SEEKING SANCTUARY

No organization plays a more critical role in promoting sustainability and eco-tourism than the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Established in 1990, its mission is to preserve and protect the only coral barrier reef in North America and the third longest in the world. The sanctuary encompasses 2,900 square nautical miles, including the entire land mass of the islands along with vast stretches of Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean. Other eco-sensitive areas exist within state parks, forests, and wildlife refuges inhabited by hundreds of species of birds along with indigenous trees, plants, and endangered creatures that include the American crocodile and Key deer.

The Keys were cut off from the mainland until the early 1900s when industrialist and rail-road magnate Henry Flagler began construction of an extension to the Florida East Coast Railroad. This monumental engineering feat, which took seven years (1905 to 1912) to complete, played a leading role in the rise of tourism and commerce by trans-porting people and goods from the mainland to the islands. Mother Nature brought a sudden and tragic end to the railroad in 1935, when the Great Labor Day Hurricane, packing winds of 150 miles per hour, raged through the Keys, wiping out the tracks and killing 800 people.

MARKING THE MILES

The railroad was replaced in 1938 by the Overseas Highway (U.S. Highway 1) which spans 126 miles and crosses 42 bridges en route from Key Largo to Key West. You can chart your progress heading south by referring to Mile Markers (MM) on the right side of the highway designating the locations of state parks, recreational facilities, historical and cultural attractions, hotels, and restaurants. Mile markers begin at the northern tip of Key Largo (MM 126) and get smaller and smaller en route to the end of the road at Key West (MM 0). A good way to begin your road trip is with a visit to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (MM 102). Established in 1963, it is the first underwater preserve in the country and ranks as the number one dive destination in North America. The park’s underwater universe is home to more than 50 varieties of coral, with spectacular formations that include staghorn corals sporting mammoth antlers, lime-green brain cor-als the size of automobiles, transparent sea fingers and lavender sea fans.

Since I don’t dive, I donned a mask and fins for a snorkeler’s-eye view of the coral and the kaleidoscopic array of multicolored parrotfish, angelfish, and butterfly fish darting to and fro beneath the surface. Other sea creatures that depend on the reef for sustenance include crabs, snails, jellyfish, groupers, lobsters, moray eels, barracudas, turtles, and dolphins. Those who prefer to stay dry can peer into the depths from one of the park’s glass-bottom boats that depart throughout the day.

Adjacent to Pennekamp Park is the Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge (admission prohibited), the breeding ground of the endangered American crocodile. At one point the number of crocs declined to around 500, and without this preserve protecting the natural habitat of this reptile that roamed the earth during the dinosaur era, it most likely would have become extinct.

TAKING IT SLOW

While many of you may be intent on getting to Key West as soon as possible (depend-ing on traffic, it takes from three to four hours to drive the length of the highway), it’s best to proceed at a more leisurely pace and spend time visiting some of the state parks, wildlife refuges, and sanctuaries along the way. Doing so enriches your overall travel experience, as you explore some of the Keys’ many natural wonders and also learn about the history and culture of different islands.

At many state parks you can rent a kayak or canoe and set off into the surrounding wa-ters. Whether you choose to go alone or with a guide, I recommend spending a morning or afternoon paddling through the unspoiled backcountry wilderness where ecosystems ranging from tidal lagoons to salt flats, mangroves, and seagrass beds play a vital role in the survival of the reef. Mangroves are especially important since the submerged roots of these salt-tolerant trees are a nursery and breeding ground for most of the marine life that migrates to the reef. Seagrasses are also vital to the reef’s creatures, as they provide food for turtles, manatees, and a variety of fish as well as releasing oxygen into the water and stabilizing the ocean bottom with their roots.

FOSSILS, FLORA, AND FAUNA

Less than 20 miles south of Pennekamp Park is the entrance to 32-acre Windley Key Quarry Fossil Reef Geological State Park (MM 85) where you can view the inside of a fossilized coral reef and examine remarkably preserved remnants of ancient coral ani-mals. It’s 10 miles from here to Islamorada—renowned as the sports-fishing capital of the world—where you can take a short boat ride to Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park (MM 77).The centerpiece of this island’s ecosystem is the 280-acre Lignumvitae virgin forest dating from primeval times which has remained virtually untouched by man. The slow growing lignumvitae, an endangered native hardwood tree, was believed by Native Americans who once inhabited the island to have medicinal qualities (the island’s Latin name means “wood of life”). Besides the Lignumvitae there is much else to see, with poisonwood, strangler fig, pigeon plum, and gumbo limbo trees.

Another 14 miles down the road is Conch Key (MM 63), an historic fishing village re-minding what life was like in the Keys long before it became a magnet for tourism. Small cottages built in the 1920s are home to commercial trap and line fishermen who still work from their backyards.

At Crane Point Sanctuary (MM 50) rare flora and fauna flourish, including 10 endan-gered plant and animal species. You can follow a nature trail that wends its way through the last virgin hammock in North America (a hammock is a patch of tropical trees found in wetlands that are excellent habitats for wildlife). Also on view are pre-historic Indian artifacts and a 19th-century-home built to withstand hurricanes.

One of the most fascinating stops is at Big Pine Key, home of tiny Key deer measuring just two feet tall and weighing between 40 and 80 pounds. An endangered species, the world’s smallest deer was hunted to near extinction in the 1940s, when the population dwindled to less than 50. As a result, the Key Deer Reserve was established to make killing illegal and ensure that the deer would be permanently protected. The population has increased to around 800 today, and the best chance of spotting one is early in the morning around sunrise.

GOING GREEN AT THE END OF THE ROAD

Closer to Cuba (90 miles) than Miami, the southernmost destination in the United States marks the end of your ride down the Overseas Highway. While best known as a “fun in the sun” destination where people come to play all day and party deep into the wee hours, Key West is also a strong advocate of sustainability in regard to preserving and restoring both its manmade and natural resources.

I began my self-guided tour at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, a waterfront museum that showcases the Key’s marine ecosystem and upland habitats through innova-tive displays and interactive exhibits. Here you can take a video tour of the undersea world and view indigenous fish and sea creatures on video screens shaped like port-holes. You can also take a “virtual dive” to 1,600 feet and check out a replica of Aquarius, the world’s only underwater ocean laboratory. From here I moved on to the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, the only “frost-free” botanical garden in the continental United States, which is home to many threatened flora and fauna. The forest has two of the last remaining freshwater ponds in the Keys and is inhabited by many of the Keys’ rare birds. Another “bird-friendly” attraction is the century-old National Wildlife Refuge Center dedicated to protecting the breeding grounds of migratory species. The refuge was created in 1908 by then-president Theodore Roosevelt at a time when migratory bird populations were being decimated nationwide.

Sustainability extends to Key West’s distinctive gingerbread houses and Victorian man-sions, among the city’s 2,500 historical buildings. Many homes built in the 1800s are concentrated in Old Town, including the two-story Spanish colonial mansion constructed in 1851 that was purchased by Ernest Hemingway in 1931. It was here that the Nobel prize winner wrote several classic works including Death in the Afternoon, Snows of Kili-manjaro, and To Have and Have Not. Today the Hemingway House is open to the public, as are many other well-preserved 19th century structures, such as the Little White House (1890) that was Harry Truman’s “home away from home” during his presidency; Audubon House and Gardens (1845), containing an exceptional collection of rare works by artist and ornithologist John J. Audubon; and the Wreckers Museum (1829), containing artifacts obtained from shipwrecks and a collection of model ships, which is reputed to be the oldest house in the city.

Both The MS Bremen and Hapag Lloyd’s other expedition ship, MS Hanseatic have a low draught and ice-hardened hulls designed for cruising in polar regions. They are equipped with the latest high-tech environmental protection systems; both are powered by diesel oil, treated with a non-toxic underwater coat and all onboard sewage is treated biologically. All ships cruising to Antarctica must abide by regulations and guidelines established by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), an organization founded in 1991 for the purpose of promoting and practicing safe and environmentally responsible travel to the continent. Today its 97 members include tour operators, conservation groups, shipping agents, vessel owners, travel agents, and government organizations.

Due to its fragile ecosystems Antarctica cannot tolerate mass tourism, and IAATO mandates that only small groups can come ashore at 50 designated landing sites. Most ships cruise along the coast of the Antarctic peninsula, and passengers are transferred from ship to shore in Zodiacs, sturdy rubberized rafts developed by famed explorer Jacques Cousteau. Once ashore you often encounter mass colonies of penguins — hundreds of thousands at some locations — that spend the summer months breeding and giving birth. After laying eggs in mid November it takes 30 to 40 days for them to hatch, and by December the shores are littered with penguin chicks. Besides penguins, the largest populations of wildlife are the seals who divide their time between the land and the ocean and also enjoy lounging on icebergs. The most remarkable of the several species of seals is the Weddell seal that can dive to depths of 1,300 feet and stay underwater for as long as an hour. While penguins and seals seem unafraid of humans, it’s best to keep a safe distance so as not to disturb their breeding grounds and nesting areas. Also step carefully so as not to crush the lichens and moss underfoot. Over one hundred species of lichens can be found in Antarctica, and they can survive in extremely low temperatures in an environment with minimal moisture and no soil. They also have long lifetimes but grow as little as a twentieth of an inch in a century.

The Bremen was escorted on its journey south by a host of seabirds including wandering albatross and storm petrels that swooped and dived for fish churned to the surface in the ship’s wake. The albatross has the largest wingspread of any bird, and these amazing flyers delighted in riding the wind currents as they repeatedly circled the ship. After spending two days crossing the turbulent Drake’s Passage — one of the roughest stretches of ocean in the world where waves can exceed 30 feet — the ship sailed into calmer waters as we approached the Antarctic peninsula. The following morning I sighted several icebergs floating off the starboard side of the ship, and soon we were passing a flotilla of glittering icebergs of every imaginable shape and size (some as tall as office towers) that seemed to glow from within in shades of turquoise, aquamarine, and blue. Icebergs are born from glaciers in a process known as calving, and approximately 100,000 are calved every year. After breaking off from the glaciers, bergs are propelled by winds and currents into the surrounding seas. The largest iceberg on record was sighted in 2000 floating off the Ross Ice Shelf — it measured an astonishing 185 by 23 miles that is approximately the size of Connecticut. Daily Zodiac excursions to shore would often take us within touching distance of steep glacier walls, and we frequently passed icebergs where fur seals and groups of penguins were sunning themselves or sliding into the water.

If your Zodiac is in the right place at the right time you may observe one of several species of whales that migrate here during the summer, including humpback, blue whale, and orca. If you’re exceptionally lucky (I wasn’t) you may witness the spectacular sight of a humpback leaping out of the water (a phenomenon known as breaching). The blue whale, which is the largest animal that ever lived, can grow up to 100 feet long and weigh 150 tons. Another magnificent creature is the orca (killer whale) that can swim at speeds up to 35 miles per hour.

For more information on the MS Bremen’s 2008-2009 Antarctica cruises contact www.hl-cruises.com; 877-445-7447

LARS ERIC LINDBLAD: THE CREATOR

The father of tourism to the White Continent, Lars Eric Lindblad ailed here in 1967 aboard the world’s first expedition ship, the Lindblad Explorer.  Prior to the arrival of the Explorer, the only visitors to the White Continent had been a few intrepid explorers and scientists.  Lindblad created the formula for Antarctica cruises that combines in-depth, small group land tours plus onboard educational programs featuring talks by world-class scientists.  This formula is still followed more than 40 years later by the MS Bremen and other contemporary expedition ships that cruise here every year.  

Lindblad eventually passed the torch to his son, Sven Olof Lindblad, who in 1979 founded Lindblad Expeditions that today offers 15 and 25-day itineraries to Antarctica, as well as cruises to other one-of-a-kind eco-systems, such as the Galapagos Islands.  Conservation has always been a top priority of both father and son- Lars Eric said, “You can’t protect what you don’t know,”- and Sven Olof shares his father’s belief that providing firsthand experience to tourists promotes a greater understanding of the earth’s resources and the important role Antarctica plays in the global environment.  In 1995, a lagoon and surrounding cove was named Lindblad Cove in honor of Lars Eric’s commitment to expedition tourism as a means of enhancing environmental awareness.  

When it comes to ranking the “best of the best” eco-textiles, a growing number of U.S. designers are utilizing bamboo in the production of quality clothing and apparel. Farmed in many areas of the world from Central America to Asia, bamboo ranks high on the A-list of the best of the best “eco-friendly” textiles and is one of Mother Nature’s most sustainable creations. The two methods by which bamboo is transformed into fabric were developed in China which today is the primary grower of a plant that is the largest grass of the Graminae (grass family) that may grow as high as 100 feet.

The first method is a mechanical process similar to that used in the processing of flax and hemp. The process begins by crushing the stalks followed by which natural enzymes break them down further, eventually allowing the fibers to be combed out. The other method is similar to the process by which rayon is produced where fibers are broken down with the addition of chemicals (including lye, carbon disulfide and strong acids) and then extruded through spinnerets. Bonnie Siefers, owner/designer of Jonano, A Division of Sami Designs LLC, is a leading advocate of the use of bamboo in the creation of sustainable fashions. “Along with organically grown crops such as hemp and cotton, bamboo is one of several sustainables that are vital to the production of my line of spa and resort apparel.” Among the key factors of bamboo’s popularity in clothing creation is that it can be comfortably worn and enjoyed for many years with minimal wear and tear. “Bamboo’s value is reflected in our company’s sustainability mission statement: “From seed to sewn,” Siefers notes. She goes on to say that “Jonano’s goal is to continue to develop great eco-textiles that positively impact not only the environment but also the fortunes of bamboo farmers and growers. Most importantly, however, are the benefits bamboo has on the lives of people who select organic fashion for their wardrobes.”

Nowadays a growing number of U.S. retailers are selling bamboo fabric to cash in on its “eco-friendly” cliché. However bamboo is not yet “out of the woods” yet in regard to universal approval. Case in point is the action taken last year by the Federal Trade Commission. As of mid-2009, the FTC has been cracking down on the practice of labeling bamboo rayon as a natural bamboo product. FTC guidelines now mandate that all these products must be labeled as rayon with the optional qualifier “from bamboo.” As far as Jonano’s compliance with these regulations, in 2008 the company switched its labeling of the organic bamboo content of its clothing from “organic bamboo” to “viscose from organic bamboo.” In 2009 Sami Designs received a mailing from the FTC asking that a settlement agreement be reached that Sami would conform with FTC regulations. According to Siefers “our company signed on immediately and carefully analyzed all our marketing materials and made whatever changes were necessary to ensure that we were in compliance with all the new labeling and marketing standards.” One final note on bamboo’s international appeal as a sustainable: One of the countries leading the way in bamboo farming is Costa Rica where the environmental awareness of the Costa Rican populace has spawned a host of innovative sustainable concepts that have gained worldwide recognition. As a prime example, organically grown bamboo is now being used to produce sustainable straws that has resulted in the elimination of plastic straws from Costa Rican restaurants.