The most controversial topic south of Miami...

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Hey Keys lovers! Meringue or whipped cream. That's it. That's the debate. And if you've ever sat down at a Keys waterfront restaurant and asked a local which one is "correct," you already know — they will not let it go. This week we're settling it once and for all. Plus: the Silver Kings are back in the flats, a rescued sea turtle named Amelie is finally heading home, and we've got the wild 1976 origin story behind the most famous fish in Islamorada.

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❓ Keys Trivia

What is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

📣 The Mile Marker Roundup

🌴 Key Largo Nature: Monroe County just completed a beautiful new Native Plant Pathway winding through the 14-acre Key Largo Community Park. Read more

🐟 Tarpon Season: The "Silver Kings" are officially back. Warm water temps have triggered the tarpon migration across Florida Bay, and guides are reporting heavy action on the flats. Read more

🍽️ Taste of Key West: The massive culinary festival returned to Truman Waterfront Park yesterday, bringing together 50+ local chefs and beverage partners. Read more

⛵ Tournament Time: The highly anticipated Key West Sailfish Tournament kicks off this weekend, March 26th–28th. Read more

🌴 The Spring Break Reality Check

If you've ever tried to drive down U.S. 1 during the third week of March, you already know: the secret is out. The traffic backs up in Homestead, the sandbars are packed, and getting a table at your favorite waterfront spot requires the kind of patience you're supposed to be escaping.

That's why a lot of long-term Keys visitors have started shifting their trips to late April and early May. The water is actually warmer, the winter winds have died down (making for glass-flat boat days), and the spring break crowds have gone back to school.

If you're planning your next run down the Overseas Highway, consider pushing it a few weeks later. You get the exact same islands, with about half the stress.

Check out our guide to the best times to drive the Keys →

🧩 The Great Key Lime Pie Debate: Meringue vs. Whipped Cream

It's the most controversial topic south of Miami.

Walk into any restaurant in the Florida Keys, order a slice of Key lime pie, and you will immediately know where the chef stands on the island's oldest debate. Are you getting a towering, toasted cloud of meringue? Or a heavy, sweet dollop of whipped cream?

Historically, meringue is the authentic choice. Back before the Overseas Highway was built, fresh milk was almost impossible to keep from spoiling in the Keys heat. But the original pie recipe relied on sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. That left cooks with a bowl full of leftover egg whites. Not wanting to waste anything, they whipped them with sugar, baked them on top of the pie, and a legend was born.

Today, whipped cream has largely taken over because it's faster, easier, and holds up better in a commercial kitchen. But purists will tell you that the light, airy texture of a proper meringue is the only way to balance the heavy, tart custard below it.

What do you think — meringue or whipped cream? Hit reply and tell us. We'll publish the results next week.

🕰️ The Legend of Scarface

How one injured fish started a 50-year Islamorada tradition.

If you've driven through Islamorada, you've probably stopped at Robbie's Marina to feed the massive tarpon that swarm the docks. But most people don't know how it started.

In 1976, the marina's owner, Robbie, saw a tarpon floundering in the shallows with its jaw torn open. He waded in, rescued the fish, and put it in his oxygen-rich shrimp tank. He then called a local doctor, who actually showed up with his wife's mattress needles and some twine to stitch the fish's jaw back together.

They named him "Scarface." After six months of hand-feeding, Scarface was released back into the wild. But he kept coming back to the dock — and eventually, he started bringing friends. Today, hundreds of tarpon show up daily, and millions of visitors have fed them, all because of one stitched-up fish in 1976. Read the full history here

✅ Trivia Answer

The Florida Reef Tract.

It is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental U.S., and the third largest coral barrier reef system in the world (behind Australia and Belize). It runs for roughly 360 linear miles, from the St. Lucie Inlet in Martin County all the way past Key West to the Dry Tortugas.

Bonus fact: The reef is the main reason the water in the Keys is so calm, it acts as a natural breakwater, stopping the large ocean waves from reaching the islands.

Until next week, keep your windows down and your watch off.

The Florida Keys Road Trip Team

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