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This oceanic expanse of 175,000 acres encompasses the keys and living coral reefs of southern Biscayne Bay and is one of the largest marine preserves in the United States. The waters are turquoise and crystal clear, making it ideal for fishing, boating, snorkeling, scuba diving, and marine-gazing in general.
The obvious way to explore this watery paradise is by boat. Visitors can launch their own at Convoy Point, the mainland information center, or take one of the tours arranged there. A 1 ½ -hour excursion in a glass-bottomed boat along the mangrove-fringed shoreline gives you a marvelously colorful view of the grassy seabed and the shrimp, lobsters, green turtles, hawksbill turtles, sponges, and exotic tropical fish lurking there.
To savor the special appeal of a subtropical island, you can take a 50-foot excursion boat to Elliott Key seven miles offshore. The attractions here include a small swimming beach on the ocean side and the chance to snorkel or dive around living coral reefs. You can also stroll a boardwalk on a 1 ½-mile nature trail through a hardwood hammock and linger to enjoy an island sunset.
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The visitor center on Elliott Key presents programs on the ecosystem of the wetlands and the plants and wildlife inhabiting them. At Convoy Information Center, exhibits similarly familiarize visitors with the local coral, sponges, and shellfish. Picnic tables with grills are located along the shore beside tree-high sea grapes and mahogany trees. Here you can watch brown pelicans, double-crested cormorants, white and blue herons, terns, and gulls seeking food offshore.
Bluefish, pompano, striped bass, and groupers are the fish most often snagged, but blue crabs and crayfish are also taken. Lobstering is not permitted: the preserve is a sanctuary for that prized shellfish.
To make reservations for a boat excursion call (305) 247-2400 Open year-round.
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