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coLumn: urba n access miami text: grace cartarossi and lesa griffith photo: grace cartarossi 3 hour radius dive looe key Whether you're NAUI certified or want to be, Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary-called the best reef in the continental US-is the place to go. The locals all head to Underseas Inc, 800-446-5663, the oldest dive shop in the Keys, and the area's only full-service PADI five-star dive center. Seasoned divers can rent gear and get insider info. Begin ners can try a one-day Discover Course that starts in a pool and ends with two reef dives. The submariner's view: swarms of brilliant reef fish, lots of barracuda and the occasion al Caribbean reef shark. The sanctuary is part of the Florida reef track and lies 6.7 nautical miles south west of Big Pine Key. kayak great white heron refuge Just north of Key West, take a kayak tour in the Great White Heron Refuge with Adventure Charters & Tours, 888-81 7-0841. Paddle among mangroves and watch the rich marine life-including the odd shark pass beneath your craft. Ask for seasoned guide Bruce Wachob, author of Sea Kayaking the Florida Keys (Pineapple Press). If you've got your own kayak, the 256-page book is all you need to navigate. It maps out what you should know about the area, from weather to wildlife, and tells you where to put in and what routes to follow. 1 hour radius wakeboard Surf flat? Just 10 minutes from downtown Miami in South Beach is the No Fear Wakeboa rding Cl ub, 305-672-701 0, where the local extremists do their tricks in the Bay and Blue Lagoon. Don't worry if you're not doing back rolls yet-former skateboard pro Robert Weir and his crew offer pointers (but no absolute begin ners allowedl. Prices from $85 for one hour for two people to $375 .for five hours with up to three people include equipment (all top notch, plus a '98 Air Nautiquel. If you're rea lly hot, you may just have to chip in for gas. Call in advance since they're the only wakeboa rding spot so close to town. catch bonefish in bimini Pound for pound, bonefish may be the strongest fish in the world, and Bimini is one of the key spots to fight them. It's just a 20-minute flight on the Pa n Am Air Bridge from the se.aplane airport at Watson Island. You can cast for bonefish year-round at Bimini, which has ten· world-class guides. Ask for Action Jackson, who has guided people such as Ted Turner around the shallow waters. For more information, call the Bahamas Tourism Office, 305-937-7703. hour radius 5 surf cocoa beach Drive three-and-a-h alf-hours from Miami and ride the waves where four-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater learned his cutbacks. He still lives on nearby 13th Street when he's not touring the world. The best breaks-such as Spanish House-are between the jetties and famous Sebastian Inlet. Surf season is October to April. On a good day you'll find five-foot glassy, hollow barrels. Across the street from the beach is Ron Jon, 407-799-8828, the self proclaimed world's largest surf shop. They rent, sell and repair boards . ...................... ............................................................ _ ......... _ .. • c: c: �