Whether you’re pining for a Keys vacation but can’t get away quite yet, or are prepping for an upcoming trip to the island chain, you’ll want to watch “The Florida Keys: 200 Years of Paradise,” slated to debut this spring on Public Broadcasting Service channels across the U.S.

The fascinating 60-minute TV documentary explores the culture and history of the Keys from the early 1800s to the present. It was produced by South Florida PBS for broadcast during the island chain’s bicentennial year — this year — that commemorates the Florida Legislature’s establishment of Monroe County on July 3, 1823.

The program (partially underwritten by the Keys tourism council) takes you on a journey through the region’s dramatic history, seen through the eyes of residents who live and interpret that history every day.

Topics include the Florida Keys’ booms and busts, cultural and artistic expression, sport fishing and community leaders, industries like shipwreck salvage, natural disasters and renewal, environmental conservation and the legacy of Black pioneers.

Comments from Keys historians and others introduce viewers to the human side of the island chain’s two centuries of history — giving the story a deeply personal flavor.

“The Florida Keys: 200 Years of Paradise” is to be distributed nationally by American Public Television beginning March 1, and it’s expected to air on some 249 public television stations around the country. So check your local listings for scheduled airtimes to make sure you don’t miss it.

Meanwhile, three events are slated in Key West that showcase different elements of the Keys’ intriguing two-century cultural heritage.

Presidents in Paradise. Descendants of former president Harry S. Truman and five other U.S. commanders in chief will discuss their famous relatives and American bipartisanship Saturday, Feb. 18, at Key West’s Harry S. Truman Little White House.

The Presidential Family Forum is the centerpiece of Presidents Day weekend activities at the 111 Front St. residence — the place where Truman spent 11 working vacations during his 1945-1953 administration. Today the property is Florida’s only presidential museum.

In addition, Clifton Truman Daniel (former President Truman’s oldest grandson) will star as his grandfather in the one-man play “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” Sunday and Monday, Feb. 19-20. A seasoned actor and author, Clifton is the first direct descendant to portray a presidential ancestor in a stage production — and this one is absolutely unforgettable.

A Conch-Centric Celebration. Join several dozen other people and attempt to “blow your own horn” in Key West Saturday, March 4, during a celebration of the Florida Keys’ rich history known as the Conch Shell Blowing Contest.

In the 19th century, when Key West’s economy was largely based on salvaging cargoes from sinking ships, seafarers used the conch’s fluted pink-lined shells as signaling devices — blowing piercing blasts to attract attention. Today native-born residents refer to themselves as Conchs and the Florida Keys island chain is often called the Conch Republic.

The “conch honk” challenge is presented each spring by the Old Island Restoration Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the architectural and cultural heritage of Key West. In the lush garden of the island’s Oldest House Museum, 322 Duval St., entrants vie to see who can coax the most impressive sounds from their “instrument.”

Remembering Tennessee. Internationally renowned playwright Tennessee Williams, who lived in Key West for more than 30 years, once said of his chosen home, “I work everywhere, but I work best here.” Explore his writing and life in the island city during the Tennessee Williams Birthday Celebration, with events scheduled throughout March.

Expected highlights include guided curator tours of the Tennessee Williams Museum, located at 513 Truman Ave. Birthday month activities also include screenings of films based on Williams’ plays, a walking tour of the playwright’s Key West, a lecture and readings, a theater production and a commemoration of the 112th anniversary of Williams’ March 26 birth.

What else is going on in Key West and the Keys over the next few months? Just check here — and then catch the PBS documentary and begin planning your next visit.

Ever since the Florida Keys were settled two centuries ago, the island chain has been known for its residents’ adventurous seafaring spirit. Today, that spirit remains among the Keys’ most appealing attributes. And contemporary visitors can find it in museums and attractions, tales of sunken treasure and dive trips to famed shipwreck sites.

Many early settlers in Islamorada and Key West were wreckers — salvaging goods from ships that sank along the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef, which runs parallel to the Keys. While the wreckers’ strict code mandated rescuing crews and passengers first, they also profited from salvaged cargo. In the mid-1800s, wrecking made Key West the wealthiest city per capita in the U.S.

Keys visitors can relive that era at the Upper Keys’ Indian Key Historic State Park, a small island that was once a busy port established by wrecker Jacob Housman in the 1800s, or at the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum, featuring re-enactors and salvaged artifacts.

A century earlier, fleets of Spanish galleons regularly sailed past the Keys carrying goods and treasures from the New World back to Spain. Many sank in the area, including 13 ships from Spain’s 1733 fleet.

Among the galleons was La Capitana, the flagship of the 1733 fleet, which sank off the Upper Keys. In the late 1930s, pioneering diver Art McKee began salvaging the vessel’s remains — recovering cannons, silver and gold coins, weapons, navigational instruments and silver bars.

Dubbed the father of modern treasure diving, McKee also uncovered the sites of the Infante, Herrera, Chaves, San Pedro and San José. His exploits are chronicled in a remarkable exhibit at the Florida Keys History of Diving Museum in Islamorada.

The Keys’ most famous wreck is immortalized at Key West’s Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. The museum showcases artifacts and treasures from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, lost in a 1622 hurricane and discovered off Key West in 1985 by shipwreck salvager Mel Fisher. Items on display include gold chains, cannons, navigational instruments, coins and heavy silver bars.

Today’s adventurers can indulge their own seafaring spirit by diving the Keys’ Shipwreck Heritage Trail. Featuring nine wreck sites stretching from Key Largo to Key West, the trail was established by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to spotlight the island chain’s rich maritime history.

Its wrecks range from McKee’s San Pedro to modern cargo and military ships and artificial reefs. Among them is the Thunderbolt, intentionally sunk in 1986 some 4 miles south of Marathon in 120 feet of water.

Three other significant vessels also beckon Keys divers. The 510-foot Spiegel Grove, the third-largest ship ever intentionally sunk to create a new reef, is positioned about 6 miles off Key Largo in 130 feet of water. It has attracted divers, fish and other marine life since its 2002 sinking.

The 210-foot freighter Adolphus Busch Senior lies in Lower Keys waters approximately 5 miles southwest of Big Pine Key. Divers have been exploring the artificial reef since it was sunk in 1998.

The second-largest vessel ever to be sunk as an artificial reef is the 523-foot General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, scuttled in 2009 about 7 miles off Key West. Its hull rests on sand at depths averaging 145 feet, but its superstructure rises to about 45 feet below the surface.

Only a few ships that sank in Florida Keys waters carried gold or other rich cargoes. But from Spanish galleons to modern-day artificial reefs, they all offer treasured adventures for divers.

Attention, watersports enthusiasts: boating, fishing and nautical merchandise galore will be available at the 19th annual Big Pine & Lower Keys Nautical Expo. A popular annual “pop-up” outfitter of supplies for a wide variety of water activities, the open-air market is set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14-15.

Running from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, the event features items designed for sailors, boaters, anglers, kayakers and others who enjoy experiencing the Florida Keys’ unique seafaring environment — including, of course, divers and snorkelers immersed in the island chain’s fascinating underwater realm.

More than 100 vendors are expected to display and sell their wares at the event, which will be held on the grounds of the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce visitor center (mile marker 31 oceanside on Big Pine Key).

As well as supplies for just about every watersports pursuit imaginable, expo attendees can also find items to enhance a comfortable Florida Keys lifestyle. And that’s not all — talented Keys artisans will be on hand offering colorful clothing, jewelry and other unique temptations.

In addition to the items for sale, the family-friendly event includes live music by local and regional musicians and bands. And attendees can savor vendors’ Keys-style and casual food and beverages too, adding a picnic vibe to the weekend of outdoor fun.

Admission to the Nautical Expo and parking are free, and proceeds from the enticing event benefit the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and its programs.

While the Expo takes place over a single January weekend each year, the Big Pine Key area also offers intriguing spots that can be explored at any time — some found in out-of-the-way places that seem worlds away from high-profile attractions and emporiums.

Lesser known and less visited, they’re wonderful settings for relaxing and discovering the quiet wonders of the Florida Keys environment.

For example, check out the Blue Hole. You’ll find this secluded oasis off Key Deer Boulevard at mile marker 30.5 bayside. An abandoned quarry with a layer of fresh water floating over salt water, the Blue Hole is attractive to a wide variety of wildlife.

Tiny Key deer drink there, and the watering hole’s other denizens include turtles, snakes, birds, fish and even the occasional alligator.

There’s a great view from the observation platform — or venture along the walking trail that leads deeper into the wild. Beyond the Blue Hole lie the hardwoods and subtropical foliage of Watson’s Hammock.

And no visit to the Big Pine area would be complete without a stop at Grimal Grove. The historic 2-acre tropical fruit grove, lying near mile marker 30.5, was first owned by inventor and recluse Adolf Grimal, who amassed hundreds of rare fruit trees and created raised garden beds and waterways for irrigation.

After his 1997 death, the property fell into a shambles. In 2013 Patrick Garvey and Growing Hope Initiative restored it as a tropical fruit park.

Today, under Patrick’s stewardship, Grimal Grove is believed to be the continental United States’ first and only breadfruit grove.

It features more than 30 breadfruit trees of five varieties — which not only can provide quality nourishment, but also are being used in the production of a specialty breadfruit vodka!

Guided excursions of Grimal Grove, showcasing subtropical and tropical fruits, frees and plants, are offered on request for $20 per person.

Want to know more about the one-of-a-kind attractions to be found in Big Pine and the Lower Keys? Just click here.

Sunny, breezy subtropical holidays in the Florida Keys & Key West are filled with warmth and good cheer throughout the 125-mile-long island chain. From Key Largo to Key West, the 2022 holiday season features spirited events such as lighted boat parades, historic inn tours, only-in-the Keys frivolity, sparkling waterfront celebrations and other island festivities.

In the weeks leading up to the holidays, check out the enchanting events listed here.

Now through Dec. 10: Zonta’s Festival of Trees. The Zonta Club of Marathon, a women’s service organization, offers a free-admission display of decorated trees at its 12th Annual Festival of Trees at Marathon Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Highway. Attractions also include “Lunch with the Grinch” Saturday, Dec. 10. The upscale ticketed “Toast to the Season” is scheduled that evening at the garden club with champagne, music, libations and tasty treats. A drawing for all trees and holiday baskets is set for 9 p.m. While admission to the Festival of Trees is free, raffle tickets can be purchased for a chance to win a favorite tree.

Now through Dec. 23: Old Town Trolley’s Holiday Sights & Festive Nights Tours. The popular green and orange trolleys, festively adorned with holiday lights, showcase Key West’s best-decorated neighborhoods, buildings and homes on fun-filled 60-minute excursions. Tours depart each evening from the island city’s Mallory Square at 6:30, 7, 8 and 8:30 p.m.

Dec. 9: Key West Art & Historical Society Holiday Bazaar. The Key West Art & Historical Society hosts its sixth annual concert and holiday shopping event on the sweeping porch and walkway of the historic Custom House Museum at 281 Front St. The 5-9 p.m. free-admission event features a holiday light show produced by Key West High School’s Conch 5 Studios, unique gifts crafted by local artisans, musicians, choirs, food, libations and photos with Santa.

Dec. 9, 10 and 11: Lighted Boat Parades. Lighted and festively decorated boats, from fishing craft and cruisers to tall ships, are to cruise waters surrounding the Florida Keys. Celebrate the season with the Holiday Lighted Boat Parade of Stock Island (Dec. 9); the Key Largo Boat Parade on Blackwater Sound, themed “A Cartoon Christmas”; the Schooner Wharf Bar/Absolut Vodka Lighted Boat Parade (Dec. 10) around the Key West Historic Seaport and harbor; or the Key Colony Beach Christmas Boat Parade (Dec. 11).

Dec. 9 and 16: Holiday Historic Inn Tours. Old Town Key West is filled with unique historic inns, and two Friday evenings of 6-8 p.m. tours offer a chance to glimpse lavish decorations and experience holiday cheer, treats at bed-and-breakfast properties and two popular Key West attractions.

Dec. 10: Pops in the Park Concert “Joy to the World.” Islamorada’s family-friendly, free-admission holiday concert, themed “Joy to the World,” offers traditional and pops music by the Florida Keys Community Concert Band. The Burton Bell Ringers are to be special guests. Attendees can bring chairs and blankets to the 4-5 p.m. outdoor concert at Founders Park’s amphitheater, mile marker 87 bayside.

Dec. 11: Christmas on the Sheriff’s Animal Farm. Children and adults love visiting the unique Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm, just northeast of Key West at 5501 College Road on Stock Island. The farm, open 1-3 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, is educational for visitors and a haven for feathered, furry and fluffy creatures that are nurtured and cared for by jail inmates. Holiday highlights include photos with Santa.

Dec. 15: Third Thursday Art Walk. Showcasing the area’s fine arts, music and culinary nuances, Islamorada’s Morada Way Arts & Cultural District features national and local artisans whose work is showcased in galleries at Morada Way between mile markers 81 and 82, as well as beer tastings and live music. Admission is free to this outdoor pre-holiday celebration. The 6-9 p.m. Art Walk is held the third Thursday of each month.

Dec. 17: Winter Wonderland at Crane Point. At Crane Point Hammock Museum & Nature Trails, 5550 Overseas Highway in Marathon, families can enjoy an evening winter wonderland. Attractions are to include reindeer ponies and Santa Claus, holiday decorations, a chocolate fountain, other seasonal treats and libations for purchase — plus a forecast of snow!

While this listing outlines a handful of the Florida Keys’ seasonal highlights, there are plenty of other colorful festivities to enjoy as well. A complete roster of holiday activities and special events throughout the Keys can be viewed here.

More than half a century ago, Captain Gainey Maxwell conceived a way to encourage people to visit and fish Florida Keys waters — and then come back to do it again. He called it the Key West Fishing Tournament.

The captain, who passed away several years ago after a life rich in experience, had an impressive set of credentials by the time he founded the tournament in 1965. A Navy veteran who ran fishing boats while he served, he subsequently skippered the Lookout III, a 50-footer with two staterooms for overnight trips.

He formatted the tournament in part to showcase the incredible variety of species awaiting anglers in Keys waters.

“I started it to get people interested in coming back and catching different fish,” Captain Gainey said during a 2015 interview. “We’d go fish over wrecks or in shallow water just to change and get different kinds of fish.

“The main thing is just to enjoy it and have fun doing it,” he added.

Today, an impressive 46 backcountry and offshore species are targeted during the free-entry tournament’s eight-month span. The 2023 challenge begins Dec. 1, 2022, and continues through July 31, 2023.

With divisions for men, women, junior anglers ages 10 to 15 and Pee Wees under 10 years old, the event provides a test of skill for seasoned anglers while developing newcomers’ interest in the sport.

It’s also known for motivating parents to introduce their favorite on-the-water activity to their kids. Family members from several generations sometimes compete together, bonding over the shared pursuit.

Among the most motivated young anglers is Miami’s Julia Bernstein. Fishing in the Pee Wee division in 2021, when she was 10 years old, she eclipsed her competitors to earn the division’s Master Angler award — for achievements including a remarkable 104 releases. Her catches included a 23.8-pound Jack Crevalle on 30-pound line that earned a tournament weight record, a 24.8-pound barracuda on 20-pound line that earned divisional “heaviest fish” honors, four other “heaviest fish” winners and three division leaders.

Julia continued her winning streak in the 2022 tournament, then competing in the junior division and earning the division’s out-of-county Master Angler designation with accomplishments that included 41 releases. Notable among them was a 20-pound permit caught on 12-pound line.

In the 2023 challenge as in past years, anglers that post the heaviest catch of each of 33 species earn recognition and trophies. Six different line classes and three artificial casting categories further heighten the competition.

Other awards recognize the most releases of barracuda, blue marlin, bonefish, dolphin fish, permit, sailfish and tarpon. In keeping with the Keys’ eco-conscious ethic to protect the fishery, the tournament strongly encourages the release of game fish and will not recognize any killed sailfish, marlin, spearfish, tarpon, redfish, warsaw grouper or shark for award purposes.

The respected tournament draws at least a thousand entries each year, and entrants can fish from a boat, bridge or land. Visiting and resident fishing aficionados can enter their catches at a tournament weigh station in the Lower Keys or Key West — OR they can enter by submitting photos of their fish at this link.

All participants receive certificates noting their catches and qualify for a variety of awards, including the coveted Master Angler titles.

Now celebrating its 58th anniversary, the Key West Fishing Tournament still adheres to the principles and purpose that Gainey Maxwell established for it in 1965.

“Gainey Maxwell had a vision to organize a tournament to promote the diverse sportfishing in the Keys,” said current tournament director Doris Harris. “Now, more than 50 years later, the event upholds his goal of showcasing the Keys fishery and providing a positive angling experience.”

In the unforgettable “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, the buccaneers were guided by a code of conduct that was originally created by the Brethren Court of pirate lords. Theoretically, its rules were strict and unbending — but before the end of the first film, heroine Elizabeth Swann convinced the crew of the pirate vessel Black Pearl that “they’re more like guidelines, anyway.”

Though buccaneers are few and far between in the Florida Keys (sometimes called America’s Caribbean), Keys residents and others who love the island chain are definitely guided by a code of conduct.

This code was designed to protect a treasure richer than any pirate gold — the region’s amazing natural environment. The Florida Keys are paralleled by the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef, which is often called the third largest in the world. Much like a tropical rainforest, the reef ecosystem supports an incredibly diverse population of plants and animals.

The entire land mass of the Keys is surrounded by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which was established in 1990 by the U.S. government. Visitors to the island chain will also find land-based refuges where birds, wildlife and their habitats are protected — including the Lower Keys’ National Key Deer Refuge that’s home to shy, soft-eyed miniature deer the size of large dogs.

So what exactly IS the code of the Keys?

Its core is the 10 Keymandments. Unlike the Bible’s 10 Commandments, which advise people what NOT to do, the Keymandments advise travelers what they CAN do to have a meaningful, memorable vacation while respecting and helping preserve the Keys environment.

Lighthearted yet educational, they’re guidelines for enjoying a sustainable travel experience in the laid-back subtropical spot.

ONE: Plant a coral (or adopt one of the cute little things, but don’t touch them on the reef).

TWO: Support the wildlife (volunteer food, funds or time to a local wild bird center).

THREE: Take out the trash (especially if it’s floating in the water).

FOUR: Capture a lionfish (any time and any size — we can show you how).

FIVE: Leave a digital footprint (share pictures with fans, friends and followers).

SIX: Hike it, bike it or hoof it (it’s low on eco-impact and high on fresh tropical air).

SEVEN: Catch dinner (and release all the fish you know you can’t eat).

EIGHT: Use a mooring buoy at dive sites (save your back and leave the anchor alone).

NINE: Conserve vs. consume (reduce, reuse and recycle even on vacation).

TEN: Get off the beaten path (you can hike, bike, walk, kayak or paddleboard along Keys trails).

While the code of conduct in the “Pirates” films proved to be somewhat elastic, the Keys code should be followed at all times by everyone who cares about the area’s environment. In fact, the Keymandments are a modern-day addition to more than a century of efforts to preserve it.

Discovering the island chain’s natural world is easy with a knowledgeable local eco-tour guide or watersports operator — whether on a kayaking paddle through tranquil waters and surreal mangrove tangles, an excursion to view dolphins in the wild, or a dive or snorkeling trip in America’s first underwater park.

To explore eco-adventures in the Florida Keys, just click here. And don’t forget … to protect and preserve the Keys’ environmental treasures, always follow the code.

George Bellenger, who co-founded Key West Eco Tours with wife Carla in 2006, believes that even a five-minute commitment helps to preserve the Florida Keys’ natural backcountry and dense mangrove islands.

The company operates from the Geiger Key Marina fish camp and RV park’s Geiger Key Paddle Hut in the Lower Keys — and prides itself on educating clients about the backcountry and teaching respect for the Keys environment.

On each tour, guides and participants take part in a “5 Minute Project,” spending five minutes removing debris from the water and mangroves.

George landed in Key West after attending the University of Delaware, discovering a subtropical paradise where rent was affordable and residents didn’t need a car.

An avid kayaker, diver, windsurfer and sailor, George worked for Tropical Watersports as an instructor, teaching windsurfing and Hobie sailing at Smathers Beach. Over the years, the watersports enthusiast closely bonded with Key West’s island community and even ran for mayor twice.

A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he met future wife Carla, who hails from Alabama, on a random Key West walk in the 1990s.

“She liked my dog JoJo, the wonder dog,” George recalled.

He’s recognized for launching the Havana Challenge, the first permitted regatta since the U.S.-Cuba embargo, with government-authorized sailing from Key West to Havana. His goal was to bring boating enthusiasts from both countries together, bridging cultures through traditional maritime heritage.

George’s adventures in Cuba, where he’s visited about 30 times, were documented in Men’s Journal.

He and Carla each hold U.S. Coast Guard charter captain certifications. And their son, George Robert, is a senior at SUNY Maritime College (Maritime College, State University of New York) and is pursuing a career in nautical operations.

Keys Voices: When did you first come to the Florida Keys and why?

George Bellenger: A job offer first brought me to Key West around 40 years ago. Even back then, people told me I should have been here 10 years earlier!

KV: What aspects of the Keys environment or way of life matter most to you?

GB: Initially, the way of life and cast of characters kept me hanging around the Keys until I eventually discovered the unbound natural world on and around the island. Then I was hooked.

KV: Who or what inspired you to become passionate about respecting and protecting the Keys’ natural world?

GB: Earth Day, 1971. The Boy Scouts announced a new merit badge, S.O.A.R. (Save our American Resources), to inspire thought and action to protect the environment. Our troop, when I was 11, scoured the Brandywine River’s muddy banks, pulling out mostly tires.

KV: How does that passion influence your work or profession?

GB: Every day provides an opportunity to exert a positive influence on the world around us.

KV: What are some of the ways, personally or through your work, that you connect with and/or help protect the local environment and unique lifestyle?

GB: Thirty years ago, I wrote a phonetic Reef Relief awareness talk, highlighting dive safety and equipment protocols in six languages. Reef Relief published and still distributes it. I also initiated and led a Keys citizen response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. I’m currently a founding board member of the Crocodile Foundation, dedicated to preservation of the endangered American crocodile. We’re hoping to build nesting boxes away from civilization and relocate nuisance crocs into a preserve abutting Crocodile Lake.

KV: What keeps you energized, challenged and focused on your path?

GB: We collaborate with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Turtle Hospital, Reef Relief and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to mitigate and affect positive change. Caring about future generations keeps me in the game every day. Good news helps. As an example: the terrific work Mote Marine Laboratory is doing replanting corals.

KV: What do you hope your positive environmental actions will accomplish?

GB: To inspire future leaders. Saving the planet from environmental degradation is a multigeneration endeavor. Our generation is just “passing the torch.”

KV: What message do you want your actions and example to communicate to people you encounter?

GB: Don’t give up. Every little bit helps. Together we do make a difference.

KV: What’s your favorite natural or eco-friendly activity in the Keys?

GB: Kayaking, of course!

As most people who care about the Florida Keys probably know, the island chain felt impacts from Hurricane Ian’s tropical storm-force winds and storm surge Tuesday night and Wednesday, when Ian passed well to the west of Key West.

So this week, Keys Voices is breaking from its usual format to provide a post-Ian update.

Major Florida Keys & Key West infrastructure remains intact throughout the 125-mile-long island chain.

Key West International Airport reopened to commercial and general aviation service Thursday morning, according to Monroe County Airports Director Richard Strickland. However, he advised arriving and departing passengers to check with their airlines before going to airports for scheduled flights.

The area of the Keys most impacted by Ian appears to be Key West, where some roads were temporarily flooded because of storm surge or blocked because of fallen trees. City crews have been working tirelessly to remove downed tree limbs and clean remaining debris from streets and landmarks including the famed Southernmost Point.

Alyson Crean, the city’s public information officer, said about 100 Key West-area homes were impacted by flooding from the storm surge, but she provided the good news that no significant damage to buildings was reported from Ian’s tropical storm-force winds.

The other parts of the island chain, from the Lower Keys through Marathon and Islamorada to Key Largo, are east-northeast of Key West so Ian was farther away from them as it passed — and therefore, they had far fewer impacts.

One family on Stock Island, adjacent to Key West, got a surprise as they cleaned seaweed from around their boat ramp: a green sea turtle hatchling  buried in about a foot of seaweed. Eight-year-old Khannan Mellies and his family promptly named the tiny turtle “Ian,” and it was transported to the Middle Keys’ Turtle Hospital for care and an eventual release back into the wild.

People who usually drive to the Keys will be glad to know that the Florida Keys Overseas Highway is open and traffic is flowing normally — though the Keys’ Sheriff Rick Ramsay cautioned everyone to be aware of the potential for road debris and standing water in some places.

Electric power went out in parts of Key West during Ian, but was restored to all customers by Friday — and people in the rest of the Keys have power as usual. Regular household and business water flow in the island chain was never interrupted.

Almost all Keys lodging facilities escaped significant impact from the storm and are open.

Most attractions, venues, watersports operations, restaurants and bars are open, with others planning to reopen in the coming days. Visitors with any questions should contact them individually.

Some state parks in the Keys may not reopen immediately; those planning to visit state parks should contact them individually as well.

Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson, which lie 70 miles west of Key West, partially reopened to the public Oct. 2. Seaplane service has resumed, but dock repairs are needed before ferry service can resume.

Those of us in the Keys and Key West are endlessly grateful to be spared the brunt of the storm’s impacts, and will do what we can to help others who were hard hit. We encourage Keys Voices readers to do the same.

In the Florida Keys & Key West, fresh seafood is a must for just about every meal. And with the abundance of fish and seafood in Keys waters, most restaurants along the island chain make it a menu staple.

It’s easy to find just-off-the-boat snapper, grouper and mahi-mahi served grilled, blackened or fried. In addition, some chefs and restaurateurs enjoy showcasing “only in the Keys” dishes, unusual species or outside-the-box preparation techniques.

That’s certainly true at Blue Heaven, located in Key West’s Bahama Village neighborhood at 729 Thomas St. on the site of a boxing ring where Ernest Hemingway once refereed local matches (yes, really!). Today diners enjoy Caribbean and seafood specialties in a lively courtyard or indoors in a funky, colorful historic building.

Breakfast with the roosters (free-range Key West poultry roaming the courtyard) is so popular that waiting lines can stretch off the property and into the street. One of the most requested breakfast dishes is the BLT Benedict, but this is not a traditional BLT featuring bacon, lettuce and tomato.

The “L” in this case stands for lobster — fresh, sweet Florida lobster. The dish is composed of poached eggs, grilled tomato slices, chunks of Florida lobster tail and crisp bacon. These luscious ingredients sit atop a toasted English muffin covered with Blue Heaven’s yummy lime hollandaise sauce.

Just outside Key West, on Stock Island in the Lower Keys, stands a hideaway restaurant called Hogfish Bar & Grill. This proudly ramshackle watering hole — a true locals’ spot that’s also beloved by in-the-know visitors — can be found at 6810 Front St. alongside an authentic “old style” marina. Most diners sit outdoors at weathered picnic tables, overlooking picturesque houseboats and sailboats moored at the adjacent dock.

The restaurant’s signature dish, as its name implies, is hogfish — a primarily diver-caught fish with a light yet unparalleled flavor. A wide variety of other Keys seafood temptations are also served, including a lip-smacking smoked-fish dip that absolutely MUST be tried.

However, the undisputed menu star is the sizeable “killer” hogfish sandwich. Enough for two to share, it consists of a generous serving of fresh-caught hogfish topped with melted swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms and onions — all nestled on a chunk of fresh Cuban bread with a side of crispy fries.

Another unusual fish captured in Keys waters is the highly recognizable Indo-Pacific red lionfish. A voracious invader, non-native lionfish are known for outcompeting native species for food and territory.

Luckily, the lionfish’s light white meat has become a favorite of local restaurateurs and visiting diners — likened to hogfish or snapper in terms of flakiness, color and flavor. While the “lions” have venomous spines, they’re removed before preparation and the fish is completely safe to eat.

Middle Keys restaurateur John Mirabella, an avid diver and spearfisherman, helped pioneer the predator as a food fish. So, naturally, lionfish is one of the menu standouts at his Castaway Waterfront Restaurant and Sushi Bar at 1406 Ocean View Ave. in Marathon. Diners at the popular Castaway often enjoy it as a gorgeous (and unforgettably delicious) sushi specialty dubbed the “King of the Jungle Roll.”

As well as these culinary delights, there are scores of other tasty reasons to head for the Florida Keys. Click here for an overview of mouthwatering spots throughout the island chain — and then make plans for a subtropical vacation to savor Keys flavors.

Hundreds of divers and snorkelers explored part of the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef Saturday, July 9, while rocking to a unique sub-sea concert that promoted reef protection. (Yes, a concert. And it’s unlike any other dive or snorkel experience on the planet.)

It’s called the Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, and it takes place each year about 6 miles south of Big Pine Key at Looe Key Reef — one of the most spectacular areas of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Established in 1990, the sanctuary is an environmental blessing that protects the waters surrounding the entire Keys island chain.

And the concert? Created to encourage coral reef protection and environmentally responsible diving, it’s presented each year by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and coordinated by Keys radio station US1 104.1 FM. Now in its 38th year, the marine-themed music fest debuted in the mid-1980s — and ever since, attendees have agreed that it makes the already wonderful Keys underwater experience even better.

This year as in the past, the incomparable concert drew several hundred divers and snorkelers to enjoy the sound of music while discovering the ecosystem that lies beneath the sea.

The festival began Friday night with a kickoff gathering at Mote Marine Laboratory’s Lower Keys facility, where attendees learned about Mote’s coral cultivation and reef restoration efforts that are underway in the island chain. Saturday morning, they grabbed their gear and boarded boats heading for Looe Key Reef.

How did the festival work? Music broadcast by the radio station was piped underwater via special speakers suspended beneath boats above the reef, providing a “submerged soundtrack” for participants. And because sound travels faster in water than it does in the air, it had an ethereal and multidirectional aspect that was fascinating to hear.

Swimming among colorful tropical fish and coral formations, divers and snorkelers listened to sea-focused offerings that included the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine,” the Zac Brown Band’s “Island Song,” and the themes from “Gilligan’s Island” and “The Little Mermaid.”

The latter was particularly appropriate, because some divers spotted several “mermaids” beneath the waves. Joined by other costumed participants dressed as sea creatures, they mimicked playing musical instruments underwater —adding an appealing visual component to the soundscape.

But it’s not just divers and snorkelers who appreciated the enhanced marine environment. Even fish on the reef reacted positively, according to fest-goers, seemingly swaying to the music as they swam.

While enjoying the aquatic experience, enthusiasts also received valuable insights into preserving and protecting the Keys’ rich coral reef ecosystem.

Diver awareness announcements throughout the broadcast stressed the importance of not touching corals or leaving litter underwater, using mooring buoys instead of anchoring when boating, respecting dive flags, and other ways of minimizing environmental impacts while exploring the reef.

“The Underwater Music Festival is a one-of-a-kind event that immerses snorkelers and divers in the beauty and splendor of the third-largest coral reef in the world,” said Steve Miller, executive director of the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and programmer of the festival’s playlist.

“Equally important,” Miller advised, “the music underwater, along with the mermaids and other visual attractions, helps draw attention to the message: how to protect and save the reef while there’s still time.”