Finally, a Day Drifting in the Dinghy Through Mud Key

     The weather has finally headed north and the 80 degree weather has hit Key West again.    Today is the perfect day to jump into the dinghy with camera in hand and enjoy some water time.   The seas were less than a foot as I headed out toward Channel Key to make the big turn to the North and Jewfish Basin.  A short trip across Jewfish Basin and into the channels of Mud Key.

     Mud Key is a Mangrove island that has various channels that chris - cross through the mangroves and provide the birds and the other wild life a secure home.   If you have you eyes open, you will see many of the islands birds and looking into the crystal clear waters, you will see a wide variety of marine life as well.

     Today as I arrived at the island and was headed into the first

channel, I was greeted by three osprey that circled above me and squawked at me for being in their fishing grounds.   I cruised ahead into the mangrove channel and to find  several other species of birds including gulls and a variety of wading birds.

     As I aprocached Mud Key Beach, I noticed a frigate bird and another osprey overhead.   Just around the corner was a condo of seagulls on some dead mangrove branches.   It is interesting to see areas where the mangroves have died and in the middle you will often find brand new shoots of young mangrove filling in where the ones had died.

      I love the Keys and the small latitudes because in the middle of December you can cruise out 12 to 15 miles out to sea in you swimsuit and get a tan in the warmth of the 80 degree sunshine.   On the way back, the wind did pick up a bit and shortened my trip a little, but what a wonderful and to long awaited trip to the uninhabited parts of the Keys.