Father and son 4-day sailing adventure in the Florida Keys

For more information on our ASA sailing classes and ASA instructions in Key Largo, FL. Please visit our website at www.sunshinesailing.com

We offer live aboard ASA sailing courses in the Florida Keys for couples, singles and women. We also offer ASA sailing classes and sailing charters for families that would like to learn to sail in a friendly environment. During a typical live aboard sailing course, we mix in some snorkeling at coral reefs and some fishing while sailing. It makes for a perfect sailing vacation.

To read testimonials about our sailing classes and our sailing instructors at our Key Largo location please click here

Matt and Brian snorkeling in the National Marine Sanctuary, Key Largo, FL. 4 day sailing adventure in the Florida Keys

Matt with the sailor's hair. Sailing school in Key Largo, FL

Brian doing the pose while under sailing. Florida Keys sailing school

Sailing in the Florida Keys. ASA sailing school in Key Largo, FL

Matt and Brian going snorkeling at Pennekamp Park, Key Largo, FL

A friend, Bernie,  just came in from the Dry Tortugas on Expediton II  a live aboard dive boat, while we were anchored to drop off some fresh shrimp. Thank you Bernie, they were delicious! We mixed the shrimp with mahi-mahi and some spanish mackerel that we caught that same day, with some fresh organic veggies and made a garlic-cilantro-parsley butter sauce over pasta. We should have taken a picture of it! What a meal...fresh fish and seafood pasta.

Mahi and Mahi and spanish mackerel caught in the deep blue. Sailing school in the Florida Keys

Great job Matt! FISH ON! FISH ON!

Brian, our future educated rock star! Thank you for the tunes Brian. You are the man.

Brian and Jenn kayaked over to Dutch Love a Boy Scout sailboat to get some cookies. Arrgh. Thank you captain Harmon. We did a fair trade and gave him seafood pasta for cookies...

Just another beautiful day sailing in the Florida Keys

Matt relaxing on the bow of Indian Summer II thinking about retirement...maybe? Sailing school in Florida

I think he likes the blue chair:)

Matt fishing/ Key Largo sailing school, FL

Brian jamming on the guitar while at anchor

Reef Roamer snorkeling boat at a reef in Key Largo, FL/ Florida sailing school

Briand jumping in for some snorkeling during a 4-day live aboard sailing trip 

Matt and Brian going snorkeling again. 

The water on the reef was so clear. Kayaking over coral reef and brain corals

Indian Summer II on mooring ball at Sea Garden reef in Key Largo, FL

Matt jumping in. Sailing school and charters in Florida

Sunset in Key Largo. Florida Keys sailing school and charters

"Jenn, the second time was just as good as the first, and that's saying something! While your job may not be easy, it may just be the best job on earth. Thanks for the education on the cruising life, winds, tides, and everything else. But mostly thanks for making everything so relaxing and joyful. See you in Annapolis. Brian and I will treasure the memories, and education forever" Much love, Matt and Brian, VA

The Coral Reefs of the Florida Keys

The Coral Reefs in the Florida Keys

The Florida reef tract is the most extensive living coral reef system in North American waters and the third largest system in the world. The largest barrier reef is Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the second largest is the Belizian barrier reef. All of these reefs are created by a community of organisms which produce calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Together these coral animals use their calcium carbonate to build an underwater city over the course of thousands of years.

Calcium carbonate is produced by many marine plants and animals, including some species of algae and many marine invertebrates. These organisms use the calcium carbonate as a skeleton, either internally similar to a human skeleton or externally such as a snail shell. In any case, these skeletons of calcium carbonate mesh to form a rigid, wave resistant structure called a reef. When the primary reef-building organisms are corals of the phylogenetic order Scleractinia and certain algal species, the reef is called a coral reef.

Colonies of tiny anemone-like polyps are the living coral tissue. Within the tissue of most reef-building corals live small organisms that are capable of photosynthesizing or changing light energy into food. These organisms are called zooxanthellae, pronounced zo-zan-thel-ee. Although corals are carnivorous and feed on zooplankton, they receive much of their energy and oxygen as byproducts of zooxanthellae photosynthesis. The zooxanthellae also promote the rate of calcium carbonate production by the coral colony, thus, promoting growth. The relationship between coral colonies and zooxanthellae is called symbiosis. This is a mutual relationship between species in which one or both benefit. Symbiotic relationships are common among organisms living on coral reefs.

Coral reefs can be found in waters surrounding land masses that fit within a narrow range of physical parameters. Generally, reef-building corals are restricted to the tropics, the area between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south latitude). Tropical waters are generally warm, clear, low in nutrients, and have a stable temperature and salinity.  Ocean currents can alter the physical characteristics of an area reducing or expanding the area where reefs may develop. The Florida Keys is one example in which the warm waters of the Gulf Stream expand the range of corals north of the tropics. Info from NOAA website