When we booked this cruise, Key West was my least favourite port from this itinerary and of all the ports I have visited, I can only think of Nassau that I like less. At one point I was actually thinking of staying on the ship as Graham was thinking about a bike or kayaking excursion. He then changed his mind about this and did some research. He had initially looked at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, but then found a fantastic half-day snorkeling excursion.
The dock for the company that we are going with is very close to the port. They operate catamarans that feature a staircase that can be lowered to make access to the sea easy once we get to the snorkeling site. We are heading to the only living coral reef in the continental United States. If we are lucky, we will get to see tropical fish, hard and soft corals, sponges, snails, jellyfish, anemones, crabs, lobsters, rays, sea turtles, nurse sharks, and other sea life. I have seen photos and videos and it looks absolutely stunning. The coral reef is around 7 miles off the coast of Key West. The excursion includes unlimited water and soda for the whole of the trip and also complimentary beer and wine on the trip back.
We should be back at the port for some lunch and then we will head out again. I want to take some photos at the Southernmost Point and this is only a 30-minute walk from the port. On the way back, I am hoping to get some Key Lime Pie before returning to the ship. I am getting rather excited about our day in Key West.
