The first and largest of the keys, Key Largo boasts a fine opportunity to visit the Florida Reef, at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park at MM102.5 (daily 8am-dusk, visitor center 8am - 5pm; $5 for two people and car, plus 50ยข each additional person). This protected 78-square-mile section of living coral reef is rated as one of the most beautiful in the world. If you can, take the snorkeling tour (9am, noon & 3pm; $25.95 plus equipment rental; tel 305/451-1621), or the guided scuba dive (9:30am & 1:30pm; $39; tel 305/451-6322 or 1-977/LETS-DIVE); the glass-bottom boat tour (9.15am, 12.15pm & 3pm; $18; tel 305/451-1621) is less demanding.

Even from the glass-bottom boat, you're virtually certain to spot lobsters, angelfish, eels and jellyfish along the reef, and shoals of silvery minnows stalked by angry-faced barracuda. The reef itself is a delicate living thing, comprising millions of minute coral polyps extracting calcium from the seawater and growing from one to sixteen feet every thousand years. Sadly, it's far easier to spot signs of death than life: white patches show where a carelessly dropped anchor, or diver's hand, has scraped away the protective mucous layer and left the coral susceptible to terminal disease

Key Largo

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