Swim with Flipper

Well you really can't swim with Flipper because in his own special way he is swimming with the fishes. For those of you who don't know who Flipper was, he was the divo of dolphins back in the 60's. He had his own prime time TV show that was shot on location all over Miami. It centered around Flipper and his adventures with two young boys. The episodes I remember were thought provoking and extremely well written; Flipper saves a drowning girl, Flipper learns to speak, Flipper goes to the fish prom, Flipper goes to camp at the Fowley Rocks lighthouse.

Matter of fact that is a picture of Fowley Rocks lighthouse which sits about five miles east off Key Biscayne.The lighthouse has rocked thru all the hurricanes since the 1800's. Even Hurricane Andrew couldn't budge her with winds gusting up to 170mph. It is perfect spot for snorkeling with a depth of around 10-20 feet. If you time it just right it can be your own personal aquarium with no one around but you and all the sealife. The sealife runs the gamut from snapper, angel fish, sergeant majors, basslets, groupers, wrasses then throw in some barracudas, an occasional shark and some huge Florida lobsters. And without fail on the way out to Fowley we always see dolphins swimming in huge pods. It makes for one memorable day!!

A day of swimming and snorkeling can be incredibly fun but if you aren't in shape you can find yourself with leg cramps. Oh and that snorkel can feel like a straw if you're aerobically challenged (a nice way of saying you're not in shape). Nothing is more humbling then swimming against a very strong current and going no where. So before you go bouncing off that dive platform make sure you're in shape. Start simple with fitness walking in your target heart range or if you have access to a pool then jump in and do some laps or water aerobics. Wear your fins in the pool so your legs learn the correct kicking motion while you build up endurance. You can find more of my fitness tips at Self-size.com which is a great nutritional and dieting website.

Also being on the boat for the day doesn't mean you leave your nutritional common sense back on the dock. Make sure you have enough drinks and I don't necessarily mean the Buds or Coronas, pack water and Gatorade. You will be surprised how quickly you get dehydrated swimming in the saltwater and baking in the sun. Leave the cookies and chips and have fresh fruit instead and fruit is certainly more refreshing on a hot day. You can learn more about proper nutrition by visiting Self-size.com and really see how easy it is to get on track to a new you and new lifestyle. Most importantly, just think how you will look in your new snorkeling fins.

Ciao,
Angela

p.s. Don't forget to pack the sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and polarized sunglasses for your day out in the sun!!!