Florida Ecosystems Class Trip - Day 6, Key Largo

I caught the sunrise from Flamingo for the second day and was no less than impressed, again.

Sunrise over the Keys, Flamingo.

We headed back towards Miami to catch Route 1 into the Keys.  Our first stop was Dagny Johnson botanical state park.  We hikes a two mile loop through the park which was situated on the remnants of an ancient reef.

Lizard on a tree at Dagny Johnson state park, Key Largo.  We also got a great look at a Worm-eating Warbler.

Jim and Nathan navigate the rising tide at Dagny Johnson state park, Key Largo.

The afternoon found us weathering severe thunderstorms in the Keys.  We sought shelter at the conch shack for an hour or so and ate our fill of fresh conch fritters.  Later, we headed south to Islamorada and got our first glimpse of the blue water that the keys are known for.  One of my personal highlights of the trip came that evening when I got my dozen oysters on the half shell paired with a dozen stone crab claws while sitting on the porch of the Pilot House Marina.