B-day pie. B-day cake. B-day fun.

We didn’t set out to go to Key Largo for my birthday, but it was great to do such fun things on my birthday.

Since our next move is a lot further inland, we figured we should take advantage of being on the coast and get some diving in.

We took a meandering drive across U.S. 41 instead of I-75, so Jim could get his gator fix.  And it was nice to not be on a schedule.

We have a favorite hole-in-the-wall, or hole-in-the-beach in this case, we like to stop at on our way to/from Key Largo. Gilbert’s did not disappoint with a juicy burger, original Key Lime Pie and a sunset over the water.

On Friday we swam with the dolphins at Dolphins Plus.  You’ll have to read more about it on our website in a couple days – way too cool of an experience for a brief mention here.

Saturday we dove at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first undersea park created in the United States.  The water is the beautiful turquoise I usually associate with the Caribbean, and it’s only about an hour and a half from Miami!  Well worth the visit if you can make it. They have great snorkeling, too.

We had a sweet suite with a balcony overlooking the marina.  Both mornings we enjoyed sitting with our coffee watching the early morning marina hustle and bustle. The dive boats, snorkel boats, fishing and sailboat charters. Crew gets there early in the morning to prep the boat, excited guests show up, and out to sea they go.  Evening is the reverse. Weary crew and guests come back in, tired and sunburned. Boats need to be scrubbed down, cleaned up, readied for the next day. And the marina is quiet again.

And to top off the whole weekend we enjoyed birthday cake – Chocolate Mudslide – courtesy of Corrine.  What a sweet and appropriate gift – she sent a birthday cake picnic complete with a candle, napkins and forks!  Thanks again!!

B-day pie. B-day cake. B-day fun. VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL