Ah, the Florida Keys. Ernest Hemingway. Tennessee Williams. John James Audubon. For decades, the enchanting southernmost points have inspired artists near and far with their diverse culture, exotic landscapes and tropical vibe. But long before the literary greats, Jimmy Buffet and spring breakers, the Keys were home to some of the most infamous pirates that have ever sailed the seas. So, off you go, to discover the ancient pirate-infested waters and the modern creative shores that have conjoined over history to produce one of the most interesting, beautiful and timeless vacation spots in the world.

This trip is a true adventure. You're going to be traversing more than 100 miles of the Florida Keys, and you're doing it all on a Yamaha PWC! It's going to be an "Easy Rider" meets "Captain Ron" voyage, and you can't wait.

The journey begins in Key Largo, where you meet up with your eclectic crew. The majority of travelers are made up of the team from Yamaha. They're there to guide you, support you and make sure you have as much fun as they do. You've come as a media guest, along with representatives from Men's Health, Penthouse and American Way - quite a mixed bag of riders. The trek seems like quite a challenge, but it will be a comfortable one, thanks to the WaveRunner FX Cruiser High Outputs you'll be saddling. These are not your father's PWCs. The Cruisers are luxury model PWCs, built for comfort, convenience and travel. They're the Cadillacs of personal watercraft. You lean back and settle in to your Cruiser as you prepare to embark on an adventure that few people have ever had the opportunity to complete.

The first leg of the trip takes you from Key Largo to Hawk's Cay on Duck Key. Key Largo is nestled between the Everglades National Park to the west, and beautiful coral formations that make up North America's only living coral barrier reef to the east. With these spectacular watery marvels as its backdrop, it's no wonder why Key Largo is the Dive Capital of the World. It doesn't take long to get absorbed in the surroundings when traveling by PWC. The clear green water is rushing right beneath you, the salty wind is in every pore, and time seems to stop as you glide through the Atlantic. On a PWC, you're able to go where no other vessel can. The shallow waters of the Keys can dip to dangerous lows, but, at speed, the Cruisers let you ride on top of the water, allowing you to travel in just a few inches. You're able to see sea life up close, and you get the chance to chase a few sharks. With the maneuverability of the WaveRunner, you can dodge the rocks, reefs and sand bars with ease while you fly through breathtaking landscapes. Pirates in the Keys exploited these shallow waters and jagged reefs to hunt their prey. They'd lure in boats from the deeper ocean, making navigation nearly impossible for large sailing ships that didn't know the waters, causing them to run aground on the reefs. Pirate crews led by the infamous bandits like Black Caesar and Blackbeard would then pillage the ships and leave them for dead. 

Luckily, there's no piracy in sight as you cruise in to Robbie's Marina for a break and some food. Although the marina and its restaurant don't look like much, Robbie's is a hotspot for tourists and locals passing through the Keys. Robbie's has a huge main attraction - some of the biggest fish you'll ever see. The most popular activity at the marina is feeding the gigantic tarpon that hang out below the bayside pier. These 7-foot, 100-pound-plus feeding machines will leap at the chance for a piece of dead herring. It seems strange, and scary, but you order up a bucket of dead fish and have a trustworthy fellow rider hold your ankles as you dangle off the dock and stare a crazy-eyed giant fish right in the face. It's reminiscent of the time you fed Shamu at Sea World about 20 years ago, but way more dangerous, disorganized and fun! After you trade in the bucket of herring for some delicious human-grade snapper, it's back in the saddle and off to Hawk's Cay Resort on Duck Key.

Hawk's Cay is a 60-acre island resort that's right in the heart of the Keys. As you idle up to the dockage, it looks like a beautiful old-time fishing village you'd find on the East Coast, but with the brightly colored buildings and beautifully landscaped vegetation you can only find near the Caribbean - it's truly picturesque. The resort is more like its own small community. There's every type of accommodation you can think of - from the large 177-room inn, to the charming villas and posh waterside cottages, there's something for everyone at Hawk's Cay. You get a chance to finally stretch your legs a bit (after traveling 40 miles in the same position, with your rear end acting as a shock absorber for the moderate chop you experienced on the way over, you need a good stretch) as you stroll over to check in.

"Generous" doesn't even come close to describing the staff at Hawk's Cay. They're accommodating to a ridiculous level - anything you want, they can make it happen. So after you've been dropped off by your driver and given a tour of the two-story, three-bedroom villa with private pool that you'll be staying in by yourself, you start to feel like a true diva. As posh as the villa is, though, it's time to explore the rest of the island. The resort has every activity available. They've got the usual tennis, boating and watersports; but they've also got dolphins, which is a popular attraction here. The dolphins and their trainers put on shows daily, and guests can make arrangements to go swimming with them as well. The dolphin area is adjacent to the pool and outdoor entertainment, so it's a great place to grab a drink, pull up a lounge chair and check out the show.

After an afternoon of meditating poolside, it's time for dinner. The Watersedge Restaurant, one of several on the island, serves up the best in local seafood. Predictably, everyone is exhausted after the action-packed day, and it's off to bed shortly after dinner.

Waking up the next morning refreshed in a private waterside villa in the tropical Florida Keys is a feeling you could definitely get used to. But you don't linger too long because it's time to get on the road (water) again for a vigorous ride down to the Keys' never-ending party, Key West.

The trip to Key West is gorgeous and challenging. As you carve south, the water depth gets more unpredictable and the reefs get sharper. But the lush vegetation is unbelievable. It's one of the few untouched areas left in the world, especially in the United States. This area of the Keys is hard to reach, so it has been left to grow wild and create lots of little natural botanical gardens and a watery wilderness that has the enchanting ambience of a tropical Neverland. This is the perfect area to stop and snorkel. The whole crew strap on masks and hop off their PWCs to check out the undersea world. The water is teaming with vibrant fish and spiny lobster - even a weary sea turtle takes a break from his own travels to say hello. The midday break is finished off by a stop for some tasty picnic lunch on a sandbar surrounded by mangroves.

Sometime in the late afternoon (who needs a watch around here?), Key West makes a loud entrance on the horizon. Suddenly, cruise ships, high-rises, yachtsmen and droves of tourists come into view. It's a world away from the path-less-traveled that you've been on for the past 36 hours. But it's exciting, and the tribe of PWCs rolling in from a day at sea makes a lot of heads turn.

The arrival to Key West is bittersweet, since it's also the end of the line for the personal watercraft. Instead of docking, it's time to load 'em up on the double-decker trailer, where they'll be towed back by Yamaha's finest to Atlanta, Georgia. Then the road-weary travelers head over to the Key West Hyatt for much-needed showers.

The evening is spent enjoying the southernmost U.S. city. Only in Key West does the sun shine brightest when it sets, and Mallory Dock is the place to be for Sunset Celebration. You head to Mallory Square to enjoy drinks and street performers amid hordes of tourists. You gaze out to the sea to watch the sun make its glorious descent and you realize that you, too, are shining brighter than ever, as your rowdy and awe-inspiring journey comes to a very peaceful end. 

When You Go:

The Florida Keys are magnificent from any perspective. As one of the biggest diving hubs in the world, Key Largo has some wonderful underwater sights. The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park ( www.pennekamppark.com) was the first undersea park created in the United States. The park, with the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, encompasses 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. Another must-see underwater marvel is The Spiegel Grove ( www.spiegelgrove.info). The Spiegel Grove  is a 510-foot Navy transport ship that was sunk in June 2002. It's the largest ship ever purposefully sunk to create an artificial reef.

As the mid-point of the island chain, Marathon is made up of several Keys. On Duck Key, Hawk's Cay Resort ( www.hawkscay.com) offers the best in luxury amenities. Sombrero Beach ( www.flakeys.com/marathon/beaches.htm) is also a main attraction in Marathon, and one of the premier beaches in all of the Keys. The sand at Sombrero is unique - when you scoop up a handful, you'll notice it comes in many different shapes. One of the Keys' most famous landmarks, the Seven Mile Bridge  ( www.flakeys.com/marathon), begins in Marathon, and connects the Upper Keys with the Lower Keys. Eventually, you come to Key West, the epicenter for the Florida Keys celebratory nightlife. You should also check out the Dry Tortugas National Park ( www.nps.gov/drto) and Fort Jefferson ( www.fortjefferson.com). The Dry Tortugas were discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513, when he caught over 100 sea turtles there. Then the area around these islands was used by pirates as a base for attacking merchant ships in the Gulf. During and after the Civil War, the fort was used as a prison for deserters and other criminals, most notably Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was sentenced to life in prison there for his part in President Lincoln's assassination. Visit the Florida Keys for a little paradise, peace, har-mony, history and nature.

- C.H.