Florida Keys Cruising Houseboat Rentals 

Imagine this: All your gear is loaded and stowed. You've gone through the orientation and know the boat. It's time to leave the dock and head out.  As you leave the marina, you begin the journey in Largo Sound. With flats on your right full of mangrove trails and fishing spots, you can be tempted to simply stay where you are.  The trails through North Sound and South Sound Creeks could keep you kayaking all day long. Rays, manatees, sharks, lobsters, abundant fish, etc. will all swim by at some point.  With the fishing gear on board, you may want to throw in a line right away - go ahead - you've got all day.  The mooring field is right here for John Pennekamp State Park - a perfect place to stay the night on a secure mooring ball. If you are including a SCUBA or snorkeling trip out to the coral reef, this is where to do it from.  Getting back to the imagination . . . once you've had your fill of Largo Sound, it's time to continue the journey over to the other side of the Island.  Going through Adam's Cut will get you there and it's a quick waterway through.  As you near the end of Adam's Cut, Florida Bay is opening up in front of you.  This is Blackwater Sound. With dolphins aplenty, fish all over and kayak trails along edge, you'll see why this is one of the Upper Keys' favorite play spots.  Now, all you have to do is get nowhere all day.  It's a relaxing thing to be on your own houseboat with everything you need at your fingertips for the adventure.  Stop and read a book.  Throw a line in. Cruise the edges and look for wildlife in the mangroves. Watch the baitfish scatter all around you.  Have a snack. You get the idea. It's simply whatever you want to do when you want to do it. It's an amazing thing. So, you've explored this Sound for a few days, it's time to see some new mangroves :) Heading into Barnes Sound will not only open up a totally new marine playground, but it'll also get you to some very cool stopping places.  Short Key is a favorite among locals and tourists alike.  You can anchor up right near this Key and enjoy the shallow water and beach.  Bring a volleyball and play with the net that is mounted in the water.  On weekends, you may have a few visitors enjoying the Key, as well.  On weekdays, it'll probably just be you. And your private beach in the Keys. Perfect. At the end of each of these days, it's time to put on some Jimmy Buffet and fire up the grill.  Cook your catch or pull out the steaks you grabbed before you departed. Keep it simple, we say . . . it's amazing how better food tastes when out at sea.  Around this time, you'll begin the beautiful journey towards your reserved mooring buoy in John Pennekamp Park located in Largo Sound.  You are surrounded by the birds flying to their roosts for the night, the water all around you and the mangroves making up the panoramic.  As you drift off to sleep at your safe and sound anchorage and start to hear the waves against the hulls, you'll realize how incredibly relaxed you are and wonder why you haven't done this before. No worries. You are here now and you probably have a whole other day to do the same thing. Enjoy.