TAKE BAIT OR A LOVING MATE TO TARPON FLATS

MARY THURWACHTER, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
DATE: June 29, 2003
PUBLICATION: Palm Beach Post, The (FL)

We knew Tarpon Flats Inn and Marina would reel in anglers, but what about land-lubbers who arrive sans-a-boat, bait or fishing rod?

Could those of us content simply to eat fish caught by others find happiness in a place where folks get up before the crack of dawn to cruise out to sea with hopes of tight lines and good times? You bet your tackle box they can!

My husband and I tested the waters, so to speak, and gave Tarpon Flats high marks.

The three-story lemon yellow B&B is framed by coconut palm trees and overlooks the marina and pretty Largo Sound. A fishing camp in the 1960s and 1970s, the resort has its own pretty beach, complete with hammock shaded by a whispering pine tree.

When that tree breathed sweet nothings into my ear the message translated to "rock a bye baby," "don't worry, be happy" - or something to that effect. Gently swaying in that hammock, I felt like we had stumbled upon our own secluded tropical island.

Our suite on the third floor of the tin-roofed inn was also alluring with its hardwood floors, Oriental rug and British Colonial mahogany furniture, spacious bathroom and tidy kitchen. Best of all was the view through the French doors. Looking down we could see the canal inhabited by sailboats, fishing vessels and an occasional passing kayak. In the morning, we watched a half dozen boatloads of summer campers set sail on a nautical adventure.

Guests order breakfast from a menu in their room and drop it off in the front office, which doubles as fly and outfitter's shop. In the morning, manager Carol Rodgers, who has lived and fished in Key Largo for more than two decades, delivers breakfast - freshly baked muffins, juice, fruit and coffee - to guest rooms.

Rodgers, captain and cleaning lady at this shipshape resort, will hook guests up with anything from a fishing guide to a sunset snorkel cruise to a glass-bottom boat ride. Kayaks, bicycles and Hobie Cats are available for rent, too.

Pennekamp State Park, with its underwater bronze Statue of Christ of the Abyss (or Christ of the Deep), is minutes away and worth a trip. You can see it from a glass-bottom boat or by snorkeling.

We spent time angling for bargains at area galleries and gift shops, but if you live to fish, Tarpon Flats has much to offer. There's even room to dock your boat if you have one.

The fishing is so good here that Blair Wiggins, host of Outdoor Life Network's Addictive Fishing, show is a regular. So are non-fishing folks looking for a relaxing getaway.

Either way, Tarpon Flats Inn and Marina is a good catch.

mary_thurwachter@pbpost.com

The INNside Scoop

Tarpon Flats Inn & Marina

29 Shoreland Drive

Key Largo, Fla. 33037 At mile marker 103.5

Phone: (866) 546-0000

www.tarponflats.com

Getting there: Tarpon Flats is 60 miles south of Miami off U.S. 1 in Key Largo at mile marker 103.5, oceanside.

Accommodations: Rooms are furnished with British Colonial mahogany furniture, and each has a veranda view of Largo Sound and the state and federal parks. Rooms accommodate four in a four-post queen-size bed and queen sleeper sofa. All rooms have private baths, satellite TV, VCR and CD player. Suites have fully equipped kitchens and the smaller rooms have kitchenettes. Kids are welcome.

Rates: $100 -$150 per night. A Sweetheart Special for $299 offers guests two-night accommodations, breakfast both mornings, a complimentary bottle of wine and a fruit and cheese plate in your room and a sunset champagne snorkel cruise aboard the Reef Roamer catamaran.

History: Built in the 1960s as a fishing camp, the inn also served as an apartment building for several years. After a massive renovation, the place opened as a B&B a year ago.

Owner: David Block, Out Island Properties, Miami

Breakfast in bed? You can have it here. Choose from a menu the night before and have it delivered to your room in the morning. Freshly baked muffins, fruit, yogurt, coffee, tea, orange juice.

A good place for dinner: The Fish House Encore, which opened in December and is next door to the Fish House, a Key Largo institution since 1987.

Dive in: Tarpon Flats also has its own small wreck just yards from its private beach.

Diversions: Swimming, sailing and kayaking are available right outside your door. Snorkeling and scuba diving in John Pennekamp Park is just on the other side of Radabob Key.