Ballast Key on the way to Woman Key for kayaking.

by Shayne Benowitz

This is officially my new favorite Fury trip! If you’re dying for a beautiful and relaxing day on the water, you absolutely must experience the Island Adventure. Meredith and I hopped on board yesterday for the 3:30pm trip with Captain Anna and her crew Scott and Anthony along with eleven other passengers.

Lately, moon jellyfish have been abundant at the reef, which is not uncommon this time of year. I personally find the jellies enchanting to watch as they drift slowly with their purple and pink tentacles, but when there’s too many in the water they can definitely be a nuisance. No one wants to get stung! Our captains have gotten creative in finding alternative places to snorkel where there aren’t too many jellyfish.

Anna took us to Man Rock, which I’ve never been to before. Slightly west of Man Key, we anchored in a patch of sand that circled an outcropping of coral like a halo. Scott explained that Man Rock is practically off the charts, and since so few people know about it, the coral is extremely healthy and vibrant. The water was so inviting, I couldn’t wait to jump in and explore. We saw a few moon jellies when we first dropped anchor, but nothing to worry about.

Scott was right. The coral was gorgeous with large outcroppings and interesting brain corals and sea fans. Everything was very bright yellow-green. I swam around and saw lots of large yellowtail snappers, a few groupers, and sergeant majors. I came to a hidden cave and decided to swim close and see if anything was lurking underneath. Sure enough, a giant nurse shark, probably six to eight feet long, was snoozing on the sea floor. I called Meredith and Anthony over to come check it out, and a lot of our passengers got to see it too. Very exciting!

Shayne & Meredith on the Cruzan Cat.

We snorkeled a little longer and then got back on the boat to head out towards Woman Key in the Gulf. Meredith and I sat on the bench at the bow and enjoyed a cold Corona while we watched the mangrove islands approaching. We past Ballast Key, which actually has a private home and dock twelve miles offshore surrounded by nothing but uninhabited mangroves–such a cool sight!

We anchored outside of Woman Key and the crew launched kayaks. We paddled to a sandbar offshore and waded around in the crystal clear water. One passenger immediately found a conch shell and Scott waded around to find a sea biscuit, a tiny sea cucumber, and other sea shells. Meredith and I paddled around and spotted what I thought was a conch shell, but Scott explained that it was a welch.

The beautiful sunset.

Next, we were off on another kayak paddle towards the mangroves where we found shade. Scott explained exactly how these amazing trees survive in the saltwater and the integral role they play in our ecosystem. After a little more relaxation at the sandbar, it was time to paddle back to the boat. Sandwiches, chips & salsa, and fresh fruit waited along with more cold drinks.

We cruised back towards the channel just in time to catch the sun sink into the ocean between Sunset Key and Christmas Tree Island. It was absolutely beautiful. There is something about a day spent on the water concluded by a sunset that makes everything feel right in the world. We hope you can experience this feeling with us the next time you’re in Key West.

Meredith on Woman Key.

By Shayne Benowitz

I am very excited to share with you a brand new trip! You may or may not know, but we’ve recently acquired three small catamarans and we’re proud to present three new boutique eco-trips to our water sports menu! Today, I’m going to give you the scoop on the brand new Island Adventure. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

Meredith and I hopped on board the Cruzan Cat, a 42’ power catamaran with seating at the bow, inside a covered cabin, and aft. The Cruzan Cat holds 30 passengers max, and the day Meredith and I went there were only about ten people on board. It’s a completely different vibe than the action-packed Ultimate Adventure. Think laid back and completely personalized. By the end of the trip, I felt like I knew everyone’s life story!

The iconic Sand Key Lighthouse.

Captain Ames was at the helm with his mate Scott who has a background in marine biology. He did an awesome job teaching everyone about the unique ecosystems we were about to discover first hand. Ames charted a course south to the reef and Sand Key Lighthouse.

In all the years I’ve lived in Key West and worked at Fury, I still get a thrill snorkeling our reef. It was absolutely lush and vibrant that afternoon. One of the first things I saw was a conch shell nestled in the coral rock. There were the requisite yellowtail snappers, parrotfish (my favorite!), sergeant majors, and blue tang, and also some beautiful angel and butterfly fish.  I was swimming through a canyon with an outcropping of coral in the middle when I spotted a giant lobster tapping around on the ocean floor. So cool! I dove down to get a closer look, and sure enough, I spotted another one!

We hopped back on the boat and Ames cruised out to the Gulf of Mexico’s sand flats and mangrove islands referred to as the backcountry. The backcountry is the nesting ground for thousands of species of juvenile fish and birds. It’s a very unique and important ecosystem in the Florida Keys. We dropped anchor near Woman Key, which is basically an enormous sandbar island in the middle of the ocean.

Time to go kayaking!

Ames gave us a quick kayaking lesson and then launched us into the water with Scott as our guide. At first, it seemed a little choppy, but once Meredith and I were in our kayak it was smooth sailing. We paddled out to Woman Key and beached our kayaks on the sand where we lingered and floated in the shallow, warm water. We discovered seashells, coral rocks, sea sponges, turtle grass, and mangrove pods. There was an interesting driftwood sculpture decorated with found objects like lobster traps and buoys on the shore. One gentleman from San Antonio, who was in town with his wife for a wedding, discovered a giant sea biscuit. That was the find of the day! Oh yeah, and Scott packed a cooler full of Coronas for us to sip on while we splashed around and chatted.

A sea biscuit found on Woman Key.

Eventually, Ames called us back to the boat, although no one wanted to leave. A tasty spread of sandwiches awaited, though! We snacked away and cruised through the Gulf as the sun sank into the ocean. Yeah, that’s what I call paradise!

Sunset!

Island Adventure 411:

Departure times at 9:30am & 3:30pm (includes sunset)

4 ½ hour trip: Snorkel the reef; kayak the Gulf.

Sandwiches, fresh fruit, & snacks served.

Coronas-a-plenty!

What are you waiting for?

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember, a freelance writer, and a social media specialist. Follow her on Twitter @ShayneBenowitz.

by Shayne Benowitz

If you happen to live in the Cape Coral or Fort Meyers area, then surely you’re familiar with Fox 4’s morning show, the Morning Blend. Well, while you’re home for the holidays, be sure to tune in because it’s Key West week. And what’s a week in Key West without an excursion on the water with Fury?

That’s exactly what host Bill Wood had in mind a few weeks ago when he arrived with his executive producer and camera crew. Captain Scotty and I took them for a spin on the parasail boat for a taste of the excitement 300 feet above the waters of Key West. Then, we shuttled them to Adventure Island with Captain Chuck and crew for the Ultimate Adventure.

I told Bill what the Ultimate Adventure was all about (snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, breakfast, lunch, drinks… best time you can have in Key West!). Chuck filled him in on how unique our coral reef ecosystem is. After all, we are home to the only living barrier reef in North America. It’s pretty special and certainly warrants a visit to our little island paradise.

Bill interviewing Fury Girl.

Then, Bill and I went for a spin on the jet ski. All the while his camera crew filmed the action for a segment that will air this week. Remember, if you’re in the Cape Coral or Fort Meyers area, tune in to see all the fun we had. Rumor has it, there’s a big Key West vacation giveaway, so don’t miss out! If you live a little farther away, no big deal, just check out the behind the scenes video on our youtube channel! Happy Holidays!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer. For more travel stories and a daily dose of what’s cool around the globe visit her Wanderlust Website at http://web.me.com/shaynebeth.

by Shayne Benowitz

Mangrove islands of Key West's backcountry

You may not realize it when you step aboard a Fury catamaran for the 9:30am snorkel trip or the 10am Ultimate Adventure, but your hard working crew has been on the docks since 8am preparing for your arrival. With the new Fury Island Adventure, we’re all pitching in to make this trip extra special for our guests.

As you sail out to Mule Key in the backcountry, you’ll immediately notice the glistening Fury Island shining white with Fury’s logo painted on it. Well, this floating island has taken an hour-long sojourn from the anchorage near Wisteria Island through the Northwest Channel.

This morning, I joined Captian Davey with the task of transporting this island on a towline behind our parasail boat. I have to say, my job is pretty athletic, and there are times when I’m really pushed to the limits. We arrived to Fury Island and immediately started to hustle. There was a lot of jumping back and forth from the parasail boat to the island, securing lines, tying knots, flaking the tarp, and making sure we had everything we needed.

For the trip to the Northwest Channel, Davey drove the parasail boat and I stayed on the island adjusting the towline as needed. You can only go so fast on a boat when you’re towing a heavy object behind you, so once we were underway it was actually a peaceful passage in the quiet morning. For a moment, I felt like Huck Finn floating down the Mississippi River on his raft.

I sat down on one of the large inflatable rafts that our guests would later enjoy in the shallow waters of the lakes and made myself comfortable. It was a beautiful morning and actually rare to have a moment on the water all to myself. From the parasail boat, Davey turned on a little Jack Johnson, which was the perfect mellow soundtrack, and I stretched out on my inflatable cushion enjoying it. A few minutes passed and Davey pointed out a pod of dolphins swimming nearby. They must have been feeling friendly because they swam so close to the boat that Davey could nearly touch them. Not a bad morning commute!

We finally reached the mooring line where we secure Fury Island. It was back to moving fast with no room for mistakes. I reached for the line with our boat hook as Davey swung the island close to it. Quickly, I attached the eye of the line to the bridal on Fury Island, and secured it to the cleat. We were secure. Next, I had to quickly untie the towline from the parasail boat, so Davey could swing back around and pick me up. We raced back to the Westin Marina just in time to fly a boat full of eager parasailors. Just a typical morning as a mate at Fury Water Adventures!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer working on her debut novel. For more travel stories and a daily dose of what’s cool around the globe visit her Wanderlust Website at http://web.me.com/shaynebeth.

by Shayne Benowitz

Mule Key, the site of Fury's new eco tour

Anticipation is buzzing throughout Key West as Fury plans to unveil its brand new eco-tour. With Fury’s Eco Adventure, our loyal customers will soon have the opportunity to explore Key West’s unique backcountry for the first time with the personal touch they’ve come to expect at Fury Water Adventures.

Our crew has been training all week to create a smooth running trip that whisks our customers to two distinct, yet interdependent, ecosystems wholly unique to the Florida Keys. For years, we’ve dazzled our guests with the splendor seven miles south at North America’s only living coral reef. Now, we’ll also explore the Gulf of Mexico’s backcountry sand flats dotted with mangrove islands.

Located just over a mile into Key West’s western horizon lies Mule Key, a large mangrove island rooted in the shallow waters of the Gulf. Today, the crew ran a mock trip to this uncharted territory that Fury and its guests will soon become very familiar with. I joined them with Captain Davey to check it out myself.

I’ve really never explored this part of the backcountry, so it was exciting to see what it was all about. Every day, we’ll tow our impressive custom-made barge packed with sea kayaks to Mule Key where our guests will be able to paddle through the shallow waters swaying with seagrass.

Davey and I hopped in a kayak and went for a nice paddle around Mule Key. The summer conditions are gorgeous, flat, and calm, and the water is crystal clear. While kayaking, I was wowed by the sounds of birds nesting in the mangroves. We saw cormorant birds skipping across the water and perched in the trees. I was surprised to see one emerge right in front of our kayak and Davey explained to me that they’re strong swimmers on the hunt for fish. I’d never seen anything like it.

Davey pointed out some perch and mangrove snappers. The mangroves are an important breeding and nesting ground for juvenile fish. The vibe was incredibly peaceful and relaxing. It’s a completely unique experience from any other tour that Fury offers. As we paddled back towards the catamaran and the barge, I was so excited to see a nurse shark swishing past us in the other direction. I can’t wait for the maiden voyage of Fury’s Eco Adventure trip and I’m certain it’s going to be as popular as all of our other tours!

Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crewmember and freelance writer working on her debut novel. For more travel stories and a daily dose of what’s cool around the globe visit her Wanderlust Website at http://web.me.com/shaynebeth.