Little Rabbit Key – a camping jewel in Central Florida Bay

It’s ‘Island Time’ ..

at Little Rabbit Key!

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CLICK for VR 360 panoramic birds-eye aerial view of Little Rabbit Key!

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Little Rabbit Key, located in central Florida Bay is one the current four official ‘Bay backcountry campsites in Everglades National Park. If you launch from Flamingo, it is about 12 – 15 miles depending on the route you are able to take. It is also roughly half way to the Keys (Long Key) and makes the perfect stop-over for a Florida Bay crossing. The island is the smaller of the so called Rabbit Keys, presumably because there were rabbits living there at one time? Little Rabbit Key then is the one with the campsite and is surrounded by a fairly deep channel of clear water teeming with fish. Because of this feature, it is also a popular spot for powerboaters and fishermen coming up from the Keys as it is easy to get to and has plenty of space to offer!

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Awesome aerial birds-eye view of Little Rabbit Key!

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If you like solitude, which this island can certainly offer, I suggest you avoid it on and close to weekends. If you don’t mind sharing, you’ll probably have cool neighbours who might offer you a cold beverage!! This site certainly receives a fair share of use but is respected and kept clean!

Do YOUR part and pack out ALL your trash too!

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Kayakfari ART photography – “A view to a Chill” from LRK!
ART of the Bay – Florida Bay Landscapes

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Little Rabbit Key in relation to South Florida.

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Little Rabbit Key in relation to Florida Bay.

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The way Little Rabbit Key sits in the middle of Florida Bay means at least three things. One, you’re at the limit of line of sight with the cell tower at Flamingo, about 12 miles. Two, as soon as you turn south from the island, you will be able to just make out the tall bridge at Long Key, which is very convenient for navigation! Three, the tides seem to inverse near this spot, meaning that it switches to the way the Keys tides flow. It’s best to avoid low tide so you don’t get stranded on one of the flats banks!!

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Approach to Little Rabbit Key from the north side.

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Dotted lines approximate possible route(s) around the Rabbit Key bank.

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Extreme low tide situation on the banks between the Rabbit Keys!

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Satellite view of Little Rabbit Key in central Florida Bay.

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As with most trips in central and western Florida Bay, it’s easy to navigate by line of sight and dead-reckoning if needed. You really don’t need a GPS, and your cell phone may or may not work in the middle of the bay. You should of course have your full assortment of safety gear, have a marine weather radio & be completely self-reliant. You could also consider a Spot type device if you like, or just go with a good chart and a compass like I do. Do some research and time your trip accordingly .. so you have good weather to look forward to!  Since you might not have any contact with the world outside,  you should also file a float plan with someone who cares about you & get your Wilderness Camping Permit. Having said that,  this lack of contact with the outside world of people is a special experience and priviledge in this day and age; especially for those of us living in [sub]urban South Florida. So go and take full advantage and have faith in yourself, the weather & the universe at large – it’s gonna be alright!!

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Approach to Little Rabbit Key from the east / southeast.

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The dock at Little Rabbit Key at low tide.

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When it rains a lot for a while, the water soaks into the slick marl mud that makes up the island.

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The Banana Boat on a very wet Little Rabbit Key in the morning. The muck is a mix of fresh and salt water on top of very slick marl mud with sea grasses and bird guano added in!
Winter birthday triad on Florida Bay with the ‘Banana Boat’!

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During the afternoon the water can evaporate in the sun, leaving just the slick mud. But when the tide comes back up at night, it pushes the remaining water up again and it then sits there until the morning. So even though it might not rain a drop, the island can actually become more flooded overnight!

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Extreme case where the entire island was flooded out after a week of rain!
At this point the only options are setting up on the dock or picnic tables -or- move on to Plan B!

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Weather reporting station LRKF1 is right next to Little Rabbit Key.

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Just a few feet off shore from the island is Weather Station LRKF1 which you can use to help plan your trip and estimate tides. It’s part of a network of National Data Buoy Centersin S. Florida that report near real-time data.

The area around Little Rabbit Key is a popular fishing spot,  and you’ll probably see boats in the distance poling over the flats. Maybe you’ll hear them, maybe you won’t.

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Extreme telephoto of fisher folk poling the flats & Flamingo cell tower, about 12.5 miles north. This is at the limit for being able to see it by naked eye alone, but at night you can easily see it’s flashing red light.

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Sea foam forms patterns in the current as you look north towards Rabbit Key.

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Looking due south you can just see the tall bridge at Long Key, 10.5 miles away as the Heron flies!
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

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Aerial bird’s eye view of interior of Little Rabbit Key looking north.

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Little Rabbit Key interior from the south part of the island looking due north.

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Mid-week, you won’t hear or see much human activity out here, save for a passing airplane or fishermen. The few folks that come out here are generally friendly ..  it is island time! You are truly in ‘the middle of nowhere’ out here in Florida Bay!

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Little Rabbit Key: aerial birds-eye view of the landing and dock area.

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There is a convenient picnic table, which makes cooking and eating easy & clean.  It marks the best camp spot on the island and you can set up a hammock right behind the table. To the side, there are two porta-potties which are definitely needed as the clay dirt is really hard to dig into.. FYI.

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Buenos Dias on Little Rabbit Key con Cappuccino!

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Sunrise over camp at Little Rabbit Key. Note that these are generally the driest spots on the island, but even they can sometimes be waterlogged!
Winter birthday triad on Florida Bay with the ‘Banana Boat’!

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When the tide is down, take some time out and chillax in a hammock on Little Rabbit Key!

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Feeling Irie, island time in the hammock on Little Rabbit Key!

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Glasswort (Pickleweed) and Saltwort cover much of the Key.

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Closeup of Saltwort, a salt-tolerant species common in this area.

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Generations of a Black Mangrove forest cover the ground and make up much of the island!

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Go for a swim!! Why not!? It’s about 6 – 8 foot deep under those Red Mangrove roots!

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Have you seen a more beautiful sight – crystal clear waters surround the Key!

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Fish teeming in the mangrove roots of Little Rabbit Key.

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Sponges abound in the channel that surrounds Little Rabbit Key.

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Take some time to swim and snorkel around the deep channel surrounding Little Rabbit Key. The current is swift, and the water is clear and teeming with fish! Very refreshing in the morning, be sure to bring your mask, fins & snorkel!

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Enjoy the views and the big, BIG sky with all those little fluffy clouds!!

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If you bring an AM/FM radio you can have a lot of fun random tuning in to the various stations for some cool Jazz & Classical, NPR such as the fun Pipe Dreams broadcast! On AM, you’ll hear all kinds of talk & Cuban radio and also one of my personal favorites: The Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas on AM1540. It’s a perfect accompaniment to the island vibe such as this track by Phil Stubbs .

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Morning dew on mangrove leaf.

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Dried up Saltwort pod that never flowered.

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Osprey calling .. HELLO? Maybe!

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On one visit here was a young, friendly & healthy looking Osprey in it’s nest on the island. This was in february, so maybe he was preparing a nest for his mate (or vice-versa?). This is what his call sounds like.. I would hear this at different volumes and fade-ins/outs throughout my stay. Fascinating to watch, Osprey seem like pretty smart and relaxed birds in general.

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Healthy Osprey in the nest on Little Rabbit Key.

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The glowing sun setting over Florida Bay.

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Going .. going .. gone! Sunset sequence from Little Rabbit Key at KayakfariART

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When it comes time for dinner, take your time and savor the flavors.. 🙂

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Delicious dinner on the island with spicy squid!

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NIGHT LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY and DIGITAL ART from the EVERGLADES, FLORIDA BAY, TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS, BIG CYPRESS & BEYOND!

(click pic to enter)

ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part II

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At night you will see a LOT of stars if it’s clear out – bring your astronomy book! You’ll also notice the strong glow (light pollution) of Dade/Broward to the NE and the much dimmer glows from the different Keys towns. On a full moon night, it’s wonderful to just lay back, enjoy the show .. work on your moontan..  😉

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Little Rabbit Key dock under the bright moonlight.

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This is your view north towards Rabbit Key at night.

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Moon setting over Florida Bay from Little Rabbit Key.

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My God it’s full of stars!! It can get pretty dark out in Central Florida Bay .. Orion rising.

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Self-portrait in my tent using a UV headlamp as light source.

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Slow lazy moon rising on another night .. Rabbit in the Moon over Little Rabbit Key!

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ENP map lit with UV headlamp!

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A good night’s camping on Little Rabbit Key!

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NIGHT LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY and DIGITAL ART from the EVERGLADES, FLORIDA BAY, TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS, BIG CYPRESS & BEYOND!

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Enjoy!

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More on Florida Bay paddling here:

Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!

Kayakfari digital ART photography – “Champagne Dawn”.
Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!
Dawns like this one can be found on Florida Bay!

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To learn more about Florida Bay and the Keys, I can recommend this informative and beautifully done book. There is a wealth of information inside along with incredible images by internationally recognized and top local Everglades photographers. If you like Florida Bay and the Keys, you will LOVE this book!

Full Disclosure: A few of my images are in it too.

“Florida Bay Forever” – Everglades Foundation book edited by Dan Burkhardt (with some photography by Flex Maslan).
Cover photo by Rob O’Neal

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! Bless UP

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© 2012 – 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

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DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

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I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂