Bowsprite

home/research station in Key Largo ¡sold!

The beautiful research station / home of Dr Wonderson is sold! Surrounded on all sides by state park reserve land, the house and gardens have been tended lovingly.
castillolo

A deep lagoon was cut into the fossilized corals back in the 50’s, the dredge spoils were used to fill in the land upon which this house rests. The property languished and was in shambles when Dr. Wonderson bought it.

Under his care, the house is now in beautiful condition. He has put much work into the house, as well as the lands around, working with the Park in keeping with their common preservationist visions.
The Park closed off the mouth of the lagoon, but the blockade is porous: eggs have filtered through, and a barracuda, parrotfish and other species have made the lagoon home. (Alligators are NOT to be found: they like to slither into and out of waters, not dive in and get rescued.)

lagoon2

lagoon3

lagoon4

Mangroves grow thickly on the east end of the lagoon, their roots disappearing quickly into 30′ of rich blackness.

On the west end, poisonwood and other trees grow on fossilized corals. The corals are beautiful, the old steel cuts of the saws mix with the textures.

fossilcorral2

fossilcorral5

quarry

Your neighbors around the lagoon are: Ignatz, and, not shown: Barack the Barracuda, Crawford the Crayfish, lizards, noisy parrotfish, myriad other little fishes. The poisonwood forest supplies the berries which are the favorite food of the rare white crowned pigeon. Heron, cormorants and many other birds can be seen, and heard! splashing into the water. Just on the other side of the dam is open ocean: shallow waters where I have seen rays, sea turtles, jellyfish, many, many fish, and yes, the scourge: the lionfish. 1.5 miles out is a small patch reef, Jaime’s Hole.

ignatz


Dr. Wonderson tends a garden: tomatoes, kale, mustard greens grow well. Purslane and key lime thrive. There is also a small native plants circle of paradise tree and other trees. Compost stations and water collecting bins also dot the landscape.



bananabkfastcocoanuts keylimes purslane redleaves

 

casa2 casa3 casa4

launch
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  1. Reid Sprague said, on 2013/03/05 at 07:58 

    Dear Christina,

    What was its original purpose? A curious place, but very beautiful!

    • bowsprite said, on 2013/03/05 at 08:14

      The updated, more boring answer: I don’t know!
      Although the canal is deep, there is no deep-water approach–there is a sand flat, dry at very low tides. Thus strikes the fast-boat escape story.
      Whatever the mysterious past of this place, it has been transformed by elbow grease, sweat, the good company of happy mangrove dwelling animals, and classical music performed in the house.

  2. starbuck5250 said, on 2013/03/05 at 10:36

    Oh how gorgeous! I’m a couple million shy… :-(

  3. tugster said, on 2013/03/05 at 19:53 

    i want it! i’m retooling my color printer but can’t find the special currency paper. seriously . . . what a lovely place, a haven for intrigues and . . all kinds of music. all the fotos are my favorite but #5 is the best, esp. punctuating your line “poisonwood and other trees grow on fossilized corals.” b & b material?

  4. Baydog said, on 2013/03/05 at 22:48 

    Sounds great; I am interested enough to fly down there and if I love it, am prepared to discuss a purchase.” Thank you!

  5. tugster said, on 2013/03/06 at 10:18 

    that house/land is only half the asking price of this boat currently in north cove: http://www.superyachts.com/luxury-yacht-for-sale/arabella-1211/

  6. Mage Bailey said, on 2013/03/06 at 11:41

    Magic stuff. Thanks dear you.

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