JOHN PENNEKAMP CORAL REEF STATE PARK CAMPING
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National park on Florida's main coral reef with Cannon Beach and Far Beach, ocean activities including snorkeling
The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State is a national park established on the main coral reef of Florida. It offers multiple activities in the sea and you can easily spend the day there. The main attraction is snorkeling to see the underwater wildlife. You can also take a glass boat tour and rent kayaks to admire the mangrove. Want to jump into the water? The park has two small beaches, Cannon Beach, the most popular, and Far Beach, more intimate. You can also take nature trails, such as the Wild Tamarind Trail which leads you to the discovery of remarkable trees (530m). Don't miss the Visitor Center which has a small aquarium and exhibition panels on the local fauna and flora (free). As far as restaurants are concerned, you will find picnic tables and food-truck at the edge of the marina.
A few words about the Christ of the Abyss: you have probably seen pictures of this bronze sculpture of Christ off Key Largo. It was donated to the park in 1966 to support US efforts to preserve underwater sites. Created by Italian sculptor Guido Galletti, this bronze statue is 6 meters high and weighs 1.8 tons. There is a copy in the waters of Genoa. It is one of the most photographed and visited underwater sites by divers or snorkelers.
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Nous n'y allions pas pour le snorkelling mais pour la plage sur laquelle nous sommes restés 2 heures.
C'est une plage artificielle, assez petite et bondée.
Nous l'avons trouvé bruyante (les Américains sont assez étonnants sur la plage : barbecue, tentes, musique, etc.) et avons préféré le calme de la petite marina située pas loin.
En dehors de ça tout est aménagé pour un maximum de confort : toilettes publics, ventes de nourriture, etc.
Il aurait fallu faire du snorkeling pour apprécier l'ensemble de ce que propose le parc.