In a series of three-minute sound bites, candidates for the three Monroe County Commission seats coming open in November showcased their qualifications during a forum Wednesday hosted by the Key West Chamber of Commerce.

Posted - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 06:11 PM EDT

Capt. Paul Hunt of Islamorada takes his skiff through Everglades National Park. Small boats such as this would have been covered under the proposed rule.

Recreational boaters can continue to wash down their decks without violating federal law: Pending rules on water discharges will not affect recreational boats, says U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

Posted - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 03:03 AM EDT

Layton Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Johnny Bajusz responded to every call, no matter what, his colleagues say. The 68-year-old veteran of more than 20 years was doing just that Jan. 16 when he pulled onto the southbound shoulder of U.S. 1 as an emergency call came in on his radio.

Posted - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 09:48 AM EDT

Winner Greg Smith and his captain, Scott Collins, receive their art awards from Charlotte Ambrogio, the tournament director.

How tough was it to catch a permit in the 2008 Del Brown Invitational Permit Tournament that ended Friday in Key West? This tough: There were 17 boats entered and just three fish caught over the three days of fishing. Blame the windless weather.

Posted - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 02:25 PM EDT

Capt. Paul Hunt of Islamorada takes his skiff through Everglades National Park. Small boats such as this would have been covered under the proposed rule.

Recreational boaters can continue to wash down their decks without violating federal law: Pending rules on water discharges will not affect recreational boats, says U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

Posted - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 03:03 AM EDT

Capt. Mike Makowski from Blackfoot Charters in Key Largo takes a busman's holiday and lands this tarpon while night fishing. It's estimated at 160 pounds. Before you head out at night, know some basics to be safe out there.

Tired of going out and getting burned? I don't mean by the fish; I mean by the sun. It's just plain hot. That means for those bottom fishing, it's tough to stay out in the sun without getting so exhausted that you don't want to go again the next day.

Posted - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 07:01 AM EDT

A father and daughter smile for an underwater photo during the daughter’s open-water certification dive recently. (Photo by Kat Patton).

My student’s father picked up his daughter’s weight belt and started forward to get her weights. I gave him a meaningful look and held out my hand for the weight belt.

Posted - Friday, July 18, 2008 10:00 AM EDT

Fish congregate in Sand Bottom Cave on French Reef off Key Largo.

As we approached the entrance to the cave, I turned back to the couple following me and held one hand out flat and passed the other underneath it. This was the signal we had agreed upon at the surface to indicate we had come to a “swim-through.”

Posted - Tuesday, July 08, 2008 03:28 PM EDT

Christmas tree worms sprout from tubes they built on the surface of brain coral.

Sometimes the job of a scuba instructor involves simply taking divers on a tour of the reef. Every instructor has a few tricks up his or her sleeve designed to amaze and delight even the most experienced of divers.

Posted - Tuesday, July 01, 2008 03:53 PM EDT

The Custom House in Key West is re-hanging an exhibit of photographs by Walker Evans that were secreted out of Cuba by Ernest Hemingway, as a favor to his friend. The exhibit will open on Saturday, July 12, and will coincide with Hemingway’s 109th birthday.

Posted - Wednesday, July 16, 2008 09:56 AM EDT

Butterflies that frequent the garden require specific plants to eat and mate on.

One of Key West’s oldest attractions is crawling back from the brink of extinction. The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden welcomes visitors where once there were none and, before that, throngs.

Posted - Sunday, June 29, 2008 03:29 PM EDT

Visitors can walk the ÒstreetsÓ of Indian Key. Newly installed signs describe the island and its history.

Just a short trip from the docks at Robbie’s in Islamorada lies Indian Key, barely 10 acres in size. Much like Pigeon Key in the Middle Keys, the tiny island is rich with history. Only stone ruins remain of the once prosperous community located at Mile Marker 78.5 oceanside.

Posted - Sunday, June 29, 2008 03:28 PM EDT