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Dog Festival Event at Founders Park

Come in your boat or arrive by car, Woofstock is a great community event for a day of Peace, Paws and Music! Yes, we have this annually at Founders Park. Plus we host a bunch of other pet focused events in the Florida Keys. Our website url will guide you to more information and you can get a fun time added to your itinerary. The cause is for adoptions and critter knowledge, with food, entertainment, music and playful times.

What are the Islands that make up Marathon Florida Keys?

We get so many questions about what makes up the Marathon Islands at our Tackle Box Bait Shop. Make sure you have good maps and backup communication equipment when you go boating. The primary islands you will be exploring include: Crawl Key, Vaca Key, Boot Key, Knight Key, Hog Key, Stirrup Key, Little Crawl Key, Deer Key, Fat Deer Key, Long Pine Key, Grassy Key, East Sister Island, and West Sister Island. Duck Key is so close we should add them in!

Little Torch Key Boat Ramp & Marina

Wanted to comment on the Dolphin Marina Cottages and Store (add website link attached), the spot for those looking for boating services around the Big Pine Key area. The marina is located oceanside on Little Torch Key, which is just below Big Pine Key and right above both Ramrod and Summerland Keys. So if you are staying in these areas and want a place to dump in your boat, use the boat ramp at Dolphin Marina and then dock up to your condo, hotel or home rental. Fee based trailer storage is available if needed. The Ship's Store comes in handy for ice cold beer, bait, food, and cold drinks. Live bait tends to work the best, and that is what you need to hit the flats or ocean deep blue! Be sure to ask us what is biting and where to go. The friendly staff will let you know what is hot for fishing then, as some fish are seasonal here in the Florida Keys. The fuel dock is ready for your refill too. Let's go boating!

What about the Florida Keys Thunderstorms?

The mighty Florida Keys thunderstorms are legendary. Certainly anyone that has gone boating in the Summer Season has a really entertaining story to tell about dodging a pending storm. In the summer, they come in from any direction and are more unpredictable in Monroe County as compared to the mainland of Florida. In winter season, they tend to arrive from the north in a more predictable pattern and are more accurately forecasted. Out on the water, thunderstorms bring more danger as you get the wicked lightning strikes, reduced visibility, higher wave heights, and strong gusts of wind. On the boat, the old rule of taking cover in a low area does not apply. Operating a boat in these conditions is much more challenging for the boat captain. Also, imagine your engine stops working as the pending storm is coming toward your boat! So what to do? 1 Understand and monitor the weather on an ongoing basis using weather radio and online PDA weather radar websites. Move close to shore or stop at one of our many boater friendly restaurants to ride out the situation. 2 Have the numbers to all local Coast Guard Units and Boat Towing Services. Yes, the best strategy is to monitor the weather closely with electronic media and have a backup emergency contact plan if things turn badly.