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Aug 20, 2023 · Origins and Meaning of ‘Key’. The term “key” has its roots in the Spanish word “cayo,” but its meaning goes even further back in history. The word “key” can be traced back to the Old English word “cæg,” which means “a piece that fits.”. This meaning is quite fitting as the Florida Keys are like puzzle pieces that fit ...
As to the name Key West, there is little doubt that it was some form of translation from the Spanish 'Cayo' (Key) and 'Hueso', if indeed the name was Hueso. The Spanish word Hueso [Way-so] means bone in English. A few believe that it came from the seven-year apple tree found in the Keys, which was also called hueso by the Spanish.
The wreck of the Spanish Plate Fleet in 1733 and its recovery operations provided us with the earliest detailed map of the Florida Keys. Since the wrecked ships were strung along the reefs of the Middle and Upper Keys, most of the principal Keys were named and located. We leave early Florida under Spanish ownership as it remained until 1763.
The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about 15 miles (24 km) south of Miami and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the ...
- Florida Keys – Why Not Islands?
- Are The Florida Keys Manmade?
- Are The Florida Keys Really Different from Florida Islands?
- Where Do The Florida Keys Start?
- Is There Freshwater in The Florida Keys?
- Where Do The Florida Keys Get Their Water?
- Why Are There No Waves in The Florida Keys?
- The Key Point: Biology, Not Geology
Florida certainly does have its share of islands. A few islands that are more commonly known are Anna Maria Island, Marco Island, Merritt Island, and Gasparilla Island. So why are these islands known as islands and not keys? And why are the keys called keys and not islands? The whole situation seems to be a bit of a mess. The technical difference b...
This question might seem a little strange but think about it. A “small, low-lying coral island” doesn’t seem to describe the conditions on, say, Key Largo adequately. Instead, the Florida Keys feel big, substantial, even wandering at times: they don’t feel like one might expect a small coral island to feel. The Florida Keys are not manmade.In fact,...
So we know that the keys are called that because they have a unique geological origin. But is that different from other islands in Florida? Are the other islands actually misnomers? Should Marco Island be Marco Key? Marco Island is relatively close to the Keys; it is low-lying; it has sandy beaches. Is Marco Island actually a key? The answer is no:...
The Florida Keys are traditionally said to begin with Key Largo. So, technically, when leaving Miami on Route 1 headed into the keys, the first key you will cross is the appropriately named Cross Key.However, this key is fairly minor and uninhabited and is not a place one would visit when coming to the Florida Keys. Key Largo is the closest key to ...
The Florida Keys are surrounded by salt water. The Straits of Florida, the Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico are all saltwater bodies. With the exception of the Key West freshwater lens,the groundwater in the keys is generally not potable. The Key West freshwater lens is an aquifer that sits beneath Key West. The aquifer is filled by rainwater, and ...
So if there’s no fresh water in the keys and the big aquifer in Key West is not really viable, where the heck do the keys get their freshwater from? Fresh water for the keys is pumped from wells near Miami, then transferred to the Keys’ water infrastructure through an aqueduct that runs along Route 1.With the exception of a few homes that have well...
The Florida Keys are protected from the action of large waves by a large barrier reef that protects the archipelago from the heavy waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Waves break on the reefs, keeping the waters that separate the keys from the ocean relatively calm and tranquil. This separation makes the Keys great for diving, sailing, boating, fishing, a...
The Florida Keys are some of the most beautiful islands in the world.Among the treasures a key-going person might encounter are tropical beaches, amazing mangroves, clear waters, great fishing, and a local culture that is uniquely roguish and fun. And while you’re out having the time of your life in the keys, you can win a bet by remembering that t...
FLORIDA KEYS - Not long after Christopher Columbus landed in the New World in 1492, adventurer Ponce de Leon and fellow Spanish chronicler Antonio de Herrera were searching for the elusive fountain of youth when they sighted the Florida Keys. The day was Sunday, May 15, 1513.Herrera described the Keys for posterity: "To all this line of islands ...
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Sep 2, 2023 · The Florida Keys are at the Southern tip of Florida. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the East, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico lie to the West and the Florida Straights separate the Florida Keys ...