Hello fellow map lovers,

We all know how precious the manatee is to Florida and the waters that surround it, and do everything we can to promote the protection of this precious animal. Here is a map showing the speed limits for craft around Anna Maria Island, one of the favoured haunts of this gentle beast.

For a larger, zoomable version of this map, follow this link

Here's some information on the manatee from wikipedia.

The population of manatees in Florida (T. manatus) is thought to be between 1,000 and 3,000, yet population estimates are very difficult. The number of manatee deaths in Florida caused by humans has been increasing through the years, and now typically accounts for 20%-40% of recorded manatee deaths. There were near 300 registered and confirmed manatees in Florida killed by human activity in 2006; the majority of these, that happened to be discovered by Florida Fish and Wildlife, have been caused by boat strikes.
Accurate population estimates of the Florida manatee are notoriously difficult and have been called scientifically weak; with widely varying counts from year to year, some areas show possible increases yet others decreases, with very little strong evidence of increases except in 2 areas. However, studies carried out in 1997, found that decreasing adult survival and eventual extinction is a probable future outcome for the Florida manatees, unless they are aggressively protected. Manatee counts are highly variable without an accurate way to estimate numbers in Florida in 1996, a winter survey found 2,639 manatees; in 1997 a January survey found 2,229; and a February survey found 1,706. Fossil remains of manatee ancestors show they have inhabited Florida for about 45 million years.

So, there you have it, if we want to carry on enjoying the sight of manatees around Florida it is vital that the impact of humans is kept to a minimum. And, as this map suggests, that could start with all boats slowing down in and around the coast where these fascinating creatures live.

Treasure came at a price

Hello there map lovers!
Check out this map of the routes taken by Spanish treasure fleets in the 17th and 18th centuries. The red marks indicate where the fleets were sunk by hurricanes - all around the southern tip of Florida.
Click here for an interesting and detailed account of the 1715 fleet disaster which befell the squadron of Tierra Firma, under the command of Captain-General Don Antonio de Escheverz y Zubiza, off the eastern coast of Florida. The location is the furthest right of the three red marked areas.
A second Spanish treasure fleet was wrecked in another storm in 1733 and today, the remains of two of the ships - the Urca de Lima from the 1715 fleet and the San Pedro from the 1733 fleet - are protected as Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserves. These ships are time capsules from a bygone era and can reveal much about the history of the mighty maritime system that helped shape the Americas.

Has the US got gas?

Hello there. We might have the clearest skies and bluest seas in Florida but how about the rest of the US? Watch this great video from research scientists at Purdue University from something called the Vulcan Project to see the truth about CO2 emissions from our country. It's really interesting stuff.

Sunny weather?

Weather maps are familiar to most people, on the news, in paper, now on the internet and even your cellphone. Check out today's weather in Florida and around the region by clicking here
While you're at it, why not watch today's forecast, courtesy of Yahoo.com by clicking here
Hope it's sunny where you are...

3D gets mapped

Hello there Florida map lovers. Check out this from internet newswire Cnet.

Microsoft now lets people using its Live Search Maps service get a more immersive view by integrating the company's Photosynth panoramic viewer technology.
Photosynth stitches multiple images together into a 3D view, and people can in effect gaze around from a virtual vantage point. Areas with Photosynth views can be shown in the "explore collections" view of a map that also lets people see photos and other additions to a map.
I found the feature easy to use--even the Photosynth installation that had given me some headaches when I tried it during its early days. I still don't like the vast swath of empty green wasted space that could have been used to make the imagery even more immersive, though, and so far there aren't a huge number of places with Photosynth photos.
For full instructions on how to use Photosynth on Microsoft's maps, check the Virtual Earth evangelist's blog from Microsoft.
In addition, Microsoft said Wednesday it added 47 terabytes of new aerial imagery on Wednesday showing new views of Spain, Japan, Canada, the United States, Australia, and assorted European countries, according to the Virtual Earth blog.

It's really cool. Check out this view of Rod n Reel Pier, Anna Maria

Check out this map from the website http://www.luddist.com/map.html

It shows the Native American tribes and their position when they first came into contact with the Europeans who first discovered Florida in the 16th century.
Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer and soldier, is credited as being the first European to set foot in Florida. He also established the oldest European settlement in Puerto Rico and discovered the Gulf Stream (a current in the Atlantic Ocean). Ponce de Leon was searching for the legendary fountain of youth and other riches.

Hello and welcome to my Florida Map blog. I'll be posting news about maps, letting you know of any interesting things I come across and basically inviting your views and comments. I'll also be talking you through some of the many maps to be found on Luddist.com First up here's a really cool link to a site showing how life expectancy in Britain has changed over the period 1992 to 2006. Just follow this link That's all for now, do let me know what you think...