More pics.

@Maver1ck : Great pics! I knew the water was great but I did not know the water is so clear there. Is all of Key West that way?

@Maver1ck : Lovely pictures, thanks for sharing!

You'll notice that there is a moat around the fort to keep attackers from gaining entrance. Supposedly there is a hammerhead shark that is living in the moat that got there from one of the big storms that flooded. I did not see the shark, but it could've been lurking in the depths of the moat.

@Gammyof2 : My pleasure. I will include a few more photos below of the harbor at Key West just prior to getting on the big ferry and heading to Fort Jefferson.

@TEXASGIRLMAMMA : Yes, all around Key West the waters are quite beautiful. That said, after a big storm or blow, the water is usually a little cloudy for a day or two, but after it lays down, it gets crystal clear again, and it's like a giant swimming pool. The Florida Keys and Key West are very similar in water clarity to the Bahamas for example, but the big difference is that you can drive to the keys. Most of the keys do not have much of a beach because the shoreline is coral. There are a few places like Bahia Honda in the keys where a stunning beach exists. Key West has some beach, but it also has a fair amount of coral shoreline.

Stayed in a place called Harbor Inn, which is a quaint house that I was told came in pieces by boat from the Bahamas, and then was assembled. It's a small mom and Pop type place run by a wonderful family. I happened across it and decided to rent one of the small rooms and it was very very nice, and was also like a one minute walk away from the harbor and restaurants, which was really nice.

Below are a few more photos of Fort Jefferson that are very interesting

@Maver1ck : It sounds like a great place to go if you don't want to fly somewhere. The water was great when we went to Hawaii and I thought we would never find anything close to it in the states. The thing I hate about the beach here is the murky water.

There is a seaplane that you can charter as well if you did not want to take the ferry. The ferry departs typically at around 7 AM every day, weather permitting. It costs around $200 a person for the ferry, but they feed you (drinks too) and the crew takes really good care of everyone. It was a wonderful boat ride there and back. I did not do the seaplane but would like to perhaps on a future trip. The seaplane when I checked was very expensive for me at around $800 per person. I'm sure rates vary depending on the season and it is also a tour ride to see the whole area from the air which would've been fascinating but I just didn't have that kind of money this time around.

@Maver1ck : I consider $200 to be expensive but I would have done it. It's much better than $800. How long does the ferry ride take?

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@TEXASGIRLMAMMA : I've done family outings since the early 1960s to the Florida Keys, typically once or twice every year for a week at a time, and throughout all of these years and over 100 visits, it is a very unique and wonderful place, largely on spoiled by man. Typically are rental venue of choice has been a place called Pines and palms at mile marker 80 or so, where key west is mile marker zero to give you an idea of how the keys or Mapped. John Pennekamp in Islamorada is around mile marker 100 and is a fun place to visit as well.If a person or family was to stay at a Pines in Palms, for example, a boat is highly recommended because you can't really see the big picture beauty without taking a short boat ride out towards the big tower called alligator reef. This was name from a ship called the USS alligator that ran around there many many years ago. Once you pull up your boat near alligator, the water is absolutely stunning, weather permitting. It is a very short ride from Pines in Palms, by boat to the tower, and there's always 10 to 20 boats anchored around it to snorkel and see millions of fish . It is quite beautiful. Going out past alligator a short distance he drops off very deep and the fishing is fantastic.

@Maver1ck : It sounds wonderful! When we decide to go I will be asking you for travel tips. I would love to go somewhere like this once or twice a year. Did you live closer than Kingwood back then? I am sure people have crapped things up over the years. I just do not understand why people have to do that. I bet it was wonderful in the 60s.

@Maver1ck : The water is so beautiful