Key Biscayne

The Northern most Florida Keys start in Miami with Virgina Key and Key Biscayne. Between these keys is "Bear Cut Reef," one of the very few shoreline reefs in the country. On clear day in depths of up to 6 feet you will see rays, tropical fish and small sharks. Look closely and you will see fossilized mangrove roots in the coral.

East of Bear Cut is the 150 foot long Haroldine marked by the daymark R"2." Commodore Ralph Monroe, an early South Florida pioneer, purchased the salvaging rights to the four masted ship for only $7.50 around the turn of the century. The wreck site, only eight feet deep, with 3-feet of relief, is home to lobsters and small snappers.

Don't leave the Key Biscayne area without visiting Cape Florida State Recreation Area. The Cape Florida Lighthouse built in 1925 was the first structure built to mark the dangerous reefs of the Florida Keys. Tour the lighthouse and picnic on the fine quartz sand beach.

The northern boundaries of Biscayne National Park start at the southern tip of Cape Florida, extending east to a depth of 60 feet and west to the mainland. All totaled the park encompasses 175,000 acres of paradise for marine life, water birds, boaters, fisherman and divers.