Hello to everyone. The weather continues to warm here is South West Florida. The water is warming up and the boating weather has been great. I see more and more people getting back on to the water. The fish bite has picked up even more. Snook are biting and almost ready to make their way to the beaches and passes. The Tarpon should be coming anytime now a few have shown up. Grouper and Snapper are being caught off shore and still inshore as well. As the water warms you will see the larger Grouper move to deeper water. The water on the Gulf has been crystal clear with the exception of the few days when the winds were high stirring up the water. Summer is almost here and we cannot wait!!!!

Okay now on to part three of the Quick Florida Keys Get Away....

We last left off we were at the Coconut Palm Inn.....http://coconutpalminn.com...

Like I mentioned before, It is an awesome relaxing place to unwind. You will love it there..

The next day we got up early and Wade my son and I decided to go spear fishing and regular fishing.. We headed out to patch reefs off of Tavernier. Patch reef are small reefs with coral heads, sea fans,sponges and lots of hard bottom. This provides an ideal habitat for the fish and the food fish feed on. Wade drove the boat while I stood on the bow looking for the ideal bottom to spear fish at. We came across the first patch reef, how beautiful. Two large coral heads, lots of sea fans and lots of bait fish and small snappers and grunts. This tells me there will be larger Grouper and Mutton Snapper to shoot. We threw the anchor out and dove into the water with our spears. Wow you should have seen all the marine life, what an amazing site to see. How the whole reef lives in harmony in this symbiotic relationship. Wade and I swam all over the patch reef looking for a keeper Grouper or Snapper to shoot. We saw several small Grouper and several smaller fish, but nothing legal size to keep. Wade and I decided to get out of the water and fish with our poles. Wow, we were catchig all kinds of fish, Yellow Tail, Snapper, baby Grouper. Suddenly Wade had a huge hit, his rod doubled over. FISH ON!!!!!! The fish only fought for a minute and the line stopped, Wade tried pulling it in and then the line went tight and stopped. Wade said Dad I feel the fish in the line but it is not taking any line and I can not get any line in. I said Wade sounds like you are stuck on the ocean bottom, on the coral or something. I said Wade we have two choices, cut the line or one of us can swim down to the bottom and grab the fish and bring it up. Wade said "Dad yah Right!!! " I said, "Wader my boy watch and learn" I put on my mask and fins and jumped into the water. I followed the fishing line down to the bottom and looked around, to my surprise was a shark on the end of the line. I swam back to the surface to get some air, on my way up I was thinking if we cut the line, the shark will still be tangled up on the reef and will for sure die. I did not want to have the shark suffer and die, this is just not right. I thought back when I was a kid, we used to catch sharks by hand all the time and never got bit. I took the snorkel out of my mouth and said Wader, you caught a shark and I am gonna catch him with my bare hands, Wade said Yah sure Dad. I swam back down to this shark tangled up on the bottom. Quietly and quickly (yes I know I am under water) I grabbed that shark behind the head and held on tight. That sucker tried with all his might to swing around and bight me. He did not like being pined to the bottom with a set of hands behind his head. I began to realize I was running out of air, kind of like gulping for air when there is no air and you are under water, not really a good feeling. I told my self Shane Hang on tight and get to the surface before you pass out under water. I go to the surface with that shark squirming all over. I made it to the boat and Wade said Dad I thought you were kidding. Now keep in mind it was only a Nurse Shark, not that big either and yes they have teeth and yes they can bite you..:-)

Look Close and you can see their skin is like sand paper. They feel really cool. We did let the shark go unharmed and hit swam away.

We fished for a while longer and began to get hungry. Wade Said Where can we go by boat and eat on the water? I said how about Island Grill on Snake Creek. So we headed over to the Island Grill. It is a great place to eat the food and drinks are great too. You can sit inside or out under a covered pavilion or you can eat on the white sand beach overlooking the water. The service was really good and the food was great too. When you go to the keys, check it out..

http://www.keysislandgrill.com/

They have live entertainment and just a really great atmosphere. Check out the photos....

After lunch Wade and I decide to go to a beautiful reef just off Snake Creek only about 4 miles out. This is a protected reef, you cannot fish, spear fish or do anything but just look. Check out these photos.....

This Reef is such an amazing place. So much marine life and such beautiful fish. I gave Wade a bag of bait so he could feed the fish by hand, he had a ball. Wade was swarmed by fish. Words cannot describe the beauty, you must go and see it for yourself. The Florida Keys is a cool place to get away and have a great time. Whether you want to sit and relax on the beach or be in the boat on the water the whole time. No matter what you decide to do, you will have a great time!!!!

A Quick Florida Keys Get Away...... Part Four Is coming next week.

As I always say, make time for your friends and family. Time goes by so fast. Until next week, please make it a great weekend!!!!! See ya,

Shane "Waterfront" Wilson