In 1983 the Florida Keys Dive Center opened due to the vision of Tom and Pam Timmerman. Their vision was to create a snorkel and dive center that operated with professionalism while providing a fun family atmosphere with an emphasis on dive education. Today, 20 years later, that vision is still alive and every day families are learning to dive and snorkel while enjoying hours of family fun. Just south of mile marker 90 in the Florida Keys lies Tom…
I recently had one of the most exciting adventures of my life. The afternoon started with a plan to drift lazily down the Loxahatchee River taking pictures of wildlife, as I would be blanketed by the shade from the 500-year-old Cypress trees. That plan was suddenly exchanged with an adventurous kayaking trip that I would never forget. Canoeing and kayaking on the "Wild and Scenic" Loxahatchee River is day full of adventure and beauty that is a must do for…
Morning came. It was a beautiful sunny September day with calm waters in Ft. Lauderdale. This would be the morning of my first Kayak race. I was a little nervous due to the fact that I’m a novice. The race was sponsored by Full Moon Kayak Co., an outfitter, and the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF), located on the intra coastal waterway of Fort Lauderdale. Colleen, the owner of Full Moon Kayak Co., was a gracious host and explained…
The Florida beaches received the No. 1, 2, 3 and 9 rankings on TripAdvisor for Best Beaches in the U.S. TripAdvisor, one of the world's most popular and largest travel community, made the announcement this week in its newsletter, TripWatch. Pinellas County’s Fort De Soto Park near St. Petersburg was awarded with the No. 1 spot, while the Florida Key’s Bahia Honda State Park was ranked No. 2; Panama City’s St. Andrew’s State Park finished at No. 3 and Honeymoon…
My wife and I took an escape to swim with dolphins in the Florida Keys. I am so thankful we took the time out of our busy schedules as a south florida wedding photographer and my wife as an accountant to do this and enjoy a day together. Swimming with these peaceful creatures was relaxing and rejuvenating. I had planned this for several weeks as a surprise for my wife. We had not traveled anywhere for quite some time. So, why not…
In all of Florida there are a select few cities that can bring the name metropolis and paradise together, and have them used interchangeably, without a doubt Naples is one of those cities. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839. Despite being the largest city in Collier County, it definitely retains a certain cohesion and closeness that is common to all members that partake in its daily…
In the Northern part of South Florida Region lies a growing mega metropolis known as West Palm Beach, with an impressive 86,000 people that hustle and bustle its streets each day. With an array of colors and shapes that would make an artist brush be lively and vibrant, as to simply baffle the human imagination, to see this paradise is to recognize a slice of heaven in ones own backyard. Yet, how did this story begin, where did it all…
It was one of those idyllic summer evenings in June, when the sun was still glowing but its heat had waned into comfortable warmth. My friends and I met up at the charming little Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale for an evening of wine, good conversation and an interesting documentary movie. Cinema Paradiso is a sweet little theatre located at 503 SE 6 Street, close to the southern entrance of the Kinney Tunnel. Named after the stunningly crafted Italian movie…
The news anchor was talking about water use restrictions. We were not allowed to water our lawns or wash our cars except on days that corresponded with our home address. The dry season typically begins in January for South Florida and lasts into April, but this year was unusually dry as evidenced by the water restrictions. This came as no surprise to my wife, Loren, and I. We had been hiking in Big Cypress National Preserve the prior weekend and…
I recently had the opportunity of spending a weekend at Captain’s Quarters in Keaton Beach, owned by old friends Sandra and Joe Hatcher. I was invited for some desperately needed r&r and was only too happy to be their guest. My friendship with Sandra goes back about 10 years when we were into the tourism business – Sandra at Keaton Beach and I in Citrus County. As I stopped at the two stores to pick up food items for the…