Explore the waters surrounding Virginia Key on the Fourth of July weekend with the Miami Kayak Club on a paddle ride that features a visit to the fossilized mangrove forest at the Bear Cut Preserve and snorkeling in the Half Moon archeological site.
The trip is part of the Miami Meet-up group. You can join the group and find out more about this trip and others at http://www.meetup.com/miami-kayak-club/calendar/13866356/.
For this trip, paddlers meet up at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, July 3 at Virginia Key Beach and paddle past Bear Cut to the wreck of the Half Moon to the Fossil Reef. This is the north entrance beach, also known as Sewer Beach (and a favorite of windsurfers, too), 3701 Rickenbacker Causey (off of Arthur Lamb Road).
Here’s what you’ll see:
FOSSIL REEF (Walk, Snorkel, Swim):
You can actually see the Fossil Reef from Virginia Key Beach at low tide. The rock reef extends along the northeastern shore of Key Biscayne and is part of the Bear Cut Nature Preserve. It’s actually fossilized black mangrove roots that are believed to be between 1,000-2,000 years old. It may be a one-of-kind structure in the world.
http://www.untamedscience.com/biodiversity/article/fossil-reef-near-miami-fl
WRECK OF THE HALF MOON:
An entombed racing sailboat that ran aground in 1930‘s lies in 8’-10’ feet of water and is now home to tropical fish, spiny lobster, sea sponges, crustaceans and myriad sea life.
http://www.museumsinthesea.com/_docs/Halfmoon_guide.pdf
http://www.museumsinthesea.com/_docs/Halfmoon_brochure.pdf
http://www.museumsinthesea.com/halfmoon/biology.htm
Directions: From I-95 South of Downtown Miami (or US 1), take Rickenbacker Cswy. Over the large, elevated bridge. Turn left at the first Virginia Key Beach sign just before the Miami Seaquarium. Keep to the right of the road that twists and turns until you get to a parking area for the beach park (on the right hand side).
From this parking lot you can also enter the Tropical Hardwood Hammock, which has a self-guided tour (it’s free and open to the public).
The kayaking trip is free if you bring your own vessel but there are fees along the way: a $1.50 per vehicle fee to cross the Rickenbacker Causeway and $5 per car fee the City of Miami charges to enter Virginia Key Beach.
