Indian Key

Driving US 1 in the Keys, one often sees little islands off to the left and right, not accessible by any bridges. Many of these islands are just mangrove stands with very little solid ground to them, if any. Some, however, carry a rich history. Indian Key is one of these. See Luis S.‘s 2008 review for a historical synopsis, or use Google — suffice it to say that over hundreds of years, much has happened on this small, leafy hunk of coral.
There is a dock on the island for powerboats, but the more-​adventurous way to get there is to make like the invading Indians 175 years ago and row it. If you need to rent a kayak or canoe, do so at Robbie’s; otherwise, put in on the side of the road.
The island looks so close, doesn’t it? Consider this your warning — it’s a bit further than it looks. Also, while the waters surrounding the Florida Keys look so calm and serene while you’re driving over them at 55mph, in reality, these waters are laced with channels that often carry a vigorous tidal current. Combine that with wind, and this paddle becomes more of a test of your fitness than you initially thought it would be.
A walk around the island can be accomplished in a few minutes if hurrying, but do take your time to learn a bit about the old paths upon which you’re walking, and old foundations seen along the paths. Take a leisurely stroll, then eat lunch in the shady clearing underneath the large tamarind tree found in the island’s interior (you’ll know it when you see it).
After lunch, it’s time for some snorkeling. Head over to the island’s exposed east ocean-​side. Here, you’ll find some of the sharpest coral shoreline ever — if barefoot, it’s very difficult to even get in the water without being cut to ribbons. It can be done, if taken very, very slowly, but it’s painful at best, and extremely hazardous at worst. If you slip and fall on this stuff, you’re going to lose a lot of blood… let’s just leave it at that. Be careful. And heed the prevailing advice — wear water shoes. Even if wearing water shoes, take it slow. I can’t put enough emphasis on making sure you do not fall on the petrified coral.
Once in the water, you’ll find a surprising degree of sea life, not too far away from the shore at all. Even just briefly surveying the area, I saw many small fish, and impressive corals and sponges. I also saw the obligatory barracuda, a few nice-​sized mangrove snapper, and even a relatively large hogfish.
So, in summary, helpful tips:
–bring your paddling strength
–pack a lunch
–wear water shoes
–bring snorkel and mask
–apply sunscreen
That’s about it. Enjoy this little slice of paradise!

Indian Key was so cool!
I had heard about this Key and kayaking over from the road or from Robbie’s for as long as I’ve been coming to the Keys, but had no idea about the history of this site, or that there was an entire town there! Luis went into all that, so I’ll just say that it was really neat to get to go over to check it out. The streets & street signs are still there, so you can navigate through what used to be the town.
You have to access Indian Key by boat, so you can put in at the road of US1 or rent a kayak or boat from Robbie’s. It was a bit too windy for kayaking so we paid for a ride/​tour over to both Indian & Lignumvitae Key ($ 40 each) and it was totally worth it. We got a great tour from the lady from Robbie’s on the history of Indian Key. You don’t have to get a tour, but we did and enjoyed hearing the history of the place.
If your kayaking over for the day, you’ll have to pack everything on and off (drinking water too). And don’t forget your snorkel gear. We were advised to wear water shoes due to the number of sea urchins on the rocks! You can see them chillin in the holes, but sometimes they just look like shadows. I really enjoyed the tour, but can’t wait to get back and spend more time just relaxing with the urchins and swimming around.

Indian key is pretty cool. However, ask about the tides and best way to avoid currents. We kayaked in no problem but then the tide went out and we were getting stuck when we tried to go back in a straight line to the shore where we left the car. We had to make a rather long detour to get to the deeper boat channels where there was enough water to move forward. Unfortunately, these channels can have fair currents during low tide. It did not kill us but we had to sweat a little. Still a pretty cool place to go. Kayak is around $ 45 for half a day.

luis gave the history of Indian key so I won’t repeat it. Snorkeling here is one of the most peaceful, beautiful things you could possibly do.
We had a private canoe and snorkel tour of Indian Key. It is accessible only by kayak or canoe.

Ok This place is great. If you find yourself a bit on the adventurous side I recommend driving to the Keys and going here. All you have to do is rent a kayak at Robbies its like 15 dollars (snorkel gear included) ANd paddle about ¾ of a mile or less to this key, it sits just east of robbies… Now you ask why is it cool? well here it is… (fyi good place to spend the day picnic snorkel and explore)
EARLY HISTORY
Through archaeological excavations, it is known that Indians lived in the Keys for several thousand years before the arrival of the Spanish explorers. When Ponce de Leon discovered Florida in 1513, he found a quick way for Spanish vessels to return home with their cargo of treasure taken from the Maya, Inca and Aztec empires: the Straits of Florida and the Gulf Stream. It was a dangerous route for the cumbersome Spanish sailing vessels because of the coral reefs lining the south Florida coast and the constant threat of hurricanes. At the time, hostile Calusa Indians lived in the Keys. They became the first to profit from vessels wrecked on the offshore reefs. By the time of the brief English occupation of Florida starting in 1763, however, the Calusas had disappeared from the Keys. Bahamian fishermen and turtlers took their place, making salvage a way of life. «Wrecking» proved to be a profitable business; so lucrative, in fact, that it attracted pirates who soon became a threat to merchant vessels.
AMERICAN HISTORY
American occupation of Florida in 1821 stopped the pirates’ activities. In addition, American wreckers drove the Bahamians out of business in the Keys and monopolized it themselves. Key West was the main wrecking station in south Florida and became a wealthy community from the profits of salvage. The monopoly of Key West was challenged by a man named Jacob Housman. Having arrived from Staten Island in one of his father’s ships which he «borrowed,» he found wrecking to his taste. After disagreements with the Key West establishment, which accused him of various shady business maneuvers, he thought it best to own his own wrecking station.
The strategic location of Indian Key, nearby fresh water on Matecumbe and proximity to the most dangerous reefs, made it ideal for Housman’s plans. He bought the island in 1831 and began to build his own small empire. This included a thriving store, hotel and dwellings with cisterns, as well as warehouses and wharves. Housman turned Indian Key into a busy port with 40 to 50 permanent inhabitants. He even brought soil to the rocky island and landscaped it with tropical plants. Housman’s profits from his business ventures and wrecking were substantial. Eventually, there were more disputes with the Key Westers, who again accused him of illegal conduct as a wrecker.
In an effort to make his island independent of Key West, he had the Legislative Council establish Dade County in 1836, with Indian Key as the county seat. In spite of this success Housman’s fortunes began to decline. He lost numerous court battles and eventually his wrecker’s license. At the outbreak of the Second Seminole War in 1835, he also lost his Indian trade. In the end, he had to mortgage the island.
In 1838, Dr. Henry Perrine, a physician with a consuming interest in tropical botany, moved to Indian Key to await the end of the war. He wanted to use a government grant to cultivate useful tropical plants on the mainland. Perrine’s special interest lay in cultivating agave for the manufacture of hemp, but he also included many others, such as tea, coffee, bananas and mangos, in his plans. While waiting for the war’s end, he started a nursery on Matecumbe.
As the war continued, Housman’s island became an endangered outpost because of the well-​stocked store and warehouses. He asked for government protection. Eventually, military forces were stationed at nearby Tea Table Key. They proved of little value, however, in the events that followed. In the early morning of August 7, 1840, a band of more than 100 Indians attacked the island. Most of the inhabitants, including Housman and his wife, managed to escape. However, some were killed in the attack and subsequent looting and burning of the buildings. Dr. Perrine hid his family in a turtle kraal below the house, where they survived the attack. He was not so fortunate. After a futile attempt to talk to the Indians, he was killed and the house set on fire.
Except for one building and the stone foundations, all the structures on Indian Key were destroyed during the attack. As the survivors learned too late, the garrisons at Tea Table Key had been reduced to five able men a few days before.
Although some of the inhabitants returned to the island after the incident, Housman did not. Instead, he sold Indian Key and returned to Key West, where he served as a crew member on a wrecking vessel. In 1841, during salvage operations in rough seas, he was accidentally crushed between two ships. Indian Key has remained uninhabited since the early par