Biscayne, South Beach and Calle Ocho in Miami

Day Three (Monday, March 12^th):

We got up and moving early Monday due to the noise of the sprinklers in the fields next door. We headed straight to Biscayne National Park. 95% of the park is underwater and the best way to see it is by doing a snorkeling tour but they are not running this time of the year. Biscayne is also known for its mangroves.In the 1960's the area was considered for an oil refinery which locals supported because of jobs but environmentalists decried. In 1968, when it appeared the area was about to become a national monument, oil supporters bulldozed a highway six-lanes wide right down the center of the island, destroying the forest for seven miles. They called it Elliott Key Boulevard, but called it Spite Highway privately. It was hoped that since there was so much environmental damage, no one would want it for a national monument. However, park proponents were not deterred and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill on October 18, 1968. It was warmer in Biscayne but still very windy. We scoped out the visitor center and did a short walk and got to see some sea foam and a random Man of War that had washed up on the beach.

At the end of the walk is designated an Important Bird Area because of the numerous protected species.Next up was South Beach, Miami. It was gorgeous! There were purple flag warnings due to all the Man of War that had washed up on the beach but we still enjoyed strolling along the water’s edge. We dined at Puerto Sagua for lunch which is a Cuban restaurant. It was delicious. After leaving the restaurant, we strolled through the shopping area and in a moment of weakness I purchased a bright pink tank top that was emblazoned with “I’m in Miami, Bitch!”. Probably not meant to be worn by anyone not on Spring Break but for some reason I love it!
Our last stop in Miami was Little Havana, specifically Calle Ocho. Jess wanted to stop by a Cigar Factory so we parked along a glass strewn side street and hurried in and out as the neighborhood did not look particularly tourist friendly. The shop smelled good and the guy was nice but the cigars were very expensive. We headed down to Key Largo to our campsite for the night. However, upon arrival we saw that the campground consisted of a narrow dirt road lined with RVs. There was one small spot with a fire pit between two huge RVs that we determined would be our spot. No bathroom facilities were in view. After waiting 5 minutes for someone to greet us and then be told to call someone else (whose phone number didn’t work) and then told to wait in the common area (aka a picnic table of smokers surrounded by beer cans), we determined that it was not the place for us to spend the night. We wheeled out of there and went to Key Largo Kampground where we snagged the last available spot. The guy wouldn’t let us pay until we had checked out the site because he feared we wouldn’t like it but considering there was a bathroom, we were content with it. We got settled in and relaxed for the night in our safe and secure campground.