Keys Life Magazine

11/16/2025

11/16/2025

Roberto is your local agency rep for Florida Blue! Call Borland & Associates Insurance at 305-451-0090

Gypsea Delight ~ Now available at Florida Keys Brewing Co! Check out their live music lineup online, and a 20% Off Black Friday Sale coming up!

Express Trenchless - 305-498-5691
🚿 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬?
💩 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝-𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬?
🌊 𝐒𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝?
🕳️ 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬?
Express Trenchless has you covered with trenchless sewer repair—no digging, no mess, just fast, reliable service.
📍 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 | 🛠️ 𝟐𝟒/𝟕 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨 𝐉𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
👉 Call now or message us to restore flow, fast.

11/16/2025

Florida Keys History
November 16th 1990
_______________________

🌴 Saving the Reef: The Story of the Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) was established by President George H.W. Bush on November 16, 1990, in a last-ditch effort to save America's largest coral reef.

The Keys' environment was in deep trouble, facing severe damage from massive oil tankers running aground, uncontrolled coastal development polluting the water, and even the threat of potential offshore oil drilling.

The core goal was simple and urgent: protect the magnificent coral reef, which is the third-largest barrier reef system in the world, ensuring the natural beauty and the local economy could survive for future generations.

The federal takeover of the Keys' waters was immediately met with heated arguments. Many people were thrilled, especially divers, tourism operators, and scientists, who knew that a healthy reef meant a healthy tourism business. They strongly supported the new protection, understanding it was necessary to stop the destruction.

However, the change caused major friction with the people who had made their living on the water for generations. Local commercial fishers and others who valued their independence strongly opposed the plan. They worried that the federal government was seizing control of their workplace, imposing too many rules, and feared they would lose their ability to fish and earn a living within the 3,800-square-mile protected area.

Thirty years on, the Sanctuary has created measurable results, showing clear winners and losers.

The main success story is the ocean environment. By setting up strict "no-take zones," the Sanctuary gave fish populations a chance to recover. These zones act like safe houses, allowing popular species to grow larger and more numerous, with the benefits eventually "spilling over" to nearby fishing areas. The tourism industry also won big; the reputation of the Keys as a protected, stunning place to dive and fish attracts millions of visitors, boosting local hotels and charter businesses.

The People Who Lost Out
The commercial fishing community faced the biggest hardship. The restricted fishing grounds forced many to change their livelihoods or leave the industry altogether. While the overall goal was conservation, the direct economic impact was tough on these local families. Similarly, local boaters and fishermen now face stricter rules—like specific anchoring and speed regulations—adding complexity to activities they used to do freely.

The FKNMS is a clear example of successful, large-scale environmental protection, but it’s a success built upon difficult trade-offs between saving a natural wonder and honoring the traditions of the local economy.

MCSO - Florida Keys
MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife
Keys Life Magazine
Tiki Island Wear
VISIT FLORIDA

11/15/2025

3 Dining Rooms, 3 bars, 3 Happy Hours!
DiGiorgio's Cafe Largo is an elegant, family-owned and operated Italian & Seafood restaurant in the center of Key Largo!
Bayside Grille & Sunset Bar - Key Largo's Most Photographed Sunsets!

11/15/2025

Be thankful for healthy smiles at Overseas Dental! (305) 453-9105

Ocean Drive Islamorada - Indoor Golf Coming Soon! (305) 902-7013

Islamorada H**p Co - No Medical Card Needed! MM 82











**pCo

11/14/2025

One great page - TWO great advertisers!
RexAir and Houston Insurance Agency!
Houston Insurance Agency: 305-453-6241
RexAir: 305-852-8230
"Keep It Local!"

11/14/2025

Innovative Technology Solutions has expanded! Get in touch and visit their ad on page 12 in this month's Keys Life Magazine, and turn your home into a space of comfort!

Visit their official website at the link in the comment section below! ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

11/13/2025

Celebrating 20 years

🛏️ Mattress & Beyond has been your local mattress retailer since 2006.

For the long time locals, Laz is a friend and someone we have trusted for the last 20 years, to help us choose the right mattress for our needs, and also our budget.

If you haven't met Laz, stop by anytime Monday thru Friday 9:30am till 5:30pm and Saturdays, 9:30am till 2pm.
He is fishing on Sundays 😊

Mattress & Beyond is a great locally owned business, so next time you're thinking about a new Mattress, stop and see Laz and within minutes of speaking with him, you will know why Mattress & Beyond is always the locals 1st choice.

Offering mattresses from Tempur-Pedic, Simmons, Sealy, Spring Air, and Sterns & Foster.

Mattress prices start at $129 and FREE local delivery is available.

99411 Overseas Hwy #5
Key Largo, Fl
On the north bound lane, directly across from CVS at mm99.

Call, text or stop and see Laz.
(305) 413-0910

Mattress and Beyond
Keys Life Magazine
Tiki Island Wear
Visit Islamorada
Islamorada Chamber of Commerce
Key West Virtual Tours
Tropical Life, Food and Fun
Florida Keys History & Discovery Center
Key Largo Rotary
Upper Keys Rotary Nautical Market
Mattress
Sealy Mattress
Serta Mattress

11/13/2025

Don't miss this month's Living The Island Life section, featuring our real estate advertiser's showcase properties! Find your Keys paradise!
The Florida Keys Board of REALTORS has a new Consumers Guid read on page 47: TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK A BUYER'S AGENT

11/13/2025

It's funny, when a local thinks about Robbie's Marina, we're not thinking about a tourist spot; it's a piece of our history, and honestly, a bit of an old Florida miracle still holding on.

Before it was Robbie's, the property on Lower Matecumbe Key was the Starck Fishing Camp, established by the Starck family who became the first permanent residents on that key back in the 1940s.

The building that's now the Hungry Tarpon Restaurant was originally their bait and tackle shop, and for years, it was just a local fishing hub—the kind of place where you could get live shrimp, a cold beer, and the straight scoop on where the fish were biting.
It was rustic, authentic, and tied deep into the Keys' fishing heritage, long before the crowds showed up.

The whole thing changed—and the Robbie's legend was born—back in 1976 when Robbie and his wife, Mona, stumbled across a massive, wounded tarpon floundering near the dock. This wasn't just any fish; his jaw was torn open, likely from a boat prop. Robbie, being a Keys person with a big heart, dragged the giant fish into his shrimp tank, called up an old local doctor, and they stitched the big guy up using a mattress needle and twine. They named him Scarface, nursed him for six months, and eventually released him. The incredible thing is, Scarface didn't leave; he and his friends started showing up at the dock every day, waiting for a handout.

That act of kindness is the core of what Robbie's is today—that tradition of hand-feeding the giant "Silver Kings" became the iconic draw, turning a small marina into something truly special.

From that simple, honest beginning with Scarface, Robbie's has slowly but surely evolved into the bustling hub you see today, though it still has that charming, laid-back grit. It grew naturally, adding more docks, more charters, and the Hungry Tarpon Restaurant became the perfect place to grab a cocktail and watch the main attraction.

As Islamorada became more of a destination, Robbie's followed suit, bringing in the open-air market with local artists and the jet ski and kayak rentals. For us locals, it’s a constant reminder of "Old Florida"—a place with character, a true origin story, and a sense of untamed fun that’s getting harder and harder to find.

It’s a bit messy, always buzzing, and you'll still hear those screams of surprise and laughter as a hundred-pound tarpon leaps out of the water for a baitfish—a spectacle born from one man’s compassion for an injured fish all those years ago.


HISTORY
History In Pictures
Florida Keys History & Discovery Center
History of Diving Museum
Addicted to History
Museum of Florida History
History Hit
Key West Historic Seaport

11/12/2025

The southernmost section of U.S. Route 1 that travels through the Florida Keys is known today as the Overseas Highway. This 113-mile stretch is famous for its 42 bridges connecting the various islands, including the iconic Seven Mile Bridge.

Before it was a continuous car road, the path through the Keys was dominated by the Florida East Coast Railway's remarkable Over-Sea Railroad. Millionaire Henry Flagler completed this "railroad that goes to sea" in 1912, connecting Key West to the mainland.

For cars, the initial road was built in the mid-1920s and was officially designated State Road 4A (SR 4A). The original SR 4A was opened in 1928, but it was incomplete, running in two segments with a significant 41-mile gap between them that required drivers to use an automobile ferry to cross.

The transition from a two-part state road and ferry to a continuous federal highway was tragically expedited by the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The Category 5 storm completely devastated much of the Over-Sea Railroad, leading the bankrupt railroad company to sell the damaged right-of-way (the land and foundations) to the State of Florida for \$640,000.
Using federal aid and toll funding, the state converted the abandoned railroad trestles and roadbeds into a continuous highway.

The completed road, fully linking the Keys to the mainland, opened in 1938 and was named the Overseas Highway.

The road's official designation as an extension of U.S. Route 1 came in the years following, spurred by the need for a modern and reliable vehicle artery, particularly for naval access to Key West during World War II. By joining the new Overseas Highway to the existing US 1 at Miami, the route established its final path, creating the continuous highway from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida. This made the Overseas Highway the southernmost segment of the entire U.S. 1 system, cementing its place in American highway history.

11/12/2025

If you like to snack, but want or need to eat healthy, give these a try.

Healthy ingredients are listed below.

PRIMA Grass Fed Protein Bars
Animal-Based Protein Bar with Beef Tallow, Raw Honey, Seed Oil Free, Low Carb, Gluten-Free

Healthy, Energy Snacks for Clean Lifestyle.

https://www.eatprima.com/ALLAN49822