It's a beautiful sunny day with a brisk wind (18 mph) and temps in mid 60's. It was a great overnight and are still docked at Pancho’s Gas Dock in Marathon, FL. We have a long "to do" list: prepping purchased fishing equipment, cleaning, laundry, and buying provisions for our next "company". We have a rental car from Miami, so we have wheels to get around to get things done.
Marathon has a lot of options for supplies. Mary loves the big Publix grocery store—-best Key Lime pie, quality foods, and pretty flowers. Steve makes daily runs to Home Depot or West Marine.
Marathon is not a key (island), but is made up 15 miles of 13 islands in the Florida Keys. It is half way between Key Largo and Key West. The name came from workers who had to work day and night to complete the Florida East Coast Railroad through the keys to Key West. It was a Marathon!
Things to do in Marathon...
If you're a landlubber, we recommend Crane Point Museum & Nature Center with a tropical hardwood hammock (canopy forest), nature trails, and shrubs native to the area. Crane House, on the Gulf, has spectacular views. The museum building displays historical artifacts from waaaaay back. Very interesting!
We also enjoyed the two mile walk to Pigeon Key via the Old Overseas Highway (old highway bridge) from the end of Seven Mile Bridge. Not to be missed!
The Dolphin Research Center and Turtle Hospital are also very interesting.
We love Sombrero Beach; it is one of the finest in the keys.
Being docked at Pancho’s Gas Dock near Burdine's Grill we witnessed lots of activity- not the typical marina. It is a commercial area with continual movement by our dock of people and traffic going to and from the seafood company at the end of the street. People are restoring boats, a few people live in their campers parked near the dock, many docked boats are live aboards, and some have their boats anchored off shore and park their dinghies next to Dream Chaser to access the shore (at all times of day and night). It opens your eyes to a different way of life.
Tonight, it is cool and a mug of hot chocolate hits the spot.
Friday, January 17, 2014
As the sun is rising, we are up and prepping to leave Marathon and motor to Key West.
Our son, Ryan, and his wife, Sydney, are flying into Ft. Lauderdale and then driving to Key West, so we will see them tonight.
At 7 am, Dream Chaser pulled out of her slip at Pancho’s Gas Dock, eased into the Atlantic Ocean, and pointed her bow south. Winds are 12 mph with one foot waves, and temps are in the mid 50’s.
A bit of history...
The Florida Keys are coral islands with deep reefs on the south or Atlantic side and shallow sandy bottomed water on the Gulf side to the north. In the Atlantic Ocean beyond the barrier reefs lies the great fishing. Key West is located at the end of the archipelago.
Key West was named "Cayo Hueso" or "Bone Island" by the Spanish Explorers due to the piles of Native American skeletons found there. The British/Bahamian inhabitants later named it considering its geographical position (key to the west). The city of Key West covers a 2 x 4 mile area, is sunny 259 days a year, and winter temps are 76/66 with summer temps 89/80 for highs and lows. It is only 90 miles from Havana, Cuba.
The Keys remained remote and inaccessible until well into the 20th Century, but that only added to the intrigue and fascinating tales of pirates, buried treasures and shipwrecks that litter their history.
While the wreckers and pirates roamed the sea, they caught turtles to eat (which have tender, veal-like meat), and ate lots of turtle soup. In 1949, Key West had its first cannery for Green Turtle soup.
Following the 1868 Cuban Revolution, many natives found refuge in Key West and brought the secrets of Cuban cigar manufacturing. By 1890, cigar makers grew to 6,000. The cigars were often made in shotgun houses known as "cigar maker cottages" which added new architecture to Key West.
The sponges harvested off the west coast of Florida were known for their superior textures and colors and brought jobs to the people. The island of Key West has been a haven for pirates and wreckers, a cigar making center, sponge harvesting, and US drug interception center.
In 1905, Henry Fagler was one of the wealthiest men in the world, and he decided to build a railway to provide access to the Keys by extending the Florida East Coast Railway from Homestead to Key West. The '"Overseas Railroad" was completed in 1912, eight years, three hurricanes, $30 million, and hundreds of lost lives later. It was destroyed by the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 (winds of 200 mph and a storm surge over 17 ft,) and was replaced by the '"Overseas Highway" in 1938. Some of the original railway bridges were converted to carry the highway roadbeds. These bridges were used until the 1980s, when new highway bridges were built parallel to the route. Many of the original railroad and highway bridges remain today as pedestrian fishing piers which are very popular.
The highway (US 1) now consists of 126 miles of roadway, with over 40 bridges connecting the tiny islands. Highway 1 runs from Key West to Fort Kent, Maine.
There is a long list of movies that have been filmed in Key West. In 1955, Tennessee William’s writing “The Rose Tattoo” was filmed there instead of Mississippi. In 1959, Operation Petticoat and in 1988, the James Bond film “License to Kill”. Also, “2 Fast 2 Furious” and “Meet the Fockers” were among the long list.
Today, Key West is a destination for tourists to enjoy sun and warmth via car, ship, or plane. They come to fish, write, carouse, and rejuvenate as did the likes of Ernest Hemingway, John Audubon, Tennessee Williams, and President Harry Truman. The residences of these well-known men have since been turned into Museums and the history of Key West continues to be guarded and celebrated along with the eccentric attitude and "Let It Be" philosophy of the locals. In Old Town, Jimmy Buffet tunes, cigar smoke, tourist shops, and rowdy bars mix with great architecture and fancy restaurants.
It has been a great day of motoring, and we are docked in the best spot in Key West!
Dream Chaser found her slip in the A&B Marina located at the Harborwalk in the heart of old town rich with historic sites and architecture. One hundred feet from the boat is the popular restaurant, Olonzo's Oyster House and the boardwalk. Two blocks away is the famous Duval Street called the longest main street in the world because it goes from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Mallory Square is only a few blocks away.
Ryan and Sydney arrived about 6 pm and got settled in. Dinner was grilled Spanish Mackerel, green salad, rice, beans, and key lime pie for dessert. After a walk around the old town and a stroll down Duval Street, we returned to Dream Chaser and turned in for a good night's sleep.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
After sleeping in until 8 am, we finished our breakfast of eggs, bacon, and coffee cake and were ready for the day. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and temps were in the 60's with 70's predicted by afternoon. A great start to the day!
We heard some commotion outside our boat and realized a diver was checking out the hull of the sailboat docked next to us. Not to pass up a good opportunity, Steve asked if he would be interested in checking out Dream Chaser's hull for any possible problems, also. Great timing, great price! Dream Chaser is in great shape!
With fishing on the docket for Sunday, supplies were needed for that preparation, so off to Key West Marine for a fishing net and other items. Along the way, we ran into some local wildlife (chickens and roosters run wild all over town) and some flowers gracing the area.
When in Key West, you have to get a picture with the southernmost-point buoy (after you wait your turn in line for 15-20 minutes)! Apparently, everyone has that on their to-do list.
Next on the agenda was the Annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival held all day at Bayview Park in Key West. We arrived at 11 am when the festival started, and enjoyed some live band music, shopping, people watching, and great seafood!
There was a huge emphasis
on recycling, ecology, and
saving the environment at
this festival.
This guy was a robot made
of recycled items who rolled around talking to people and
quizzing them on such
topics. Actually, he was
a little bit (actually, REALLY)
creepy.
"Max, this picture is for you!" Steve couldn't pass up the opportunity to show off a cool hammock to our hammock loving nephew, Max.
Together, we
shared stone crab,
conch fritters,
conch ceviche,
fried clams,
a spiny lobster
dinner with
coleslaw, rice,
and beans. Yum!
Ryan and Sydney
love seafood, also.
Great food &
Great fun!
From the park we ventured to a marina where there is an interesting boat docked. The boat is a 158 foot Italian made spacious luxury sail/yacht, named Legacy. The story goes like this...This yacht is one of two custom made by Perini Navi Ship Builders for Peter Halmos. During Hurricane Wilma, in 2005, Halmos, his captain and some friends attempted to ride out the hurricane, but the anchor didn't hold, and she was tossed around for miles. The boat was grounded off Dry Tortugas (a small group of islands a the end of the keys) about 67 miles from Key West. The yacht was aground 2.5 years due to a dispute with the federal government over how to free it with out damage to varieties of sea grass. It lay tipped on its side with a mandatory crew aboard for years. Because it was 1/4 mile from deep water, they had to work with the tides, coffer dams, and a towing vessel to slowly raise it a few feet at a time to get it into deeper water. It cost $1 million per month to maintain and move the boat. After being freed, the yacht is now in Key West for repairs. Presently, the boat is tied up in insurance battles. Steve attempted to arrange a tour, but it wasn't in the cards!
From the marina, we drove around and Steve showed us where he and Nick had gone to buy numerous used items for fishing from a private party. This gentleman lives in his sailboat on land (below) in a community of boaters "on the hard". He and his wife used to travel extensively all over and after her passing, he has lived in his sailboat on the hard for several years now. He has an stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean, and if the water level rises a lot...he is prepared!
We hopped in the car and headed up the keys to Big Pine Key where we checked out the fishing items at the Nautical Flea Market. Then, the fish market was next...lots of seafood!
Big Pine Key is known for island deer which are endangered. We followed a back road to where it ended at the Atlantic shore, but didn't see any deer or wildlife except lots of birds.
Back in Key West...All roads lead to Mallory Square where crowds gather for the Sunset Celebration, and on the way we passed the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Gardens. This garden has 36 bronze busts of people who have had the greatest impact on the city. Interesting.
About 30 minutes before sunset, we arrived at Mallory Square to experience the entertainment with thousands of other people. They came with their cameras from old town, local restaurants, and a huge cruise ship docked nearby... to experience the sunset!
Here are just a few of the acts...
So how does he get down?
He was cute, but
he didn't fly!
Most of the entertainment was.......very entertaining!
After great entertainment and an amazing sunset at Mallory Square in Key West, we wandered down Duval St. checking out shops and people watching. When it was time for dinner, we returned to the marina and the historic boardwalk. About 100 feet from where the boat was docked is Alonzo's Oyster Bar, a premier seafood restaurant. Everything we ordered was delicious!
After a quiet evening, we turned in to get rested for our adventure planned for tomorrow.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Life at a marina...this was where we exited our dock. (We used to stand behind those ropes at marinas and look at the boats and imagine what it wold be like to live on one of them....Now we know!)
This was our view from
Dream Chaser, down the dock
to the right.
This was our view from
Dream Chaser, down the
dock to the left. There are
electrical hook-ups, hoses,
ropes, and just "stuff".
Our day was bright and sunny with temps in the mid 60’s as we began our Sunday morning. After breakfast and coffee, we readied the fishing rods, cleaned the galley, and secured everything for our morning departure.
In this shot, Dream Chaser is docked and the electricity that
is plugged in will soon be disconnected.
Just a couple docked boats over from Dream Chaser nudging up to the dock, was a gentle creature. A manatee was hanging out enjoying a fresh water drink from a water hose on the dock. Below...
Without a sharp eye or someone to point them out, it is easy to miss these silent creatures as they lounge submerged under the water. They are located where there are fresh water springs. Also, Ryan and Sydney pointed out a tarpon and this jellyfish in the water next to our boat. Amazing!
While Mary was out for her morning walk, she heard piano music and saw this funky Key West Christmas Tree (colorful bobbers strung on wires) in a nearby park area. Very Key West!
(Above) People were gathered along the street, and a gentleman was cheering and playing a piano (placed on rollers) while runners were passing by on the street. Today was the scheduled 16th Annual Half Marathon and 5K Run. Uniquely Key West!
Our two night stay at A & B Marina has been delightful. The facilities are top-notch (free washer and dryer facilities), and we are close to great restaurants and popular locations. It has been fun to “hang” with the “big boats”. (Pictured below) Docked on our port side was a 62 ft Prestige, and on our starboard side was a sailboat and a 51ft. Ocean Alexander, Dream Chaser’s big sister!
It was sad to say farewell to Key West, but at 9:30 am, Dream Chaser eased out of her slip and headed for the open Atlantic waters. We shared the waters with many vessels on the way out of the harbor area.
It's always good to have
another captain aboard!
This picture, above, shows Dream Chaser at the actual southern-most point of the US, and is pointed directly toward Cuban (90 miles about 13 hours away). The buoy on land (where all the tourists take the pictures of the southern most point) is not the actual southern point.
The Chase form
of deep-sea fishing!
We motored into the Atlantic with fishing on the agenda. We are on a course 6-8 miles from the shoreline with temps at 68. We have brilliant sunshine, the flying fish are darting ahead of us, and the dolphins visit and swim along side.
Ryan is encouraging
the dolphins to do
tricks.
Mary and Sydney are
sitting on the bow
enjoying the sun!
Lunch was BBQ pork sandwiches and salad enjoyed from the upper helm. We caught only three little tuna, so no fish for dinner tonight. We will be eatin' out!
We worked our way back into the Coral Lagoon Marina at Marathon. As Dream Chaser backed into her slip, we were welcomed and assisted by fellow loopers, Pete and Bob. Pete and Carolyn Beers on Humbug are from Mystic. CT. Bob McKane and Loretta Steeves live on their boat the Carol Anne. Dream Chaser loves her new quiet, peaceful slip!
Dinner was at the Lazy Days Restaurant in Marathon where the locals go for great seafood, salads, pastas, and sandwiches. For $14.99, you can have Chef Lupe cook your catch and choose accompanying side dishes. What a deal! We ordered from the menu and dined on the patio overlooking the Atlantic Ocean as the sun was setting. Awesome!
Monday, January 20, 2014
Good morning!....the sunrise at Coral Lagoon in Marathon!
After breakfast, Ryan and Sydney left for the Theater of the Sea in Key Largo to see the dolphin show. They loved it and would recommend it to all.
Lunch at Shipwrecks
was a hit with Ryan
and Sydney!
After lunch, Sydney and Ryan went to the Alligator Farm in the Everglades near Homestead, FL. It was a fun afternoon. They saw alligators and crocodiles, attended a gator feeding, and went on an air boat ride. They also stopped at "Robert Is Here"and had a Key Lime Pie flavored shake. Delish!
When they returned, we headed to Sombrero Beach in Marathon for the sunset and were just in time!
After returning to Dream Chaser, nachos were served which disappeared quickly. On the menu for dinner was grilled Wahoo and Florida pink shrimp, rice and beans, and Key Lime pie or eclairs for dessert. Later in the evening, Sydney made Piña Coladas! The party has begun!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
We woke to a beautiful sunrise in Marathon, FL
The day began with temps in the 70's, some cloud cover, and a 30% possibility of rain.
Our neighbors at the dock, Ron Berlet and Bill Cunningham, in Magdalene (a 43' Tiara) pulled out and were headed to Naples, FL. What a beautiful boat! We are hoping to reconnect with them in Boca Raton in about a month. Bill Cunningham was a Canadian broadcast journalist and producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. His Canadian team worked with the U.S. correspondents Morley Safer and Peter Jennings. You just never know what interesting people you might run into on a "looper" trip!
After breakfast, the suitcases are pack and with hugs good-bye, Ryan and Sydney are off to Ft. Lauderdale and their flight to Minnesota. BRRRRRR!
Ryan took a snack of
apple bananas for the trip. They are
small and sweet with a rich tangy flavor;
a good dessert banana. The picture
shows how much smaller they are than
our normal bananas. Tasty!
The day was full of errands, laundry, repairs, boat prepping & cleaning, and reorganizing. Steve spent a considerable amount of time BELOW working on various projects. This shot was taken with the floor of the galley removed. That headlamp has been worth every penny; lit his path up Kilimanjaro and now lights up the bowels of the boat.
In a small space, it is important that everything is in it's place! At 3 pm, the heavy rains came, drenching everything and actually assisted Steve in scrubbing down the boat.
For dinner, we enjoyed BBQ pork sandwiches and salad while we caught up on news.
It was a relaxing, quiet evening.
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