Cheyenne Merryman
English 12 Period 6
March 12th, 2018
Rough Draft Many people think about the Bahamas, London or even Hawaii when they think of a place to spend their vacation at but not many people think of Florida. There are so many things to do in Florida from Disney World to sportsbars that it makes the perfect getaway of everyones dreams. According to Dos, Florida joined the Union as the 27th state on March 3rd, 1845 and was nicknamed “the Sunshine State” since it is most known for its beautiful sunsets and wonderful climate (History 1). Juan Ponce de Leon led the first European expedition to Florida in 1513 and named the state in tribute to Spain’s Easter holiday know as “Pascua Florida” which is spanish for Feast of Flowers (History 1). The capital as some may already know is Tallahassee, the population is 18,801,310 (as of 2010), and the state is 65,758 square miles. The motto of Florida is “In …show more content…
The Reef is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary just southeast of Key Largo. It’s popular among many scuba divers and snorkelers. Due to the shallowness of the Reef it is perfect for the snorkeling(Molasses). Most of the dive sites are found in the 15 to 50 foot range, with an area seaward in the 65 foot range (Molasses). There over 30 marked key largo dive sites located within this reef area, making it the biggest in the Florida Keys. The Reef itself is made up of elkhorn, star, brain and fire corals, as well as sea fans and sponges, creating a vibrant underwater landscape (Thomas). The Secret Woods Nature Center is over 50 acres of greenery and was the designated wilderness area in 1978 (Secret). The park and nature center were brought about through the efforts of local citizens wishing to preserve their "Secret Woods" from development (South). There’s also a boardwalk through the Mangrove Forests. You can also stop in the Nature Center to learn more about the SouthEast Florida