Caribbean
Island Paradise
Many
Jimmy Buffett fans believe that paradise, Margaritaville
and Key West are pretty much the same, but for Buffett
his Margaritaville is "less a place than a state of mind.
"
When
asked where Margaritaville is Jimmy Buffett answers,
"When
you are there, you will know it."
|
The
back label on the Margaritaville Tequila
Oro bottle suggests that Margaritaville
is in the tropics. "Somewhere between the
Port of Indecision and Southwest of
Disorder,"
The
makers of Margaritaville Tequila Oro seem to
agree with Jimmy Buffet about Margaritaville
being a state of mind. In addition to having
no specific degree of latitude or longitude,
their Margaritaville must have palm trees,
ocean breezes, island music, a beach and a
thatch roof bar on the shore by a turquoise
sea. There also has to be lots of lies and
stories and it all should blend together like
tequila, salt and limes.
|
Most
folks living in or visiting the tropical Florida Keys
believe they have found that Margaritaville state of mind
and experienced that change of attitude that Jimmy
Buffett sings about. Since the Florida Keys has 42
bridges and 142 miles of roadway connecting the Keys'
archipeligo of islands it's pretty easy to find an island
paradise one can call Margaritaville.
For a list of
hotels, resorts and accommodations for families visiting
the Florida Keys and Keys West see Family
Accommodations.
To learn
about a Premier Resort for families with "Conch Houses"
read below :
Florida's
Caribbean Island in the Keys
Here in
the Florida Keys paradise is found. A house on the water
with West Indian-style architecture on a private resort
island in the heart of the Florida Keys. Sixty acres of
tropical plantings and Caribbean plantation flavor, but
with all the amenities of Hawk's Cay, the premier
destination resort of the Florida Keys.
A perfect
getaway for those that want to do it all or do
nothing.
Sit on
your verandah and enjoy sapphire skies and turquoise
Caribbean waters or spend the day at the resort with the
kids at the pool. Enroll the children in the resort's
activity program and read that book you've been wanting
to finish.
Adults
have their own private pool offering peace and
tranquility. Sun yourself and take in spectacular views
of America's Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Swim in
the sparkling blue water lagoon and taste the salt of the
Gulf Stream.
Vacation
on a Caribbean Island in the Heart of the Florida Keys,
and stay in the best of Caribbean-style resorts. Choose
from the resorts Inn accommodations or vacation villa
conch houses with waterfront settings, shady porches and
white picket fence charm.
Two
tropical bedrooms with baths, kitchen, dining, living
areas plus amenities of Hawk's Cay, a deluxe destination
resort in the Florida Keys with fine restaurants.
Salt
water lagoon ringed by a white Florida Keys sandy beach,
four swimming pools, fishing, snorkeling, dive
instruction, reef trips, tennis, kid's program, dolphin
encounter, para-sailing, kayaking, boat rentals and
ecotours. Access to golf at Sombrero Country Club. Plenty
of things to do on site and nearby.
After the
days activities have cocktails on the verandah while kids
fish off the dock.
RESERVATIONS
FLORIDA
KEYS BEST
INTERNET
RESERVATION INFORMATION ON
AVAILABILITY OF LODGING AT HAWK'S CAY
RESORT on Duck Key.
Hawk's
Cay Resort's villas have become very popular in the last
five years with vacationing families.
Select Duck Key below to find rates and availability.
SELECT A DESTINATION - KEY WEST, ISLAMORADA, DUCK KEY, MARATHON, or KEY LARGO.
More
About Paradise
|
Found
off Hawk's Cay Resort and the Island of
Duck Key in 10 feet of water, this silver
"Pillar dollar" derives its name from columns or
pillars shown either side of a shield. Pillars
symbolize Gibraltar and the Pyrenees Mountains,
the pillars of Spain. This coin and gold coins
of the 1715 fleet may be seen at All That
Glitters Jewelers located at Duck Key
Plaza.
|
Paradise
Found -Visitors to Hawk's Cay Resort quickly realize
the prize they've found upon arriving at the resort and
the Island of Duck Key.
One
of the first recorded visitors to this area, William
Gerard de Brahm, in a guide to mariners published in The
Atlantic Pilot in 1772 described the waters off of Duck
Key in words fit for paradise.
"Approaching
Hawk Channel, the water gradually changes from the
stream's deep blue to a beautiful sea green and at
last into milk-white. The surroundings under the blue
coloured water are a fine white marl with sponge,
coral and tortoise-grass."
Most
all would agree Duck Key is a treasure. A resort brochure
describes Duck Key as a place of
"swaying
palms and landscaping reminiscent of a grand Caribbean
plantation. An atmosphere as enticing as a soft breeze
off the water. Once you've experienced Florida's
Caribbean Island, you'll find that no other . . . spot
will do."
Is
there real buried Spanish treasure on Duck Key? In
1903 the island came into the possession of the Curry
family, who were early settlers of the Keys. A letter
appearing in the Key West Citizen on September 4, 1966,
written by Kingman G. Curry states:
"
Editor, The Citizen: Approximately 65 years ago my
father, the late Charles J. Curry, was the owner of
Duck Key, Florida, at which time my grandmother, Mrs.
Charlotte Gould, my uncle Percy Gould, my mother and
myself lived there. It was with great difficulty that
he constructed a house at that place owing to the fact
that everything shipped there from Key West had to be
shipped in a sailing vessel . . . "
Hearing
on the radio of a sunken treasure ship being discovered
just off Duck Key by skin divers, Mr. Curry wrote
further:
"All
of this brought to mind . . . my father and uncle, it
seemed to me, were forever digging on the land for
hidden treasures, which according to a map they held,
showed the location of this treasure as buried by a
pirate. Too bad skin diving was not well known in
those days as we might have discovered the
treasure.
Well,
such is life."
Diving
for Treasure - The treasure which Curry had heard
about was that of a Spanish ship named Sueco de Arizon
which went aground off Duck Key and Walker Keys in 1733.
Fifty pounds of coins, worth about $30,000, including ten
perfect pillar dollars were recovered by skin divers in
1964 in ten feet of water. In an account of the discovery
one of the salvors wrote,
"
Before long we were piling up coins on the bottom . .
."
Early on the writer spotted two Pillar Dollars stuck
together. A rare coin, the Pillar was the first round
milled dollar ever made in the New World. All were
lost with the destruction of 1733 fleet.
"They
were in mint condition; the date 1732 looked as if
minted yesterday . . ." By noontime the divers had
found the last coin
and the salvor reported " . . . a smile on everyone's
face told it all. There would be enough treasure tales
. . . . for years to come."
It
is possible to free dive and observe the Spanish ship's
egg-shaped ballast stones under which the treasure was
found. Should you go diving and anyone asks, "Did you
find treasure?" you can respond honestly, "Absolutely,
we found Florida's Caribbean Island in the Keys", a
treasure even landlubbers will recognize as
paradise.
