My Blog

Palm Beaches first Port

corky33408 — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:09:41 +0000

Several months after construction began on the Palm Beach Inn (now The Breakers), Henry Flagler announced plans to build a pier with a railroad extension that would serve as a port for his newly established fleet of steamships. With Capt. JD Ross supervising it’s construction, The Breakers pier formally opened as the Port of Palm Beach on Jan. 18th, 1896. In addition to the railroad tracks, the government installed a signal tower to warn mainlanders in case of a naval invasion. The pier operated as a link between Palm Beach, Miami, Key West and Nassau Bahamas. It also functioned as a stopover for privateers running guns to Cuba during the Spanish-American war. In 1903 the railroad tracks were removed from the pier and it was used for recreational purposes only (mostly fishing). Several storms in the early 1920′s took out approximately 60′ of the east end of the pier. Following the hurricane of 1928, and having been rebuilt several times, the piers remains were left to disintegrate. Now the “old pier” is one of our favorite snorkeling spots. Some come join us on our ocean snorkeling tour and explore what is now home to tropical fish, turtles, rays and invertebrates. Capt. Gary

Spring Ahead

corky33408 — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:39:13 +0000

Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead 1 hour before going to bed on March 12, 2011. Daylight saving time officially begins on March 13, 2011, yes an hour longer we can snorkel!! Spring officially begins on March 20th. This means warmer ocean temperatures, calmer seas, longer days, my favorite time of year. We have been going to Peanut Island quite a bit lately, as the ocean conditions have not been that calm. We time these trips around high tide, so call us ahead for departure times (we have the tide charts for the whole year). The holidays always fill up faster than any other time. FYI: Peanut Island is a 79-acre island at the mouth of the Lake Worth Inlet in Palm Beach County. The island was created by dredging-related projects in 1918 which also created the inlet and the Port of Palm Beach. Originally named Inlet Island, the island was renamed Peanut Island for a planned peanut oil-shipping operation which failed in 1946. A $13 million renovation on the island in 2005 resulted in Peanut Island Park including camp sites, a pier, and a manmade reef. The island also features a blast shelter built in secret for President John F. Kennedy shortly after his 1960 election. Kennedy often spent winters in nearby Palm Beach. The shelter is operated by the Palm Beach Maritime Museum and is open to visitors as an example of Cold War-era concerns for the president’s safety. So book your next adventure with Keylypso. Capt. Gary

The Gulf Stream Current

corky33408 — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:41:43 +0000

Juan Ponce De Leon discovered the gulf stream on his expedition of 1513 (just thought you might like to know)! This warm ocean current originates in the Gulf of Mexico and, as the Florida current, passes through the straits of Florida and flows northward along the southeast coast of the US. North of Cape Hatteras the Gulf Stream veers north-east into the Atlantic Ocean. Because of where Palm Beach is located, it is the closest to the Gulf Stream along the east coast. This nutrient rich warm water helps bring us a variety of tropical fish, turtles, rays, manatees, dolphins, invertebrates, and even an ocasional whale. Also clear water (good visibility for snorkeling and diving). Our average visibility is 40-60 feet and on a good day 100 feet plus! So come on out with keylypso and see what this area has to offer. Capt. Gary

Manatee Season

corky33408 — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:53:20 +0000

November 15th marks the beginning of our manatee season. Slow down in those manatee zones if your out boating. The West Indian manatee was discovered in the 1500′s by the Spanish explorers. They were hunted almost to extinction for their meat, hide and oils. Florida banned the hunting of manatees in 1893. The official “season” is October 30th to March 31st. In the warmer months manatees spend most of their time at sea and out of harms way. The colder weather drives them inland to places where they can find warm water. The closest relatives of the manatee are the elephant, hyraxes, and aardvarks. The average adult manatee is about 10′ long and weighs 1000 pounds. They can reach 13′ and weigh as much as 3000 pounds! Good thing for us snorkelers they are completely herbivorous, (they eat mostly aquatic plants). They spend most of their time eating, resting or in travel. They can consume 10-15% of their body weight daily. Generally manatees come up to breathe every 3-5 min., but when resting they can stay submerged for 20 min. or longer. They are believed to live 60 years or longer. Manatees are protected under Federal Law, so do not harass, annoy, molest, kill or disturb a manatee! Come on out with Keylypso in search of these gentle giants! Capt. Gary

Snorkeling this winter

corky33408 — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:05:28 +0000

Well we have almost made it thru the hurricane season this year in good shape. Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, where did this year go?? This time of year can be hit or miss for snorkeling in the ocean. Peanut Island is a great alternative when the ocean is rough. We plan this trip around high tide, so call us for times, (we have the tide schedule for the whole year). As it gets a little cooler out we expect to see more of our manatee friends! Yesterday there was a report of a mother and her calf right off of Lake Park Marina. Water temperture is currently 78 degrees. Remeber we do have shorty wet suits availble for rent (let us know when you book your trip so we can have it on the boat for you). Happy holidays to everyone, we hope you get to spend some quality time with fiends and family. May we have fair winds and following seas! Capt. Gary

AS the Prop Turns

corky33408 — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 15:12:34 +0000

This summer got off to a rough start with the ocean conditions (the roughest I can remember). But now we are enjoying those flat calm, hot summer days. It seems like the summer is flying by. Soon we will be breaking out the wet suits for the fall and winter season. Currently the water temp. is 85 degrees, at the surface. We have had some thermoclines (cold water from deep mixing with surface water). Lately on our ocean trips we have been seeing; dolphins, turtles, lobster and lots of tropical fish. Peanut Island continues to be great, with tons of fish, rays and manatees. So book an adventure with Keylypso before it gets cold again. Capt. Gary

Manta Rays

corky33408 — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:30:45 +0000

Finally the water is warming up (currently 75-77 degrees) and the seas are calming down. Summer is just around the corner (my favorite time)! Yesterday for the first time this season we saw a manta ray on the Breakers Pier reef. Every spring it seems they come in there to feed on the plankton; what a sight. The largest specimen recorded was more than 25 feet across (wing span). Its weight was aprox. 5100 lbs! They have the largest brain to body ratio of the sharks and rays. Mantas are filter feeders, feeding on plankton, fish larvae, etc. Large sharks and in some circumstances orcas, are mantas main predators. Mantas display curiosity around humans and will swim among divers and snorkelers. The best interaction you can have with them is to swim slowly and let them come to you. They can swim up to 7 miles per hour. So get your cameras ready and join us in our search for these giants. Capt. Gary

Spring and Summer

corky33408 — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:51:36 +0000

Well if there’s one word to describe this winter; Buuuuuuuuuuuur!. I have lived here since the early 70′s and have never seen so many cold fronts. Currently the water temp. is 71 degrees and yes we are wearing wet suits. We have seen a lot of manatees this year (Peanut Isl. and power plant). The ocean has been rough more than calm, so we have been at Peanut Island a lot this winter. The fish population and variety there is amazing. On one of those really cold days we interacted with the manatees for about an hour and a half! Spotted eagle rays, star fish, manatees and squid are not uncommon. So here’s to fair winds, following sees and warmer temps! Capt. Gary

Good News Story

corky33408 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:07:39 +0000

Humpback whales may soon be taken off the endangered species list in response to data showing the animal’s population has been steadily growing in recent decades. Known for their acrobatic leaps from the sea and complex singing patterns, humpback whales were nearly hunted to extinction for their oil and meat by industrial-sized whaling ships well through the middle of the 20th century. But the species has been bouncing back since an international ban on their commercial whaling in 1966. There are now an estimated 18,000 to 20,000 humpbacks in the North Pacific, up from just 1,400 in the mid-1960s. Helping the humpbacks is that they reproduce once every two to three years, as opposed to every three years for other whale species. They also have a diverse diet, including krill and herring, capelin and other fish. Happy New Year! Capt. Gary

Happy Holidays 2009

corky33408 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:35:52 +0000

Wishing our friends, family and guests, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year! What a challenging year, to say the least. We are thankful to still be in business. During these tough and trying times we learn to appreciate the little things. I like to say less is MORE! Some exciting things we are working on for 2010 are; under water scooters on the boat, an overnight snorkeling trip down to the Pompano/ Ft. Lauderdale area, a liveaboard Bahama snorkeling trip & a kids camp for snorkeling this summer. Please let us know what you think and if any of this interests you. The water temp. right now is 78 degrees (not to bad). Remember we do have wet suits available for rent. Hope to see you soon on Keylypso. Capt. Gary