On Tuesday May 29, we started the drive back through the Keys. We stopped at Lorelei in Islamorada so I could get my picture with the giant mermaid because we accidentally missed it on the way down to Key West. We also enjoyed the beautiful ocean views one more time before arriving in Key Largo. We checked in at Keys Divers, grabbed some lunch then walked down to the dock to board a boat for our afternoon snorkel adventure. We rode out for about an hour and a half and Nic and I could not get over how shallow the water was the entire ride out. We also couldn't get over the gorgeous blue water. Our first snorkel spot was Grecian Rocks. It was stunning! It ended up being my favorite snorkel spot of the day. The coral was so different from anything I have ever seen before. It was very leaf like and the brightest color purple. The way it moved under water was mesmerizing. Then you add turquoise blue water and tons of colorful fish and it was just perfect! We saw a few barracuda too, which was pretty cool.
The second snorkel spot was called Key Largo Dry Rocks. This is by far the most famous dive in the Key Largo Marine Sanctuary because it is where the Statue of Christ of the Abyss is. It was quite beautiful and really cool to see. I have never seen a statue in the ocean and there was something quite magical about it. I'm very glad we got to see it and feel like our snorkels here would not have been complete without having seen Christ of the Deep as it is also called. The site itself was also beautiful. We saw a bunch more barracuda, tons of fish, and some more colorful coral. One couple said they saw two spotted eagle rays, so we were disappointed to have missed out on that, but we still had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed this spot.
The last spot we snorkeled at was White Banks Dry Rocks. This spot was a bit sandier and very shallow, but was still unique and beautiful. We saw a few more barracuda, a puffer fish and Nic found a couple of lobster. They were this bright purple and pink color and really cool to watch. They would have been so easy to catch and eat for dinner if the area wasn't protected. We really had a fantastic day out on the water and I'm so glad we did it. I was a little nervous about it considering how pregnant I am, but it was so relaxing. We just swam slow and took all the sights in and really felt like we got to see a lot of gorgeous things. I even got a compliment from the crew member about how well I did. :) I don't think we would have really experienced the Keys if we hadn't done this trip (especially with our love of the ocean and snorkeling) and it was definitely one of my favorite things we did the entire trip!
After spending the day snorkeling, we drove up to Miami. As we were driving along, a sign warned us of severe weather ahead. It was sunny and gorgeous out, but within a few minutes we were in this massive downpour and could barely see where we were going. It was kind of crazy! A few miles later and we were back in sunny weather again. We decided to stop at Versailles for dinner on the way to Miami Beach. Our friends, Amy and Angel had recommended it and it has a reputation as being one of the best, most authentic, and original Cuban restaurants in Miami. Nic got the Ropa Vieja (Amy's recommendation), which is shredded beef cooked with garlic, onions, bell peppers, wine, and tomato sauce. I got the Criollo Cuban Sampler so I could try a bit of everything. It came with the Ropa Vieja, Fried Pork Chunks, Ham Croquette, Sweet Plantains, Cuban Tamale, Cassava with Cuban Mojo. Everything was delicious!
After dinner, we drove to our hotel. We stayed at Loews right on the beach. We ended up getting upgraded to a great room with a lounge room, a view of the pool, a view of the beach, and even a slight view of the Miami skyline back the other way!
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