# Anyone been to Bahia Honda State Park or J. Pennekamp Coral Reef?



## Egret1986 (Jan 23, 2009)

I previously have asked on a couple of threads about snorkeling on the West Coast of Florida and assume that this doesn't exist.  I have a hold on a unit a Florida Bay Club on Key Largo.  John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is about 5 minutes from the resort and touts great snorkeling at the Coral Reef.  Also, the snorkeling and kayaking is recommended by folks on trip advisor, as well as at Bahia Honda State Park, which is about an hour south.

Has anyone been to these State Parks mainly for the snorkeling and kayaking?

Thanks!


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## pcgirl54 (Jan 23, 2009)

*John Pennekamp*

I almost mentioned that JP Park to you on the other thread about SW florida. It's been a few years but we took our sons same ages as yours are now. We stayed in Pompano and did a day trip. Better to stay there or do 2 overnights to really enjoy it.

Snorkel spot is not close to shore like some Carribean islands so we rented a boat at JP Park and  went through the mangroves out to another spot the park ranger suggested as it was late in the day. I stayed in the boat and it just looked like we were in the ocean and it was ok but not great per the kids. My guess the longer trip is far better than what we did in a couple of hours timeframe.

http://www.pennekamppark.com

The better reefs are much further out than we had time for and there were park scheduled trips one could take. I want to say from memory that it was 1-1.5 hours or more to get to the better reefs.

In the keys the sand is coral based so best to wear flip flops. I recall picnic areas at the park.

We wanted to but did not have time to go to Bahia SP.

In Homestead area we did an Alligator Farm tour and then an airboat ride on the way to the keys.
http://www.everglades.com

There are also 1-2 marine parks-Theater of the Sea and The Dolphin Research Center in that area.
http://www.theaterofthesea.com

http://www.dolphins.org/help_mem_membership.php

http://thefloridakeys.com/

And in Miami they can go hangliding  http://www.miamihanggliding.com

They should have a great time in the Keys!


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## lifestylehvc (Jan 23, 2009)

Both parks are great for snorkeling and kayaking, Jp might be a little better depending on weather , Just about everywhere in the keys will be better than the west coast for snorkeling 
 Kayaking is good anywhere unless there is a  lot of wind


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## TSTex02 (Jan 23, 2009)

I SCUBA dove John Pennekamp but that was almost 45 years ago. (Yeah, OK, I'm one of the old guys.) As I remember it was a long boat ride offshore to get there but was only 10-20 feet deep. It was well worth it when the weather and the waves cooperated. Beautiful fish and coral everywhere. The water was so clear that it seemed like you were floating in air above the coralheads.

That's where I came nose to nose with a barraccuda as big as me going around a large brain coral. We scared each other and went in opposite directions.

I recommend it, if nothing else for bragging rights in having been in the US's only underwater national park.


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## theo (Jan 23, 2009)

*Splitting hairs...*



TSTex02 said:


> I recommend it, if nothing else for bragging rights in having been in the US's only underwater national park.



A minor and unimportant distinction, but Pennecamp is a *State* park.
Biscayne N.P to the north of Pennecamp is a "National" Park, as is most all of Everglades National Park on the Florida Bay side of the Keys --- but John Pennecamp is, like Bahia Honda, actually a State Park (not that it matters).


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## Egret1986 (Jan 23, 2009)

*Thanks, all!  It's very exciting to know that there is some good snorkeling in FL*

I was beginning to think that there wasn't.  I guess that I wasn't asking the right questions.  

I guess I need to focus on availability in the Keys because it seems like this would be an area that we will be able to find what we're looking for and be fairly central to other great things. 

I wasn't aware of the Coral Reef along the Keys until I saw a unit available in Key Largo and started reading up on things in the Keys.  It's very exciting to know its out there and that we can take our sons down there for some snorkeling, kayaking, the Everglades, etc. 

Thank you for your input!!!!


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## Judy (Jan 24, 2009)

TSTex02 said:


> I SCUBA dove John Pennekamp but that was almost 45 years ago. (Yeah, OK, I'm one of the old guys.)


So did I (so am I  )


> The water was so clear that it seemed like you were floating in air above the coralheads.


Since then the visability was reduced by pollution coming out of the Miami area.  I've been told that there's been an effort to clean it up.  I haven't seen for myself how successful that's been.  If no one on TUG offers recent experience, you (Egret1986) might want to search www.scubaboard.com and see what the divers there are saying about the John Pennekamp/Key Largo area. Here's one thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/268990-florida-state-park-info.html


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## Sandy VDH (Jan 24, 2009)

If you are a beginner diver the area is fine.  The reefs are very shallow, a far distance from shore, and are beat up bad from many years of uneducated snorkelers/divers, and yet many many more years of storms.

There are some very advanced dives, but the currents are strong and the local diver operaters don't dive them unless there are good conditions and enough advanced divers to make the trip worth while for them.

Weather also kicks up the swells and drops the visibility easily.  I would say that when I was there about 40% of the trips don't run because of conditions.

I actually like some of the diving of Pompano Beach/Ft Lauderdale better.  Less divers, more with some level of proficiency, healthier reef.

JMHO


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## london (Jan 24, 2009)

*Bahia Honda*

We visited Bahia Honda on two occassions, and it is a well kept and fine park.

Swimming on the bayside was nice. The views are great.


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## Egret1986 (Jan 24, 2009)

*We're not Divers.  How about snorkeling?*



Sandy Lovell said:


> If you are a beginner diver the area is fine.  The reefs are very shallow, a far distance from shore, and are beat up bad from many years of uneducated snorkelers/divers, and yet many many more years of storms.
> 
> There are some very advanced dives, but the currents are strong and the local diver operaters don't dive them unless there are good conditions and enough advanced divers to make the trip worth while for them.
> 
> ...



We're just looking for a decent area to go snorkeling without having to go the Caribbean right now?  I was asking about Bahia Honda and John Pennekamp because it's shallow enough for snorkeling.


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