Dan & Jeanne Mackin visit Tortuga with friends from afar

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We had the pleasure of taking out a dear friend of mine, Dan Mackin with his lovely wife Jeanne out this past week.   They had friends from all corners of the country who choose to a converge on Key West for their yearly get-together.  We feel fortunate that we were able to have them all aboard the Tortuga and take them to the reef.  What a great group; Dan, Jeanne, Paul & Patti, Pam, Gwen - thank you all for being such graceful guests. 

Dan Mackin's "Spirit of Freedom"

Dan Mackin's "Spirit of Freedom"

For those of you who haven't seen award winning artist, Dan Mackin's incredible acrylic paintings, your missing out on a real tropical treat. We also commend Dan as he continues to advocate intelligent development to preserve nature’s delicate balance and pristine beauty as well as helping numerous charity organizations raise thousands of dollars through his art donations, including The National Kidney Foundation, American Heart Association, Save The Turtles Foundation, National Parks Foundation, Hibiscus House, Audubon Society and Habitat for Humanity.  He states “If my paintings make you feel relaxed--- like you have escaped to the tropics--- hopefully you will get the message that we need to preserve, protect and keep it pristine,”.

You can visit his website directly at http://www.danmackin.com/Home.php

 

The Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about 15 miles (24 km) south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry Tortugas. The islands lie along the Florida Straits, dividing the Atlantic Ocean to the east from the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and defining one edge of Florida Bay. At the nearest point, the southern tip of Key West is just 90 miles (140 km) from Cuba.