Better Off Wet Water Lifestyle Magazine October 2022

PUBLISHER

Benjamin Chewning ben@betteroffwet.com

SALES

Megan Chewning megan@betteroffwet.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Theresa Barzyk

TIBCreativeStudio@gmail.com

WEB

Juan De Leon

info@webdevelopmentanddesign.com

CONTACT

Better Off Wet Media Group 352-238-7009 www.betteroffwet.com info@betteroffwet.com

Better Off Wet , all rights reserved. No part of this magazine or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the express written consent of the Publisher.

ARTICLES

KEY LARGO KAMPGROUND & MARINA

Welcome to Key Largo Kampground & Marina. Key Largo Kampground and Marina is located on 40 acres of tropical flowers and foliage, alongside the Atlantic Ocean. This place is sweet! If, you are looking to camp and have your boat in the water, ready for aquatic adventures, this is the spot.

WHAT’S WITH THE MIX UP? A few friends spend a day on the water fishing and end up with some great laughs and an incredible mixed bag of fish.

CATCH THE DRIFT – FISHING ON THE FLAMINGO DRIFT BOAT The B.O.W. Crew had the chance to fish aboard the Flamingo, in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The Flamingo is on its 3rd generation of Captains, from a local Fort Lauderdale family.

HISTORY OF DIVING MUSEUM - THE QUEST TO EXPLORE UNDER THE SEA Diving has a rich and unique history. The folks at the History of Diving Museum have done a wonderful job preserving dive history with many unique artifacts and a collection of dive helmets that is sure to knock the sock off of any water lover and dive enthusiast or diving professional.

FLORIDA SPINY LOBSTER Check out the rules and regulations for recreational harvest of those delicious Florida Spiny Lobsters! Lobstering is a fun adventure that the whole family can enjoy.

KEY LIME SAILING CLUB - WELCOME TO KEY LARGO’S UNIQUE LITTLE HIDEAWAY Key Lime Sailing Club is secluded, serene, and perfectly located. Their selfcontained cottages have everything you need for a relaxing waterfront vacation.

Stone Crab JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL

Itis said the “Devil’s in the De tails” but the opposite is true with each‘Stone Crab JAM Music Fes tival’. Instead, this annual event pro vides many blessings when festival hosts Kings Bay Rotary ClubCharitable Foundation shares 100% of JAM pro ceeds to help local charities, 501c3 organizations, school scholar ships and much more.

Held bayside each year since 2007in the historic streets of downtown Crys tal River, FL the ‘Stone Crab JAM Music Festival’ hosts thousands of festival goers that enjoy dancing in the streets’ to live bands in an open airopen container venue. Food choices are plentiful and complimented with (or without) cold beers, seltzers, wines (including craft), Tito’s vodka and a variety of non-alcohol choices, spe cialty drinks and desserts. Deciding your favorite part of the JAM can be hard. Scents of scrumptious foods from both landlubber and sea food vendors fill the air.Live music from an excellent variety of six bands -playing a variety of top hits, ‘90’s and Country on any one of three stages throughout the festival. There will be a Kid’s Zone, Food Trucks, 150+ ven dors, including artists and crafters. The music kicks off at 1 PM, with three

fantastic bands kicking it off.ECHO

SIXXon Stage One (Citrus Ave & Hwy 19/98 NO.); SOUTHERN BRANDED with Pete Hunt, Stage Two (NE 5th& NE 1st @ Norton’s Grill) and GROOVE 41 on Stage Three (Waterfront at Kings Bay).

Round Two of “JAM Music” begins at 6PM and features great bands, start ing with SYMMETRY on Stage One (Citrus Ave & Hwy 19/98 NO.); BORDERLINE on Stage Two (NE 5th& NE 1st @ Norton’s Grill) and The CLINT BYRON Band on Stage Three (Waterfront at Kings Bay Park).

An annual event the size of the JAM (averaging 7K+attendees) wouldn’t be successful without the Kings Bay Rotary Club members, their many committees, volunteers from ten area Rotary Clubs and additional volunteers from twenty-five local organizations. Thousands of hours are involved all year long, before– during and after each JAM.Volunteers make the Kings Bay Rotary Club “Stone Crab Jam Music Festival” a success, along with making it the largest community event for charities in Citrus County!

The “Stone Crab Jam Music Festival” is one day only! Saturday, November 5th, 2022 from Noon until 10PM at 560 North Citrus Ave, Crystal River,

FL 34428. Parking near the JAM is free or at a fee. On JAM Day you can ride the free Shuttle Busses from the pick-up/drop off location at the former Crystal River Mall parking lot, 1801 N. Hwy 19/98.JAM Admission tickets are also available for purchase‘JAM Day’ at the shuttle location. Busses are handicap accessible and depart / return approximately every 15 min utes – including when the JAM ends. Adult Admission at ‘JAM’ Gates is $15 (Cash only!) and children 12 & under is free admission! You can save time and money with Advance Admission tickets on sale until Oct 25th at www. StoneCrabJam.com or Facebook/ Stone Crab Jam Music Festival. (Why wait in line?) Pets are not prohibited but discouraged due to large crowd size. Owners are responsible for any incident or injury to attendees and/or other pets. You must be 21 (or over) to purchase alcohol, I.D may be required, and the Volunteers reserve the right to refuse service and/or sales. No alcohol can be brought in. ATM’s are available inside the gates. Bring your sling chairs to enjoy the bands. Tables and chairs are set-up for enjoying the many food options. Security Officers are throughout the JAM and at all entry gates.

Key Largo Kampground

LARGO

AND MARINA

Ok, you are looking to head (pre sumably) down to Key Largo, for some good time adven tures on the water…but, you need an RV park to stay in…and, you need a Marina to keep your boat…well, Key Largo Kampground & Marina have you covered and KLK&M checks all the boxes for the RV’er who loves the water too. We at Better Off Wet are spoiled and blessed to be able to visit many cool RV parks and Mari nas. But, it is hard to imagine a place which checks the boxes so well as Key Largo Kampground. Key Largo is literally a water lover’s playground. It doesn’t matter what type of water activity you are into, you can surely find a way to have a blast every day, on the waters of Key Largo. And, if you are like the ol’ B.O.W. Crew, step ping out of the RV and onto the dock, to then just hop on the boat…well, that makes the adventuring all the more better, because you get to spend more time on the water!

Key

Kampground

Key Largo Kampground & Marina is located on 40 acres of tropical flow ers and foliage, alongside the Atlantic Ocean. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream provide ideal conditions for coral reef snorkeling, scuba diving, and ocean fishing. Key Largo is the state’s “Dive Capital of the WORLD” with over 25 dive shops and charters to choose from. Key Largo Kamp ground and Marina offers a spacious marina with 14 wet slips to dock your boat. Pick from our many sites which include full hookup 30/50/20 amp electric service, water front RV sites with FHU 30/50/20 amp service (includes your private boat dock), or choose from one of our Tent sites (some offer electric). Come and enjoy the beautiful Florida Keys with us at MM 101.5 Oceanside.

Key Largo Kampground

Key Largo Kampground

Amenities Include: 24-hour secu rity gate, Marina, Boat Ramp, 24-hour ICE & Water Machine, WI-FI Hot Spot, Playground, Laundry Facilities, 2 Bath Houses with hot showers, 2 Beaches, Heated Swimming Pool, Kiddie Pool, Horseshoe Court, Shuffleboard Court, Volleyball Court, Bocce Ball, Basketball Court, Covered Picnic Area with TV and Large BBQ Grill for Campers, Clubhouse (Activities include Bingo, Square Dancing, Pot Luck Dinners, Holiday Parties), Gen eral Store, Open Air Lounge, Waterfront Sites with Own Private Dock, and one Block from Shopping Plaza with Publix Super mart, K-Mart, Walk-in Clinic, Li brary, Fitness Center, Bank, and Numer ous Specialty Shops.

Please visit https://www.keylargokampground.com/ for more information or to book your stay. Key Largo Kampground and Marina 101551 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037 (305) 451-1431

Key

American Picnics and Better Off Wet Charters have teamed up to offer unique and customizable on the water picnic cruises and sunset cruises! American Picnics has created a time-capsule into another era with their Luxury Picnics and are sure to bring elegance and charm to your special day. Combine this extraordinary picnic experience with a comfortable cruise along Florida’s Nature Coast and a beautiful West coast sunset, to have an unforgettable day. All trips are customizable, be sure to let us know your thoughts. Swimming, island exploration, and fishing are available for those who want to maximize their day of adventure, on the water.

Call today to start planning your amazing American Picnic!

Boating Safety

Don’t let fun override common boating sense and be prepared.

“The lure of the water makes boating a popular leisure activity in Florida. Unfortunately, if the proper safety precautions aren’t taken, boating can be extremely dangerous. Accidents can happen when a boat collides with another vessel, is overwhelmed by the wake of another boat, hits a wave, crashes into a pier or dock, or strikes a submerged object, rock or land.”brijbaglaw.com

B.O.W. had the opportunity to sit down with attorney Brian Brijbag and dis cuss a few different scenarios of what could happen, while out on the water, for commercial folks and recreational boaters. We also discussed what we all (in the boating community) could do to just set ourselves a little apart from the average boater, and be prepared in case an accident does happen. A 2021 USCG report shows an over 26% increase in boating accidents, compared to 2019. While it could be easily attributed to the Covid boat buying frenzy, it doesn’t change the fact more people are getting hurt and or dying in boating accidents, than in previous years.

The number one reason for boating accidents, according to the USCG, is operator inattention, and Brian Brijbag added overconfidence, which makes perfect sense to us. There is definitely something to be said for overconfidence and it just falls into typical “human nature”. But, boating offers many vari ables and that overconfidence can defi nitely be a hindrance. So, the takeaway here, for us at B.O.W. is to always have your head on a swivel, when boating and if available appoint someone on your vessel to be a lookout, as well. And, as far as the overconfidence, approach situations in your vessel confidently, without panic or fear but, also give

Mother Nature and the body of water you’re on the respect they deserve. It’s going to sound like we are beating that same old drum as the USCG, FWC, and others…but, lifejackets literally save lives, that’s their job! So, taking the chance of not having them is just plain ridiculous and negligent, in our humble opinion. Florida is the number one State in the US for boating accidents, and drowning calls for 79% of all boating deaths, of whom 86% of those folks weren’t wearing a life jacket. So, please captains, show your guests where the lifejackets are stowed and make sure they know how to get to them, in case something happens to you.

Florida Law requires you to have cer tain safety items on board your vessel. Please, visit myfwc.org to see what is required by law for your vessel. Now, the bare minimum when it comes to boat safety is just that, the minimum. As your wallet allows, you may want to think about investing in an EPIRB, ma rine radio(s), life rafts, or other emergency (potentially lifesaving) equip

ment instead of that next rod and reel combo. The more prepared you are physically and mentally, for an emer gency situation, the better the outcome for you and your passengers will be. We look forward to more conversations with Brian Brijbag and bringing more to you our B.O.W. readers, in the coming issues. We don’t want to scare anyone away from boating; there is so much fun to be had on the water. But, the more educated we all are, out on the water, the better off the whole community on the water will be. And, being Better Off Wet is what we are all about. Stay safe, have fun, and God bless you, while you are out on the water.

What should I do after a boating accident?

If there is a boating accident, even if they don’t seem injured at the moment, contact emergency services immedi ately. This includes law enforcement and medical personnel when critical injuries might have occurred during this same time frame. Get medical attention first!

What’s

Crew & friends.

Mix Up?

So, you head out on the water, with a game plan on the targeted species of fish you want to catch; gear ready, lures tied, and a good at titude…and, then something happens to confuse the whole plan and next thing you know, you are all mixed up. I am sure this has happened to more than a few anglers reading this, and it happened to the B.O.W. Crew and some friends one late summer morn ing, as well. But, even a mixed up day on the water is better than being on land, in our opinion! We had the good attitude and that will get you through almost anything.

We started the day out fairly early,

leaving the rendezvous spot around 5 a.m., wanting to get some live bait, to go along with our artificials, we had set up the night before. We are accustomed to being able to buy bulk ice, near our local bait and tackle shop, but upon arrival, we found that the ice machine was down today. So, a quick u-turn and trip back to a gas station, proved to be the first “mix-up” of the day. But, it is hard to head out fishing (with dreams of keepers) with no ice. After getting ice and putting some live Shrimp in the well, we were off to the boat ramp. The weather man had called for a clear morning, but keeping with the theme, we showed up to the boat ramp, only to see light

By: B.O.W. Staff Writer

ning and thunderstorms building off shore. A quick look at the radar app on our phones showed us that the wind “should” keep those storms off us. So, we launched our vessel, headed out in the dark, to see if we could find the keeper Redfish, we had planned to catch.

We felt like we had really done some thing, after easing up to our first Man grove line, and catching our targeted species right away. We saw a school of Redfish finning and were able to get a couple on-board. They were not keepers but they were in the same family! After that though, we couldn’t get a Redfish to even look our way. We managed to catch everything else

underthewater-linethoughitseemed. We caught Trout, Snook, Stingray, Pufferfish, and even a dang Needle fish. We kept casting and catching the mixed bag of fish, with no keepers for acouple ofhours,laughingabouthow our plans, rigging, and knot tying the night before were allfornaught,aswe never even saw another Redfish, in that area, we were fishing. The decid ing factor on trying a different type of fishing was seeing the magnificent 10 plus foot Hammerhead, just off our starboard, feasting on whatever his targeted species was for the day. We knew that was a sign, to haul butt and try something else. We hadn’t gotten any bait with our

cast net, but we did have a few dozen live shrimp still in the live-well. So, we decided to cast under a few buoys and see if Mr. Tripletail might be in the area. Well, that worked out good and we caught Tripletail underneath ev ery buoy we came across, it seemed… but, still no keepers. The weather was changing its mind again and it looked as if we could be getting stormed on, at any moment, so we decided to head a couple miles offshore and see if we could at least get something to eat for dinner. No one like to go home empty handed, including us, and with the crazy day we’d had so far, we had vi sions now of a slobbery old Grouper. Theskieslookedcrazybutthewaterin

the Gulf was dead still and our short 10 mile run to some known structure was quick and painless. The fishing, once we were there though, not so much. We called out for Grouper and tried to feed them everything we had on board but they never came. We did continue to catch fish however and the mixed bag continued. We caught Bluefish, Mangrove Snapper, Grunts, Spanish mackerel, and it seemed like our hopes seeing a Grouper this day, were done. The sun was well over us and cooking us and the surface of the water. So, we made the decision to start packing it up but, not before hopping in, cooling off, and taking a

look on bottom, to see if we could even manage aglimpseofaGrouper. Sureenough, there were a couple down there; they just had no interestineatingwhatwewerefishingwith. So, back on board the boat with the boat ramp as the destination, we were underway. In keeping with the norm for the day, the skies looked crazy, heading in. But, also as had been, the sea-state was perfectly calm. Thedayhadbeenmixedupandourplansjust couldn’t seem to come together, a far as the fishing went. But, the plan to have a great day onthewaterinFloridawascertainlyasuccess.

When plans get mixed up on the water, make the best of the situation, and keep smiling… you never know what the next mix up could bring.

CATCH THE DRIFT

Catch the Drift – Fishing on the Flamingo Drift Boat

on the Flamingo Drift Boat

The

Flamingo has been in busi ness since 1970. The Flamingo is a 65 ft. U.S. Coast Guard licensed and inspected fishing vessel. The Flamingo is family-operated and oriented, and they have been taking anglers to the “big ones” (fish that is), for over 40 years. They are located only 20 minutes from the fishing grounds so your time on board will be spent fishing, not riding. We make deep sea fishing easy by supplying everything you need to fish.

NO EXPERIENCE? NO PROBLEM! Fishing is our passion, and the water is our home. We love introducing first-timers to deep sea fishing in the waters off Fort Lauderdale.

Our low price of $50.00 per adult with Coupon and $40.00 per child 5 through 12 years is all-inclusive. Children 4 years and under are FREE. We have plenty of parking right be side the boat!

We sail from the Bahia Mar Yacht Center on the fabulous Fort Lauder dale Beach. Our dock is only minutes away from the inlet and close to prime fishing spots. Remember to bring your camera.

There is ample seating all around the boat, rod holders for all anglers, an inside glass enclosed lounge, and separate accommodations for men and women. Not too many frills, but high on cleanliness and safety.

Catch the Drift – Fishing on the Flamingo Drift Boat

Our motto is “Reel fun in the Florida sun.” Come and try your luck for king fish, snappers, black fin tunas, boni tos, mahi-mahi, barracudas, grouper, Wahoo, Cobia, and Sailfish. These are a few of the species of fish we catch off shore Fort Lauderdale.

Flamingo Deep Sea Fishing

801 Seabreeze Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 954-462-9194

Fishing Charter Tour Times:

8am-12pm & 1pm-5pm

7 Days a Week

Night Fishing Hours:

7pm-11pm

7 Days a Week

Catch the Drift – Fishing on the Flamingo Drift Boat

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is one of a kind, offering an amazing glimpse into the underwater world. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park encompasses an im pressive 70 nautical square miles. While many visitors view the park’s colorful coral reefs and teeming marine life on a glass-bottom boat tour, one can get an even closer look by scuba diving or snor keling. Canoeing and kayaking through the park’s waters are popular activities; fishing is permitted in designated areas. Visitors can also enjoy walking on short trails through tropical hammocks, pic nicking or swimming at the beach. The visitor center features several large salt water aquariums filled with sea creatures, and nature videos are shown in its theater. Full-facility and youth/group campsites are available.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State

Established in 1963, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was the first undersea park in the United States. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, covers approximately 178 nautical square miles of Coral reefs, Sea grass beds and Mangrove swamps. The park extends 3 miles into the Atlantic Ocean and is approximately 25 miles in length. These areas were established to pro tect and preserve a portion of the only living Coral reef in the continental United States. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 1972.

The park named for the late John D. Pennekamp, a Miami newspaper edi tor, whose efforts contributed to the establishments of Everglades National Park and the preservation of what would become John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

The park contains a wide variety of tropical vegetation, shore birds and marine life. While the Mangrove swamps and tropical hammocks offer visitors a unique and interesting experience, it is the Coral formations and associated marine life that most park visitors come to enjoy. The Coral reef at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is among the most beautiful and diverse of all living communities.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Experiences:

Boat Tours, Boat Tours, Boating, Boat ing, Camping, Camping, Camping Boat, Camping Boat, Camping - Primitive Group, Fishing, Hiking, Paddling, Picnicking, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Swimming, and Wildlife Viewing.

Amenities:

Amphitheater, Amphitheater, Beach, Boat Ramp, Campfire Circles, Campgrounds, Canoe Kayak Launch, Concession and Restaurant, Laundry, Parking, Picnic Pa vilion, Playground, Restroom Facilities, RV, and Shower Station.

The above text and photo of the Christ statue from:

https://www.pennekamppark.com/ and https://www.floridastateparks.org/

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park 102601 Overseas Highway (MM 102.5)

Key Largo, FL 33037 P.O. Box 1560 (305) 451-6300

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

By: Benjamin Chewning

History of Diving Museum - The Quest to Explore Under the Sea

History of Diving Museum

THE QUEST TO EXPLORE UNDER THE SEA

Iwould just like to start off by say ing; I have had so many folks tell me they have “passed by” the History of Diving Museum, headed South to a destination in the Keys. I am taking this opportunity to tell you Mr. or Mrs. Reader do not be the next passerby. If, you are reading this magazine, chances are you love the water. So, if you love the water, I think you will fall in love with this museum.

I am a bit partial, being a scuba diver as well as a commercial diver. But, I have to say the way the His tory of Diving Museum is laid out, is wonderful. They start in ancient times, with hieroglyphs depicting divers and end up with multiple one atmosphere suits, showing the incredible path humans have gone down in the world of diving. If, you

are a professional or working diver, I cannot imagine you getting as excited as I do to see all the dive helmets, on display at the museum. The museum has done a fantastic job at showing how commercial divers have progressed with their equipment over the years.

Next time you find yourself South of Miami, take the time to visit the History of Diving Museum. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time and don’t be in a rush. The museum has lots to take in. The text and information found below is from: https://divingmuseum. org

The Florida Keys History of Diving Museum is dedicated to collecting, pre serving, displaying and interpreting artifacts, antiques, books, documents, photographs and oral history relative to the History of Diving. We tell the international story of the attempts to explore, understand and venture under the sea. We also celebrate the special role that South Florida and the Florida Keys played in this untold story.

History of Diving Museum - The Quest to Explore Under the Sea

Over a span of forty years, Drs. Joe and Sally Bauer acquired one of the world’s largest collections of diving helmets, hand-operated air pumps, armored suits, lights and other acces sory gear, plus memorabilia, prints, photographs, books, film and video. Their passion took them to virtually every corner of the world and the Museum’s collection now represents the contributions of more than 30 countries to diving history.

As their research evolved and collec tions grew, the Bauer’s were inspired by the idea of using their collection— which had become one of the larg est and most comprehensive in the

world—as the basis for a museum to share their knowledge and passion for diving history with the public. Fol lowing the Bauer’s’ retirement, they moved permanently from Cleveland, Ohio to the Florida Keys, the perfect location to establish what became The History of Diving Museum.

The History of Diving Museum was first incorporated in 2000 and opened to the public on a part-time basis in September 2005. For the next twelve months, the museum installed a new exhibit monthly, opening each exhibit with a lecture and tour. The museum began full-time operation in Septem ber 2006.

History of Diving Museum - The Quest to Explore Under the Sea

Sadly, the museum suffered a tragic setback in early 2007. The unex pected death of Dr. Joseph Bauer left a large void in the overall orga nization and in historical documen tation. Although the museum took some time to recover, to its credit, it has managed to overcome and adapt. Dr. Joseph Bauer’s legacy is a major theme at the museum and inspires its continued develop ment. Dr. Sally Bauer exemplifies the fortitude of the museum, and also serves to remind us of the origi nal vision and purpose.

History of Diving Museum - The Quest to Explore Under the Sea

The Bauer Diving History Research Library opened in February of 2012. It houses over 2500 books, prints, and photographs about the history of diving and is the largest collection of historic and rare literature of diving history currently in existence. The research library is for students and scholars, a project funded by the Monroe County Tourist Devel opment Council and the History of Diving Museum. If you would like more information regarding library access, what materials are available, or opportunities for research, please contact us at programs@divingmu seum.org.

The Research Library is also avail able as a meeting, conference or special occasion rental space. For information, please email us at pro grams@divingmuseum.org.

On the third Wednesday of every month, the Museum proudly offers Immerse Yourself!, a free public program covering special topics such as regional diving history, ma rine archaeology, new technolo gies, diving safety, and more. These programs are FREE to the public.

Museum and Store Hours

Open Daily 10-5 Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day 82990 Overseas Hwy, MM83 Islamorada, FL 33036 305-664-9737 info@divingmuseum.org

History of Diving Museum - The Quest to Explore Under the Sea

Regular

Lobster Season Regular Spiny Lobster Season

Regular Spiny Lobster Season

Season: Aug. 6-March 31

Daily Bag Limit: 6 per person

Possession limit on the water: Equal to the daily bag limit

Minimum Size Limit: Carapace must be larger than 3”, measured in the water. Possession and use of a measuring device required at all times.

Prohibitions:

Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season and in Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, no-take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in the Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary, and in the five Coral Reef Protection Areas in Biscayne National Park during both the 2-day sport season and regular season.

Unless exempt, a recreational saltwater fish ing license and a lobster permit are required to harvest spiny lobster.

Lobster must be landed in whole condition. Separating the tail from the body is prohib ited in state waters.

The harvest or possession of eggbearing spiny lobster, or any other eggbearing species of lobster belonging to the families Palin uridae (spiny lobsters), Scyllaridae (slipper lobsters), or Synaxidae (furry lobsters) is prohibited.

No person shall harvest or attempt to harvest spiny lobster using any device which will or could puncture, penetrate or crush the exoskeleton (shell) or the flesh of the lobster.

Recreational trapping is prohibited.

Regardless of what species you are fishing for, bag limits are only for properly licensed individuals and those people exempt from license requirements who are actively har vesting. People harvesting may not exceed their individual bag limit and take someone else’s bag limit. That is, people (including children) who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for purposes of bag limits.

The text and regulation images for Florida Spiny Lobster, in this article, are provided by myfwc.com.

Photos in this article are courtesy of Shawn May in Spring Hill, FL.

Regular Spiny Lobster Season

Regular

Key Lime Sailing

A Secluded Key Largo Hideaway, Easy to Reach and Hard to Forget

It has been 8 years since the B.O.W. Crew visited Key Lime Sailing Club for the first time. But, as soon as we set foot back on the property, we remembered why we fell in love the first time we came. The Key Lime Sailing Club’s cottages are tucked away just right on the Bay, to make you feel like you are on your own personal little island, with a few other guests, of course.

Key Lime Sailing Club – A Secluded Key Largo Hideaway, Easy to Reach and Hard to Forget

Key Lime Sailing Club – A Secluded Key Largo Hideaway, Easy to Reach and Hard to Forget

There were some new smiling faces on our trip this time. But, the same great passion for sailing and the lifestyle(s) provided by the Keys, Mother Na ture, and the beautiful waters abound, could not go unnoticed. The folks at Key Lime Sailing Club will be happy to help you throughout your stay. They have everything on site, to make for a wonderful getaway or vacation.

Below is an excerpt taken from the original article(and first visit to KLSC) for B.O.W. Magazine, in March 2014.

Tucked away, behind the hustle of the Overseas Highway, in the midst of the daily routines of the locals, lies a hidden gem. Without specific plans, or GPS navigations, the common traveler would miss Key Largo’s sweet spot. From the highway, the property seems to only house a hodgepodge of water-sports equipment; however by following the gravel drive west toward the

Gulf, just beyond the Sea grape tree line, you’ll discover Key Lime Sailing Club.

Retreating to the cottages felt like a personal vacation home; complete with all necessary kitchen wares and linens. Each separate hide away is adorned with tropical flair, both inside and out; picnic tables repurposed from pilings, channel markers and buoys define the out door spaces. Luckily, we checked the side table drawers, as we were able to peruse the brief diary entries of previous guests and their adven tures while visiting KLSC.

Key Lime Sailing Club – A Secluded Key Largo Hideaway, Easy to Reach and Hard to Forget

By: Leah Sweat

Up before sunrise, to be sure and capitalize on every moment, breakfast at the Conch House, just north of KLSC ocean side, included coconut macadamia nut pancakes and cracked Conch Benedict, an ideal way to be gin the day paradise. A small tour of the islands, including stops at fresh coconut stands, sandal outlets, local artisan galleries, and a multitude of photo-ops, just far enough to travel the seven mile bridge, is always an option. However, guests find that Key Lime Sailing Club will meet every need, whether it be sailing, relax ing by the water, swimming, diving, or paddling the Bay’s waters on the available kayaks, canoes and stand up paddle boards; spotting creatures below and above. The first mates are on hand for life vest fitting, an extra set of hands for equipment prep, tips on best routes, mini-how-to session, or a personal bon-voyage. Or, just

follow the live music to the local Snook’s Bayside Grill for a recharge and refreshing beverage.

From the Key Lime Sailing Club:

Key Lime Sailing Club and staff provide the perfect base for a get away to Key Largo; with everything required to not leave the sea grape tree line. Paradise found. A hidden gem.

A word from the folks at Key Lime Sailing Club:

Welcome to our unique little hide away. Secluded, serene, and per fectly located, our self-contained cottages have everything you need for a relaxing waterfront vacation and sailing is what we’re all about!

If you’re an experienced sailor, we invite you to use one of our sailboats included in your cottage rental at no additional charge. There’s no better way to relax and enjoy the Keys. Plus, we have an onsite American

Sailing Academy (ASA) Sailing School to advance your sailing, or you can just get a taste of sailing with our 2 hour Intro to Sailing. Our sloop-rigged 22’ Catalina sail boats are perfect for cruising the calm waters of Florida Bay. Just grab your cooler, walk to our dock, and point the bow at the horizon. We offer approximately 30 square miles of bay side surface to sail, which includes no less than 3 spe cific destinations with straight runs of up to 6 nautical miles – one way. All of our sailing area is within the confines of the Florida bay, Ever glades National Park and parts of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of waters sur rounding the Florida Keys, from south of Miami westward to en compass the Dry Tortugas.

Key Lime Sailing Club – A Secluded Key Largo Hideaway, Easy to Reach and Hard to Forget

There are no hidden charges

– your stay includes:

Unlimited private sailboat use, kay aks, snorkeling equipment, canoes, free wifi, stand-up paddle boards, bicycles, fishing gear, use of BBQ grills, and onsite parking.

In the evening, just walk or paddle around to local dining and dancing.

Or stay on site and enjoy Key Lar go’s incredible sunsets from one of the area’s most intimate settings… the Key Lime Sailing Club & Cot tages. Easy to reach, hard to forget!

Go to: https://www.keylimesailing club.com/ to book your stay today!

Key Lime Sailing Club and Cottages 101425 Overseas Highway #922 Key Largo, Florida, 33037 USA 305-451-3438

keylargocottages@keylimesailing club.com

Key Lime Sailing Club – A Secluded Key Largo Hideaway, Easy to Reach and Hard to Forget

Rock Shrimp

Rock Shrimp or the “Poor Man’s Lobster”, as they are often referred to, have a rock-hard shell, which is how they get their name. The texture and flavor of Rock Shrimp is very similar to lobster. And, if you’d rather not pay for lobster prices when looking for a nice ap petizer, for your family dinner, this could be the perfect substitute. If you consider yourself a Shrimp fan and you’ve never had Rock Shrimp, it is an absolute must try! Please, be warned though…for the super Shrimp eaters out there (like the B.O.W. Crew), buy a lot of em, because you will most certainly wish you had, while eating them.

Rock shrimp are found from Norfolk, Vir ginia, south through the Gulf of Mexico to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, typically 80-240 feet under the ocean’s surface. The Rock Shrimp live mainly on a sandy bottom, where they are active at night and burrow in the sand, during the day. They are usually 2-3 inches long and come about 21-25 per pound. Their season goes from August- October.

They are easy to cook. But, taking some extra time to prepare them will pay off. Rock Shrimp are definitely worth all the time and effort. Check out this recipe and enjoy these flavorful gifts from the Sea.

Steps:

• Rinse off your shrimp in a colander.

• Pinch the head to twist off making sure the vein comes out as well. If the vein, is still in the Shrimp, once opened, you can clean out the vein.

• Take a small knife to cut an opening on the abdomen side to “butterfly” the tail.

• Place all opened tails on non-stick cooking pan

• Preheat oven to Broil.

• Add a mixture of fresh minced garlic, butter, and fresh squeeze lemon to tails.

• Season shrimp with salt and pepper.

• Broil shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes, until the meat starts to lift from the shell.

• Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Better Off Wet magazine is a FREE quarterly magazine

Better Off Wet Magazine is full of articles, information and photographs about life on the water. Designed to educate, inform and entertain readers, every issue will contain:

full of articles, information and photographs about life on the water. Designed to educate, inform and entertain readers, every issue will contain:

2016 Winter Issue

after Christina’s first few attempts, she the frog. Once frog is gigged, depending on your set up, you can either place the frog in mesh bag or through an aluminum frog chute with bag attached underneath. The frog chute makes the gigging by foot. Ok, so you’ve gigged frog... Now you have to put him in your bag or frog chute. It’s easy to think that your catch is dead, but lot of the time they are waiting to come off the gig... so, they can make run for it. Be careful taking them gig 30 or more frogs, you can easily feed nice size family. But, remember… like most other things life… Just because concept simple; it doesn’t mean will necessarily be easy. Gigging

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first few, you will be pro. Christina missed quite few frogs the beginning of our trip, but once she perfected the steps, she closed the night out that you can get the frogs easier. But, the longer the pole…the more inaccurate it may be. So, ask the experts your local bait tackle shop what they suggest for the right length pole that best the proper attire for the occasion. Frogs have oth er predators out there hunting them, well: be on the lookout for snakes and gators. Be aware of your surroundings at all times, by watching where your feet and hands are located. It’s best to have spot light and set of eyes for spotting frogs, look out for those snakes and gators mentioned and of fer any assistance you may need bagging the catch. Special thanks Jeff Treece for taking Better Off

Better Off Wet is all about life on the water! Whether you are fishing, boating, swimming, diving, relaxing at the beach, floating in the pool, or working (yes, even working) on the water, we at Better Off Wet believe it is time well spent! Better Off Wet Magazine will be delivered to thousands of folks electronically, every month. With each issue containing a variety of water lifestyle topics, Better Off Wet Magazine is sure to be a valuable resource to advertisers. Please, reach out to us to find out more.

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Key Largo

Playground

Ialways

get excited when it is time to visit the Keys and Key Largo is one of my favorite places to go, when headed way down South. Key Largo is the first of the magnificent Florida Keys and is the self-proclaimed diving capital of the world. Key Largo is home to the world’s largest artificial reef, the 510 foot long USS Spiegel Grove, the John Pen nekamp Coral Reef State Park and the African Queen. There is no shortage of underwater activities in Key Largo and that is certainly why I get excited every time I’m headed there.

I would do no justice in describing the color of the water just offshore, East of Key Largo. But, I will say that just see ing that beautiful clear blue water does something to me psychologically, that I love. It is certainly hard to be in a bad mood, while being out on the water. Even more impressive yet, is what lies beneath the water, in Key Largo. Just a dive mask, snorkel, and fins are enough to get you in position to view an almost unimaginable number of different underwater species. And, if you are a scuba diver, you have the opportunity to see everything much closer up and for a prolonged amount of time. I always see new things underwater but, my favorite thing I saw on this particular trip was a huge Spotted Eagle Ray. The Spotted Eagle Ray must have been at least 8 feet across, at his widest point. As is easy to do following many beautiful species, I must have spent fifteen minutes swimming with this particular one, and he even seemed to slow his pace a little as if he were watching me in the same manner I was watching him. The sun, the water, the countless numbers of fish and sealife…what a wonderful combination in a wonderful location!

Key Largo

If you are planning a trip to Key Largo, be prepared for the great times on the water, but also be prepared to eat (if you’re like me that is). The seafood in Key Largo is amazing and abundant. You won’t be getting any frozen fish tacos here! There are many great restaurants in Key Largo. Some are definitely pricier than others but, I do not remember having a bad meal anywhere. And, the best places we found on this trip, as usual, were a little off the beaten path. I have to make men tion of my “new favorite” place in Key Largo, to eat, Shipwrecks Bar & Grill. We actually found it by exploring the creeks, just North of Largo Sound. I definitely would recommend trying them out on your next visit to Key Largo. Beautiful geography and great food, that’s always a great combination in my book and Key Largo definitely has both.

Key Largo

I meet a lot of folks, who were born and raised in Florida and say they’ve never been to the Keys. It always boggles my mind when I hear this, especially from people who love the water. If you’ve never been, please take my advice and plan that trip soon, you will not be disappointed. Have fun out there in what is truly a water lover’s playground!

Key Largo

By: Megan Chewning

Being on the water, I have always been fascinated by the tall, large trees still standing on the banks of the wa terways. After decade or sometimes centuries, these large trees are still solid in position; even with erosion, flooding, storms, and more that the trees face throughout their years. Trees along the banks help slow runoffs, assist with erosion control, reduce flooding, help prevent water pollution, and even help add to the aquifer system.

What makes some trees fall in the water over the years and others stay solid through all the adversity? It all comes down to the root system. Roots are the determining factor of how sturdy a tree will be when it is faced with the elements. Some trees, such as Pine trees, have a tap root that goes deep down into the ground and others like the mighty Oak trees have big roots that spread out dozens of feet from the tree root, to give it stability. Further still, you have the Mangrove tree’s complex root system, which is strong enough to cope with saltwater immersion and wave action.

The root is the foundation and a big determining factor for keeping trees upright, happy, and healthy.

In life, it is easy to feel like you are getting knocked down by the elements of life. This is why it is important to have strong roots, like these trees mentioned in the paragraph above. Because, the world is going to throw all it has at you, that is almost certain ly a life guarantee. The Bible refers to having strong roots many times. Job is a prime example, in the Bible, of a person having the worst the world has to offer but still coming out of his situations, rooted on a someone who has a firm foundation. In Job 29, he states that he is “a tree whose roots reach the water and are refreshed”. Being rooted in a relationship with Christ, will help you overcome all the craziness around you. You may have floods, erosion, storms, and pollution but your roots will keep you solid for years to come.