Florida Bay

Florida Bay is the bay located between the southern end of the Florida mainland (the Florida Everglades) and the Florida Keys. Its area is variously stated to be 800 square miles (2,100 km2), or 850 square miles (2,200 km2), or 1,000 square miles (2,600 km2). Nearly all of Florida Bay is included in Everglades National Park. The southern edge, along the Florida Keys is in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The bay muds of portions of Florida Bay have been cored to develop insights on the paleontology of previous biota. It has basins with banks in between which are great fishing grounds. The fish caught there are mangrove snapper, mackerel, and various others.

It is considered the "waterspout capital of the world" as the area has as many as 500 waterspouts per year. They are most common from June to October, but can occur anytime of the year.

Famous quotes containing the words florida and/or bay:

    In Florida consider the flamingo,
    Its color passion but its neck a question.
    Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989)

    The very dogs that sullenly bay the moon from farm-yards in these nights excite more heroism in our breasts than all the civil exhortations or war sermons of the age.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)