My paddle loop from above
We’re not in the Keys anymore but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss my paddle loop! I wrote this while we were still there but clearly didn’t get around to posting it.
The Keys are an aerial photographer’s dream come true! Endless islands surrounded by turquoise water provide an idyllic backdrop for any drone flight. How could we not get a one and explore it for ourselves?
Paddling is a major pastime here in the Keys. I’m out there whenever I have the chance so I thought it’d be fun to take some pics of my loop with the drone. I’m going to miss my easy paddling when when we leave the Keys! Bonaire has some but it won’t be in my backyard. When we moved here, one of my “must haves” was the ability to paddle from our backyard and I don’t regret spending a bit more on rent to be able to do that. It’s such a unique way of living that we’ll likely never have again so I wanted to take full advantage while I had the chance.
We’re extremely lucky to have had the chance to live here!
I’ve learned so much about the mangrove eco-system since we moved. It’s funny looking back on our first trial winter here. The house we rented is just around the corner from where we live now so I paddle the exact same loop as I did back then. Back then, the mangroves were a complete mystery to us! What lives in them, what doesn’t, we were blank slates. I remember paddling in Pennekamp just after we moved for good. We found a waterproof container on the bottom of a mangrove tunnel that was maybe 5 feet deep and spent a good 15 minutes daring each other to jump in to get it. By the time we left that house we were tying up the kayak and swimming those same tunnels, looking for treasure. We never found any treasure, just bottles, cans, TONS of sunglasses, and of course – Pennekamp paddle maps!
If you’re coming to the Keys, don’t miss the paddling! Oceanside or bayside, you really can’t go wrong.
Till next time…