Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GROOVY GROVES
It's easy to think of the Keys, environmentally speaking, as a little boring. The landscape
isn't particularly dramatic (with the exception of those sweet sweeps of ocean visible
from the Overseas Hwy); it tends toward low brush and…well, more low brush.
Hey, don't judge a book by its cover. The Keys have one of the most unique, sensitive
environments in the US. The difference between ecosystems here is measured in inches,
but once you learn to recognize the contrast between a hammock and a wetland, you'll
see the islands in a whole new tropical light. Some of the best introductions to the natural
Keys can be found at
Crane Point Museum
and the
Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center
.
But we want to focus on the mangroves - the coolest, if not most visually arresting,
habitat in the islands. They rise from the shallow shelf that surrounds the Keys (which
also provides that lovely shade of Florida teal), looking like masses of spidery fingers con-
stantly stroking the waters. Each mangrove traps the sediment that has accrued into the
land your tiki barstool is perched on. That's right, no mangroves = no Jimmy Buffett.
The three different types of mangrove trees are all little miracles of adaptation. Red
mangroves, which reside on the water's edge, have aerial roots, called propagules, allow-
ing them to 'breathe' even as they grow into the ocean. Black mangroves, which grow fur-
ther inland, survive via 'snorkel' roots called pneumatophores. Resembling spongy sticks,
these roots grow out from the muddy ground and consume fresh air. White mangroves
grow furthest inland and actually sweat out the salt they absorb through air and water to
keep healthy.
The other tree worth a mention here isn't a mangrove. The lignum vitae, which is lim-
ited to the Keys in the US, is just as cool. Its sap has long been used to treat syphilis,
hence the tree's Latin name, which translates to 'tree of life.'
Sights
Crane Point Museum
MUSEUM
(
305-743-9100;
www.cranepoint.net
; MM 50.5 bayside; adult/child $12.50/8.50;
9am-5pm
Mon-Sat, from noon Sun; )
This is one of the nicest spots on the island to stop and smell the roses. And the pinelands.
And the palm hammock - a sort of palm jungle (imagine walking under giant, organic
Japanese fans) that only grows between MM 47 and MM 60. There's also Adderly House,
