The Florida Keys are Not Islands

by Bill Russo

Author at Amazon, Apple, Smashwords

Living the life.  Cape Cod in Summer

Tropical South Florida in Winter

Why aren’t the Florida Keys, called the Florida Islands?  The short answer is because they are not islands, they are keys. 

Key West

The 120 mile string of keys constitute a paradise, and thanks to roads and bridges you can drive from the first key, Key Largo, to the last key, Key West, in just three hours.

The Southern-most point in the 48 United States 

Key West, 90 miles to Cuba

Okay, so why are the keys keys, and not islands?  The difference might seem minor to you and me, but there is a big dissimilarity between the two. It has to do with how they were formed.

Currents in the ocean pick up reef debris and other matter and deposit them in a particular spot on the ocean floor.  Over time these deposits build up and form a coral reef.  As the flotsam and jetsam of the sea continue to add to the reefs they grow larger and finally climb above the surface.  The constant battering of the waves, reduces the coral to sand.  Birds and other ocean creatures add further materials to the reef which eventually develops soil and becomes an island.

Conventional islands such as the Hawaiian Islands (now a part of the United States) are often the result of volcanic eruptions.  Other islands are created simply by the ocean bottom ascending above the surface.

 However they were formed, the Keys represent one of the major attractions of a state which is literally stuffed with attractions from Jacksonville down to Orlando and on to Miami.

The waters enclosing Key Largo are a protected marine park with a very healthy aquatic population. The key offers the best Scuba diving in the states.

Key Largo is the first key after you cross the tip of the state. It’s only an hour from Miami and a couple hours from West Palm. 

Ernest Hemingway's House in Key West

is now a museum and one of the

key's most popular attractions.

Just like with its magic neighbor Cape Cod, some 2000 miles North; once you exit the mainland, you instantly feel the peace, serenity, and relaxation of an enchanting place, where watches are unknown and life is lived at a calmer pace.

Sleepy Siesta Key

Scuba diving is Largos claim to fame, along with its elegant underwater hotel. The submarine hotel is a former research center. On Key Largo you will also find an eclectic collection of shops with a vibrant community of local artisans and crafters.

A huge statue of a spiny lobster greets customers in front of one group of stores. In Key Largo tourists can interact with trained dolphins at one attraction as well as at a similar venue in Marathon.

Highway Number One is the main road all along the 120 mile long waterway, with markers enumerating each of the miles along the route. Most businesses and residences use an address that refers to the mile marker nearest to their location. This make for easy navigation anywhere along the road.

The view is special right at the start in Key Largo, but it manages to exceed itself as you reach each new key.  Pelicans stand like avian soldiers atop the posts of the bridges. Local anglers perched on girders cast their baited lines to the sea.

As you near the end you’ll see ‘Seven Mile Bridge’ which is the world’s longest segmented bridge. Drive on my friend, drive on, for the best is at the very end – Key West. 

Seven Mile Bridge 

the World's Longest

And speaking of end, this is it.  I only meant to write a hundred words explaining the difference between a key and an island, but once started, it was difficult to stop talking about the Keys.

Plan a visit for yourself as soon as you can.  It will be the trip of a lifetime.

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