are a powerful symbol of spring rains and growth in Chinese culture. The modern dragon boat race re-enacts a legend from the fourth century B.C. in which Qu Yuan, advisor to the emperor of the Ch'u dynasty, defied his ruler by drowning himself in the Mi Lo River. In a race to save their martyr Qu Yuan from the creatures of the deep, fishermen beat drums and vigorously splashed the water with their paddles.Local recreational and traveling competitive crews racing in the event include Ohio's Dragon Dream Team, Warriors on the Water from Orlando, Fla., and the Conch Republic Navy team that features six members of the Eye of the Dragon, a visually impaired team from Vancouver, B.C. Save Our Sisters, a team of Miami breast cancer survivors who regularly participate in a countrywide dragon-race circuit, also is to return.More than 25 races are scheduled, becoming progressively more competitive during division championships. A 2,000-meter "steersman's race" is an added endurance challenge for the top six competitive teams. Shoreside attractions during the races include food, beverages, merchandise, entertainment and kids' play areas. Early team registration and a Paddler's Party are set for 7-9 p.m. Friday, May 13, at the Hurricane Grille, 4650 Overseas Highway. Racing begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, with an awards ceremony and Last Splash Island Party to follow at the beach. Events are open to the public.Event information and team registration: www.battleinthebay.org
Historic Schooner Gets Major Facelift to Stay in Key West
A $1.25 million restoration project has kept a historic sailing schooner in Key West, the same city it was built and launched 72 years ago. The full refurbishment of the 130-foot Western Union required more than three years and was spearheaded by a local organization formed to preserve the vessel and keep it in Key West. Launched in 1939, Western Union is a traditional American coasting schooner that served the Western Union Telegraph Company for 35 years as a cable repair ship working on lines between Key West and Cuba and throughout the Caribbean. Years later, it operated as a local tour vessel, but maintenance and renovation costs forced previous owners, Historic Tours of America, to cease the ship's operations. Fearful the ship would leave, a group of locals formed the Schooner Western Union Preservation Society and Museum and HTA agreed to donate the ship to the group as long as it was restored and remained in Key West. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Western Union is believed to be the world's only surviving sailing cable ship according to local maritime historians. Restoration efforts included replacing numerous hull, transom and deck planks and refitting all electric, plumbing, engine and steering mechanisms. The Western Union is resuming day sails, sunset cruises and charters.
First-Timer Wins Men's Division at Seven Mile Bridge Run
A Miami lifeguard won the men's overall division and posted the best time of 1,500 runners Saturday morning in a footrace over the longest of 43 bridges that help comprise the Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Daniel Martin, 27, ran the Seven Mile Bridge Run in 38 minutes and 59 seconds. Winning a fifth overall women's title was Marlene Persson, 40, a physical therapy technician from Deerfield Beach, Fla., with a time of 42:28. Second- and third-place finishers in men's were Chad Wilkinson of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Gary Gates of Melbourne Beach, Fla. Nancy Frey of Boca Raton, Fla., placed second in women's and Helena Bursa of Big Pine Key, Fla. was third. The race sold out 24 hours after applications became available in early February. Not competing was the men's overall winner for the past five of six years. Jason Bodnar, a Biltmore Lake, N.C., dentist who has a mild phobia of crossing bridges, and his wife Jennifer are expecting their first child shortly and remained home. The race was initiated in 1982 to commemorate the then completion of a new Seven Mile Bridge as well as 36 other spans that help comprise the Florida Keys Overseas Highway. The modern bridge parallels a bridge that Florida real estate pioneer Henry Flagler built to serve as a segment of the Overseas Railway. The railroad was completed in January 1912.
Creativity and Color Characterize Pigeon Key Art Festival
Nationally recognized for its fine artists and craftspeople, the 17th annual Pigeon Key Art Festival is to transform Marathon Community Park, mile marker 49, into a tropically themed oasis of artwork on the weekend of Feb. 12-13.
Key Largo Stone Crab Festival
Combining fresh seafood, live local entertainment, cooking demonstrations, casting classes and costume contests, the second annual Key Largo Stone Crab & Seafood Festival is set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29-30 at Rowell's Marina, mile marker 104.5 bayside.
Aerial Video of Key West 2011 Sailing Regatta
Sailing yachts hailing from the United States and 15 other countries completed a five-day regatta off the Florida Keys today, featuring some of the biggest names in the sport. Reigning America's Cup skipper Russell Coutts is racing in the RC 44 class, a new one-design division Coutts both conceived and co-designed. But despite Coutts' familiarity with the boat, Oracle Racing is currently in third place after seven races, although the four-time America's Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist is only two points behind frontrunner Team Aqua, skipperd by Don Wilson, In second place in the RC 44 class, Mascalzone Latino, skippered by Italian Vincenzo Onorato whose syndicate is serving as challenger-of-record for the 34th America's Cup in 2013. One of the largest classes is the Melges 32, with 21 professional-laden teams on the scratch sheet. There are five Mini Max entries, featuring yachts 66 to 75 feet long.
Key West Seaplane
90 miles west of Key West, FL lies North America's most inaccessible National Park, the Dry Tortugas. The park is renowned for its marine life, pirate legends and sheer unspoiled beauty. It is dominated by its central feature, the majestic Fort Jefferson, the largest brick building in the western hemisphere. Step back in time and explore the history that is Fort Jefferson. Sunbathe on a remote white sand beach or snorkel the living reef in the warm crystal clear waters.
Scuba Diving Santa Claus
Where does Santa go, after he's done delivering toys? To the Florida Keys, of course. Check out St. Nick diving off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Fly Fishing for Game Fish in the Flats of the Florida Keys
There is nothing in the world like stalking game fish with a fly rod in the shallow backcountry of the Florida Keys. And right now is the best time to go on the hunt with Saltwater Angler. Pursue your prey in the skinny water alongside your favorite guide. Or let our experts match you with the best captain for your game. This isn't fishing for trout in a tiny river, this is fly fishing at it's finest - in the best conditions in the world. Imagine - Light breezes and clear waters put your target in sight as you hunt down that quicksilver flash on the most beautiful flat you have ever seen. Whether you're after bonefish, permit, or a massive tarpon -- the fight of your life awaits you in the flats of the Florida Keys.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Turns 50
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, America's first underwater preserve, celebrates it's 50th Anniversary on Dec. 11. The park named for Pennekamp, a former Miami Herald editor, was dedicated Dec. 10, 1960. Today it draws more than a million visitors annually to explore its nature trails and beaches and observe the abundant underwater wildlife that inhabits its 70 square nautical miles, that is also a facet of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
2010 Fantasy Fest Parade in Key West Florida
The 2010 Fantasy Fest Grand Parade in Key West, Florida is the final event in a 10 day long risqué and adult oriented annual festival. The Halloween Eve procession featured nearly 60 lavish motorized floats, bands and marching groups. Some parade entries illustrated the festival theme, "Habitat for Insanity." Standouts included a flock of giant multicolored cuckoos, a quartet of 15-foot-tall walking puppets and a "cannibal village" float featuring caged mud-wrestling natives wearing tiny loin cloths. Tourism officials said the festival brings approximately $30 million in annual revenues to the Florida Keys.
2010 Fantast Fest Pretenders in Paradise Costume Contest
http://www.fla-keys.com/ Dancing pill bottles, a fierce giant lizard and pitchfork carrying devil highlighted Thursday night's Pretenders in Paradise competition in Key West. The costume contest was part of the city's annual ten day Fantasy Fest celebration. Staged at the Pier House resort, competitors put on full-scale performances, complete with lights and music, to entertain the audience and judges. Costumes ranged from solo efforts to multi-person collaborations featuring vivid feathers, thousands of sequins, brilliant color and movement. One of the big winners of the night was a dancing troupe of pill bottles dubbed the "Anti-Depressants". The idea was the brainchild of Key Wester Lenore Tria and won first place in the Group Amateur division of the competition. Other top costumes included a giant shoe themed "The Booty Ranch" and the "Psych Ward Dance of Circumstance."