Another rainy morning. Finally stopped raining around noon and we were able to walk around the Historic District with the family. Ryder had a blast at the splash pad and we all had our pictures taken at the Southernmost Point Buoy. The buoy is an anchored concrete buoy marking the southernmost point in the continental United States. It is 18 feet above sea level and was established as a tourist attraction in 1983. It is one of the most visited and photographed attractions in the United States. The southernmost point was originally marked with a small sign, before the City of Key West erected the now famous concrete buoy. Cuba is roughly 90 miles south of this point in Key West, although this was not originally on the marker, but rather on a smaller sign next to marker.
Daily we are treated to numerous low altitude flyovers by fighter jets which can be very loud.. The area is home to Naval Air Station Key West. NAS Key West is a training facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services, with favorable flying conditions year round and nearby aerial ranges. The U.S. Navy's presence in Key West dates back to 1823, when a Naval Base was established to stop piracy in this area. The lower Keys were home to many wealthy shipping merchants whose fleets operated from these waters. This drew the interest of pirates such as Black Beard and Captain Jon Kidd, who used the Keys as a base from which to prey on shipping lanes. The Navy's presence has a major influence on the area as the NAS Key West community consists of approximately 5200 service members and their families from the Navy, Marines, Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard, as well as civilian employees, foreign dignitaries and retirees.
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