Rich wrote:

Hello, rec.boats.cruising !

My wife and I will be joining another couple on their sailing
catamaran for an 8-day trip starting in Key Largo, Florida with Key
West as a destination. This sailing catamaran has been known to
achieve 10 knots or more in the right conditions and can motor at 6
knots, so we should have no problem getting to our goal of spending a
couple of days in Key West.

This sailing catamaran needs just over 4 foot of water depth and is 47
foot long by 24 foot wide. So shallow water and small spaces will be
limited to explorations from the 10 foot long on-board 6-passenger
dinghy which only needs 1 foot or so of water depth.

We've heard that there is a very nice resort/spa Hawks Cay in Duck
Cay, so we'll try to spend a day there.

Please suggest other nearby destinations!

Indian Key on the Hawk Channel side and Lignumvitae Key on the Bay
side are state parks. Indian Key is located about three-fourths of a
mile in a southeasterly direction from the north shore of Lower
Matecumbe Key. Indian Key has a very interesting history and features
ruins of a wreckers’ village burned down by Indians in 1840 and
numerous sisal plants cultivated by famed botanist, Dr. Henry Perrine.
Ranger-guided tours are available at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Thursday
through Monday. The tour fee is $1 per person. Children under 6 are
admitted free of charge. I've never gotten to take this tour - we
have taken the moorings (which were free), but Bob didn't feel that
they were very secure so we didn't stay for the tour.

http://www.abfla.com/parks/IndianKey/indiankey.html

Lignumvitae Key has the virgin tropical forest that was once typical
of the kind of scenery that was on most of Florida's Upper Keys. State
park rangers conduct guided tours three times daily, Thursday-Monday.
Here, you walk in the shade of trees with strange names like mastic,
strangler fig, poisonwood, pigeon plum and gumbo-limbo. Fifty people
may explore the key at one time, 25 on the nature trail and 25 in the
clearing. Walking shoes and mosquito repellent are recommended.

http://www.abfla.com/parks/Lignumvit...mvitaekey.html

We have also anchored in Newfound Harbor, past the Little Palm Island
resort (only access by boat) where they filmed PT 109. Now it's a very
exclusive place. We thought of going in for dinner, but in the end
did not.

All three of these islands/cays are accessible only by boat.

We'd love to hear about some great snorkeling destinations.

If you want to snorkel at this time of year you will need wet suits.
The waters can be quite cold even for people who are used to cold
water. You will not enjoy it very much if you do not have some
thermal protection.

Of course there is John Pennekamp.

The Sombrero Key lighthouse has moorings for snorkeling etc. I've
tried to do that but it was too cold for me to stay in very long.

Bahai Honda State Park is another possible place or you could go down
to the Marquesas beyond Key West

Is there someplace nearby where we can see manatees in the wild?
Dolphins? Sea Turtles? Flamingos? (Please don't say "Sea World" LOL)

Manatees are mostly up in the Florida rivers where the water is
warmer.

Are there any other uniquely "Floridian" sights that are nearby and
easily reached by a boat?

You can bring the dinghy into Key West Bight (there is a charge to tie
up), and walk to a lot of locations around Key West. I would suggest
the Wrecker's Museum and possibly Audubon House as worth the money and
uniquely Key West. There is also a nice aquarium.

All suggestions are greatly appreciated!

***thanks***
Rich