Key West



30-year old Hemingway




  Monday was a windy, cloudy day so Barry and I took a 50-mile bus ride to Key West. Public transit here is cheap and fairly dependable--and without a car, we need it! We caught the 10:15 a.m. bus and returned on the 8:40 pm bus with each trip taking about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. While in Key West--whether walking to the museums or to the bus stop--we figured we walked 5+ miles!! We took in the usual tourist attractions--Hemingway's home; the Mel Fischer museum; Duval Street window shopping; Sloppy Joe's for a late lunch; and Mallory Square for the sunset and the street performers. We watched the Catman and his performing cats--who bite anyone who dares try to pet them. Also caught the act of a local Houdini-like escape artist who escaped from a chained and padlocked straight-jacket!! Key West is filled with 'characters'--6-toed cats, roosters, care-free tourists on mopeds, and hawkers. We had a terrific day and plan to return by sailboat in a couple of days to moor at one of the local marinas and take in some of the sights in Old Town off the beaten path.

Lighthouse near Hemingway's home







Hemingway's home

  


What's wrong with this picture?





The Catman



Unexpected Pleasure



Palm Path





Makes us want to snorkel!



Crane Point Creek



Yesterday, we planned to take a bus to a flea market about 20 miles from here. We had met some friendly people on the beach who were vendors of metal sculptures at flea markets on the East Coast. But....we missed the bus (that's a whole story in and of itself). It just so happened that the bus stop (with no bus in sight) was right across the road from Crane Point Nature Preserve--so we decided to visit. What a wonderful place--the pictures don't do it justice. We walked the trails through palm trees out to the point where we looked out over clear water where colorful fish nibbled algae off of the rocks. Much better than a flea market!

Marathon, FL



Another breathtaking sunset




Barry at Marathon Beach




Linda at Marathon Beach




Park at Marathon Beach




Sunset at Marathon City Marina from the deck of the Mardi Gras

       Greetings from Marathon, FL. We've been here for 4 full days now and are enjoying this cruiser friendly town. We've found the local grocery store (only a 1 mile walk or a $4 cab ride); Home Depot; an outboard motor repair shop (we need a new fuel pump); a bus schedule; and a LOVELY beach (only a 1 mile dinghy or kayak ride). In the harbor, we've enjoyed the company of Mick and Sue--world travelers from Wales--who shared some funny stories with us over drinks and appetizers. I've also participated in a yoga class--outdoors, under the marina's tiki hut, overlooking the water. Wow!
      Today started with a greeting from a pair of dolphins, one of whom jumped out of the water right in front of me four times as if to say good morning. Around 9a.m., Barry and I took the dinghy (towing my kayak) up Sister Creek to Marathon Beach--one of the most pristine, well-cared for beaches  I've ever seen! Barry headed back to the marina to work on the outboard (he can't sit still). For the first time since arriving in Florida, the water was warm enough to enjoy some swimming. I met some friendly folks at the beach, including a couple from Missouri with roots in Kirkwood. Small world! Around 3pm, I decided it was time to kayak back to the marina. Unfortunately, the wind was in my face so the trip back was challenging. Just when I thought I couldn't paddle another step--Barry came around the bend in the dinghy to tow me home! What a great guy!



Mick and Sue--new friends from Wales



Midnight Sail to Marathon

Greetings from Marathon, FL--part of the Keys! Barry and I sailed here overnight--leaving at midnight Monday and arriving at 4pm on Tuesday. This was my first overnight trip--and it was amazing! The stars were brilliant, with canopies of stars behind the familiar constellations. The stars helped us navigate--our auto-pilot was down, so we used our GPS and found landmarks in the sky to help guide us. It was pitch dark--like sailing into black ink. I ran the helm for an hour or so alone, while Barry napped. I listened to my favorites on my ipod, dancing while hanging onto the wheel and watching the sky. Loved it!
Now we're anchored next to a huge mooring field at Marathon City Marina--we pay for dinghy priviledges (laundry, restroom, community room, etc). Tonight we joined a bunch of people at a potluck dinner and met a great couple from Wales who have cruised for over 30 years all over Europe and the East coast of the USA. We learn so much from people we meet in harbors. We'll stay here about one week, before heading further south to Key West and the Dry Tortugas.

Indian Key



What more can I say?



Mangrove island



Front row seat for sunsets on the Gulf





View from the dinghy on the way to Everglades City

 

Along the banks of the Barron River--Everglades City



Rod and Gun Club--1864



Mardi Gras at anchor--Russell Bay at Indian Key

  Barry and I motor sailed Saturday, Jan. 21st,  for about 8 chilly hours to reach a beautiful anchorage called Indian Key. As we entered the anchorage, we passed by a spit of sand with about a hundred white pelicans--birds we used to see on the Mississippi. One other sailboat shared the anchorage--but we kept a respectful distance. As soon as the anchor was set, I set off in my kayak for a bit of exploration--the pelicans didn't mind me. The sunset was spectacular--we had an unobstructed view of the Gulf. Sunday, we 'felt our way through' the mangrove waterways to a different anchorage in Russell Bay. (We only ran aground a couple of times--no big deal!) This is part of the Everglades National Park--and it is deserted for the most part--other than lots of birds and fish. From this anchorage, we took the old dinghy up river to Everglades City and enjoyed lunch at the Rod and Gun Club--built in 1864 and host to presidents and dignitaries. It's Old Florida at its best! As we left, our outboard motor was cantankerous--we were the afternoon entertainment for several outdoor bars along the Barron River. Barry had to "hammer the carburator into submission".

The Little Things

When you're cruising on a sailboat--it's the little things that matter. For instance, because we spent the night in a marina, I had the opportunity to take a hot shower in their lady's room and leave the water running as long as I wanted. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but for sailors this is fabulous! We have on-board showers, but to conserve water and energy, we never leave the water running! The other 'little' things would be the way the moon looks every night; the stars; the flavor of coffee in the morning; and the deep way I breathe in the fresh air while sitting on the deck of our boat.
We're off for the area known as Ten Thousand Islands--where we hope to find an anchorage off of Indian Key.

New Moon Rising

Well, we started the day with being 'flashed' by an old guy in a bright yellow g-strap!!! It was about 8am, when a small fishing boat went by.  Barry and I were busy sanding the boot stripe, in preparation for painting. I thought "Is that guy naked???" No, thank God, he wasn't...but he made sure that I saw that he only had on a g-strap. Just an FYI, this guy was at least 65 and he had a beer gut as well. Barry and I laughed out loud--hopefully he heard us. What a way to start the day!


Linda--early morning





Our alternative modes of transportation



Barry spent most of the day painting the black boot stripe a nice green color that matches our canvas. The boat looks new! I started a new book and enjoyed the beach. Tomorrow, we head further south.


Barry working--paradise isn't all about having fun



Our new green trim stripe--gorgeous!



Little Marco Island





Little Marco Island sunset

Sunset Little Marco Island



Our home for a couple of days



Path to the Gulf

  What a great day! We set sail around 8:00 this morning and arrived in this lovely body of water called Little Marco Pass around 3:00p.m. (25 degrees, 59.656, W 81 degrees 45.080 )  We have anchored in some quiet water close to a beach that has a pathway to  the Gulf. On the way over today, we saw frigate birds (a first for me--they're huge birds with scissor tails); we had several dolphins escort us into the pass; and Barry did some fishing from the back of the boat. He caught a ......seagull! The poor gull was attached to the lure. Barry reeled the bird in, just like a kite, and managed to release the hook so the gull could fly away unharmed. I couldn't watch. I walked the beach on the Gulf side and collected shells for our grandson--some good finds, nothing exotic. Then the two of us watched the sunset together. Looking forward to a simple dinner and some spectacular stars. What a wonderful day in paradise! We'll stay here tomorrow while Barry works on the boat and I sit on the beach.

Setting Sail

Tuesday, January 17th

Suzy and Ann on the way to Sanibel

Ann at the wheel



Beaded on the dock



Suzy at the wheel



Suzy at the bow

Greetings from Naples, FL, where we are anchored off of a lovely, small beach. We set sail yesterday from our snug, friendly harbor to start our trip to the Keys. Prior to leaving, we took an afternoon sail on Sunday with our new friends Suzy and Ann--both vacationers from the Quad Cities are of Illinois/Iowa. Suzy and I met while doing biking and kayaking at a local state park. She's an adventurous soul and was interested in sailing, so we took her and Ann over to Sanibel Island for a walk on the beach. Barry encouraged both of them to take a turn at the wheel--which they found exhilerating!

Good News, Bad News

The good news is I got to kayak with MANATEES today at Lover's Key State Park!! The bad news is my camera went overboard while I was rushing to get my binoculars to see a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron (a rare sight). Luckily, it was only my cheap camera. So...no photos of our fun sail and visit yesterday with Barry's brother Tom, his wife Carol, and our friend Georgie and no photo of the manatee:(
We are enjoying mild temperatures here and are thinking of all of you in snowy, frigid St. Louis! Tomorrow we may join in a sailboat race in nearby San Carlos Bay--I'll take pictures with Barry's old, reliable camera.

Fort Myers Beach, FL

We're back in Fort Myers Beach at Bonita Bill's Harbor....where there's music every night and cheap eats and drinks. Barry has been here since Dec. 27th--working on the boat and making new friends (both specialities of his). I just arrived last Friday and have cleaned and scrubbed and organized things while having fun too. On Sunday, we took a sailboat cruise to Sanibel

Beach on Lover's Key



Sue and Linda





Barry and Jerry



Simone

 Island with our dock neighbors from Newfoundland--Simone and Jerry. After anchoring out, we took the dinghy in to shore and walked the beach for a while--unfortunately the beach was littered with many dead fish from a recent'red tide'. yuk Yesterday, I had a wonderful time at a state park called Lover's Key (named for two pirates who honeymooned here in the late 1700s). I took a bike tour with an extremely knowledgeable guide and was lucky enough to see a large alligator, an eagle, osprey, tortoises, and numerous butterflies unknown in St. Louis. Fantastic day for a nature nerd like me!! Today is my birthday, so my great friend Sue Stock came down to visit from Tampa. We got all caught up on kids and husbands and grandbabies and enjoyed a lunch waterside. I've also enjoyed a walk on the beach at sunset with Barry and I'm looking forward to a light dinner later tonight at a highly recommended, casual seafood place nearby. Take a look at our pictures!

The Hunt for "Reds" October



Barry and Lou



Linda and Barry--chilling out at Cabbage Key



Cabbage Key

 


Barry, Dale, and Deni at Cabbage Key

 

Mardi Gras at anchor--Cabbage Key



Dale, Deni, and Barry at Sarasota

 


Sarasota sunset




Barry, Dale, and Linda Bradenton





The Cardinals are in the World Series (!) and we're in Florida with our friends Dale Rice and Deni O'Rourke for a couple of weeks. They are huge fans of the Cards--but we have no TV on the boat so we tried our best to find a place to watch the games as we hopscotched down the coast from Gulfport to Fort Myers. This was not as easy as you might think since no one in Florida cares about teams from TX and MO playing for a championship. We ended up watching games in local pubs--sometimes begging them to turn on the sound for us. Because Florida is populated by an older crowd, the pubs closed at 10:00--when the games were about half over. So we ended up sitting on the boat listening to the games on the BBC of all things. Imagine listening to the call of the game with a British accent--"I say, old chap, cheers to the Cards for a brilliant effort."
Besides hunting for games, we visited beautiful cities like Cortez, Sarasota, and Bradenton--discovering farmers' markets and places like Cabbage Key, an old world Florida resort. Take a look at our pictures and enjoy the 'hunt' with us!


Deni and Dale