I have lived in Florida over half my life and one place I’ll never get tired of visiting is the Keys. When I first moved down here and heard the word “Key” I had no idea what that meant or what that was. I found out a “Key” is a derivative of the Spanish word Cayo, which means Small Island. The Florida Keys are a chain of small islands that begin about 20 miles south of Miami; the main chain swoops south-southwest for about another 120 miles or so Overseas Highway. The Keys divide the Atlantic Ocean on their east from the Gulf of Mexico on their west, not a bad spot to be in. At the southern most tip, Key West, we are only about 90 miles from Cuba which has added its flavor and influence to the Keys.

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We have our own little tropical paradise known as the Florida Keys. The Keys are made up of many small islands and chains of island and are set at the tip of Florida so they lie in the Atlantic Ocean on one side and in the Gulf of Mexico on the other. Key Largo is the top and considered the first Key. Key Largo is the one made famous by the movie staring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and the song. The waters around the Keys are warm and crystal clear this attracts many divers and snorkelers which lends to Key Largo having the popular moniker of the “Diving Capital of the World”.

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By Jennifer Jordan

Many of us who know little about the Florida Keys may think they are something they aren’t. We may think they are just an island featured in the Beach Boys “Kokomo” song or we may think they are what Floridians use to get in their houses and start their cars. For those who have visited the Florida Keys, or who are lucky enough to call them home, these keys of Florida are a tropical existence rich with a past, a culture, and, of course, an abundance of Pina Coladas. Take our quiz to see how much you know about this group of islands, the most tropical key chain around.

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Author: Kristy Bateman

Fishing in the Florida Keys: Islamorada

At the southern most part of the United States, located between the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Florida Bay are the Florida Keys. Not only is this one of the most amazing places to vacation, with breathtaking scenery, sandy beaches, and crystal clear water; but there is an abundance of fish that inhabit the warm waters of the Florida Keys. Here, the enormous variety of fish species ranges from Kingfish to Permit. You can go off shore fishing for the big game such as Tuna and Marlin, but the Keys are also ideal for flat fishing on the Florida Bay for Bonefish or Tarpon. Each of the Keys is acknowledged for a special type of fish. Although the species of fish available may vary in different seasons, there is always something to catch year-round in the Keys.

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