Travel in the Florida Keys – After Hurricane Irma

Everyone wants to know what it’s like in the Keys. Especially after Hurricane Irma pretty much isolated it from Florida last September. I have friends who stayed in the Keys during the hurricane. It wasn’t good.

Well, the answer is; it all depends on where you look. Much of the Keys looks like business as usual. You might notice a broken sign, or trees being trimmed up, but the islands are tough. Really tough.

One of the first things I saw was a giant wooden billboard with a mangled cross in the middle. The two telephone poles supporting it had been ripped out of the ground from the strength of the hurricane. In the middle of the cross, read “Jesus Loves You”. Very surreal.

The winds were about 20mph as I passed it, and I was pulling Baby Blue, so I don’t have a photo for you. My hands were death-gripped to the steering wheel.

Some keys fared worse than others. Entire mobile home parks are now leveled and ready for new infrastructure. Building size piles of debris line the main highway, Route 1, while bucket loaders pile the reminders into waiting dump trucks. Trailers and boats, gutted and stripped, sit sadly on the shoulders.

There are even buildings still floating out in the channel. I don’t think anyone left them there on purpose.

Chickens and lizards are prolific in the keys. Apparently the roosters like windshield washer fluid, because I watched one drinking from the bucket for almost half an hour. I wonder how he felt afterwards!

The Key Deer on Marathon Key must have found a place to hide out during the storm. They were browsing for leftovers when I took the shots in the gallery below. Apparently they don’t dine at the famous Stuffed Pig restaurant. They really should, it’s delicious. Cash only, though; they don’t have internet back yet to run credit cards. Spend the afternoon at Sombrero Beach, which is quite lovely and tropical. Follow it up with a Key Lime Martini at Boondocks. You’ll thank me later.

How the State Parks in the Florida Keys look after Hurricane Irma:

The State Parks in the Keys took a bit of a beating. The northernmost one, John Pennekamp, looks pretty good with the cleanup they’ve already done. The Visitor Center, trails, marina, and scuba classes, are closed due to hurricane damage, so it’s not a great time to get your money’s worth.

Long Key State Park is totally closed. No entering, or trespassing here. You will probably find security at the gates at all times. According to the website, it isn’t expected to reopen until 2019.

Bahia Honda State Park has two of it’s three campgrounds open. There’s not much vegetation, and the gift shop is closed. The bathhouses are gone, and at least temporarily replaced with shower trailers and bathroom trailers, which are pretty nice and clean. No hooks, or benches in the showers though, so it’s hard to keep your things dry. The beach is lined with chain-link fence, with no admittance. The shoreline was badly eroded, so it is deemed too dangerous. They were working on dredging the channel during my visit. Highway noise is unavoidable on the RV side of the campground. The primitive side is much quieter, and also has some really nice cottages looked almost ready for rentals. I would definitely want to go with a tent next trip. The sunset alone made the campground worth it.

I didn’t get the chance to see Curry Hammock State Park. Well, I had opportunities, but I was busy having other fun.

Islamorada was my favorite. A fabulous artsy/foodie community. Let’s just say I will be back. It needs to have it’s own post anyway.

Key West seemed to have come out pretty unscathed. I’m sure the hurricane found it, but recovery makes it tell a softer story than the other islands. But it sure had a lot of great stories waiting inside for me. Enough, that Key West gets it’s own post too. You can read it here.

The people are vibin’ on all the keys. They’re like seaweed bending in the current, rooted to the ocean floor. If no one else will clean up the mess, they will.

Stories are swapped, friends are made. Everyone has time to listen to your story in the Keys. Theirs are diverse and each uniquely individual.

 People in the keys are resilient, like everything else that lives there. You will love them.

That is, if you can find a spot to camp to go and visit. They’re in pretty short supply.

If you make the trip, watch the winds and speed limit signs. They both change a lot.