Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Paradise Found in Bahia Honda

One of the most beautiful places to visit in the Florida Keys is the treasure that is Bahia Honda State Park. Our group found itself there to partake in a beach cleanup that consisted of a lot of marine debris, as well as single-use plastics. At its height, Bahia Honda State Park hosted miles of pristine beaches until it was devastated by Hurricane Irma, which blew right through the area in 2017. As of today, a large portion of the park remains closed to visitors as repairs are still underway. It has been delayed by lack of funding. 

Visitors can still enjoy and visit several different types of habitats for native wildlife. The dunes display signs of secondary succession and are populated by some of the more noticeable plants such as Sea Lavender and Railroad Vine. 


The park provides snorkeling excursions where you can explore the sea grass beds colonized by Turtle Grass. These sea grass beds act as nurseries and on the day our group traveled there, we spotted many juvenile fish such as Blue Striped Grunts and some Wrasses, as well as a Yellow Spotted Stingray. 

When taking the dune path to the lookout, you can spot many sea birds such as the Anhinga, Double Crested Cormorant, and if you are lucky, even a Magnificent Frigate Bird. The Magnificent Frigate Bird often shows dazzling aerial displays as they hunt among the Sargasso. These birds are also known to steal from other birds who have already caught prey. 

The park is also abundant in other activities such as trails for bicycling, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and rollerblading. Throughout the park are also several great spots for picnics and camping and even a few geo-seeking locations. The park also has several launch sites for canoes, paddle-boards and kayaks as well as beach spots for  swimming, scuba diving, surfing, and tubing. 



If you find yourself in need of refreshments or some much needed air conditioning, you can head on over to the gift shop. You can find the concession stand inside, as well as charming souvenirs and any equipment you might need for snorkeling or diving. I would definitely recommend traveling to this incredible State Park at least once in your life!


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