Just the thin green lines of mangrove islands separated the vast expanse of glistening turquoise waters from the blue sky. Our boat ride from Islamorada, Florida, gifted us with this colorful perspective and gave us a sense of the area’s expansiveness. Just 81 miles southwest of Miami, laid-back Islamorada measures 20 miles long and in some places is barely 150 feet wide.
Islamorada encompasses Plantation, Windley, and Upper and Lower Matecumbe keys, and offshore Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key. Some 160 to 190 acres of water are part of official Islamorada, which is surrounded by the 3,800-square-mile Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
