January trip exploring Panther Key

Like most every trip to Panther Key, a landing and exploration must be done at low low tide!
Not to be confused with high low tide ;p

I was lucky enough to have a wicked low low tide first thing in the morning.

Bundled up in hat and warm clothes, I kayaked over and explored the squishy mud flats.

The west tip appeared (behind me in the pic) as the tide continued to fall away... The tide is often right up to the edge of the driftwood making it difficult to navigate around the tip to the southern side...

I followed some racoons around the west tip... but they disappeared before I could capture them in photo.

On the southern side of Panther Key, I stumbled upon a very cute red shouldered hawk.

Lots of critters found. Many sea stars (not to be confused with star fish! a misnomer) and a few live sand dollars.
Living things should be left behind of course, and only pictures taken.
Especially the brittle star, which is so named because it simply falls apart when one tries to grab it. Although appearing large in this picture on the left, the body of the brittle star is smaller than your thumb nail.