The Marquesa Keys

The Marquesas Keys lie just twenty-five miles from Key West. I’d used the remote atoll once before in Wood’s Betrayal and needed the out of the way atoll for a location for Wood’s Chase.

In the middle of nowhere pretty much describes the area and with its creeks, lagoons, and waterways provide a number of scenarios

Four miles in diameter and largely covered with mangroves with the exception of a strip of sandy beach on the northernmost key, the Marquessas are protected as part of the Key West National Wildlife refuge. The area was also used for bombing practice until 1980, making a visit a potentially dangerous excursion. Nautical charts still carry the label: Bombing and strafing target area.

The 10 uninhabited islands are the only natural atoll (ring shaped coral reef) in the Western Hemisphere. The islands were formed by a meteorite that created a two-mile wide lagoon now known as Mooney Harbor, a favorite anchorage for cruisers.

For Wood’s Chase I used a nearby shoal called New Ground as a hiding place for Mac and the gang to stake out a smuggling operation.