Not that long ago, the wild wonders of the Florida Keys were something
most visitors experienced almost by accident. On the way out to catch a sailfish, a
fisherman might spot the angular silhouette of a frigate bird hovering overhead. Or, the
captain would point to a pod of dolphins playing in front of the bow. Maybe a school of
dark shadows would glide gracefully over a patch of white sand, as spotted eagle rays
often will.
Today, more and more visitors are stepping, paddling or snorkeling through the Keys
specifically to see these and many other sights. Preservation is a priority in the Keys. A
local non-profit group, Reef Relief, is working to protect our nearshore waters and
offshore coral formations for eco-tourists, divers and snorkelers.
The interest in ecotours should not be surprising. From Key Largo to Key West, natural
tidal creeks meander through easily accessible mangrove forests. Green herons hop among
the roots, and mysterious splashing sounds echo from deep within the watery forests. The
luckiest paddlers might even spot a 200-pound jewfish lolling lazily in the crystal-clear
creek. Out in the open water, a huge loggerhead sea turtle pokes its head out of the
water, and a 4-foot lemon shark swaggers along the edge of an uninhabited key looking for
a meal.
Back on dry land, nature trails lead hikers among the same tropical plants and hardwood
trees that Native Americans called home. Meanwhile, birders stalk the edges of the woods
looking for the elusive mangrove cuckoo. They find flocks of white-crowned pigeons, a bird
they will see nowhere else in North America.
For a few days or weeks, these ecotourists have experienced nature in the quiet way that
was once reserved for poets, philosophers and naturalists like Muir.