Monday Jan. 20 – Sunday Jan. 26

0 miles

It’s hard to believe we have been in Marathon almost a month. We have settled into a nice routine of working on the boat in the morning, taking a bike ride or walk in the afternoon, and visiting with both new and old friends in the evening. Sometimes we miss not traveling and seeing new places but we have decided to spend the month of Feb. here in Marathon. Come March we will start to head north along the Atlantic coast so there will be plenty of chances for new adventures and sights.

After sunset looks like a city of lights with all the anchor lights on.

 

It's called the "Tree of Knowledge". Boaters sit under it's branches and talk.

 

 One of three bike racks next to the marina.

 

 Tennis courts, picnic area, ball field, & band shell/soccer field all in a city park next to the marina.

Monday Jan. 13 – Sunday Jan. 19

0 miles

This past week was a laid back time for us. The weather turned a little cooler (60 degrees) for several days and the wind picked up to an average of 15 – 20 mph. Wednesday we had gusts over 30 mph. Trying to get from the boat to the dinghy docks at the marina can be a quite a trick staying dry. We usually start each day with some kind of cleaning or maintenance than get on the bikes for a ride. Sometimes to the grocery store, Kmart, Walgreens, etc. Thursday we took about a 10 mile ride to a True Value Hardware store looking for some parts for the water maker. Of course they didn’t carry what we needed, but the exercise was still good. We are meeting other boaters in the harbor from all parts of the USA and other countries. It’s very interesting listening to the stories of their travels and how they started boating.

Sunrise in the harbor.

Towing out a boat that had been sunken for a couple of months. 

 

 A couple of small Islands just outside Marathon on the Atlantic side.

 

 Sombrero Beach - Atlantic side of Marathon.

 

 2 foot Barracuda swimming next to the dinghy docks in the marina.

 

Saturday we hopped on the bus and headed south to Big Pine Key for a nautical flea market. There were a lot of people walking through looking for that perfect treasure they couldn’t live without. Later in the afternoon we rode our bikes to the 7 Mile Bridge (south of Marathon) which is part of US 1 which is the main road that connects the Keys.

Flea market.

 

 

 Randy looking for his treasure.

 

 7 Mile Bridge on the left and the old train bridge made

into a bike and walking trail which goes about a mile.

 

Looking north west at the Gulf of Mexico from the bridge.

 

Monday Jan. 6 – Sunday Jan. 12

0 miles
 

There is always something going on around the marina to keep you busy. You can play bocce ball, softball, tennis, or yoga. There is always someone around to play cards, dominos, or put together a puzzle with. The main building holds a large library of books and CD’s to borrow. We also like to take the dinghy out for rides. Friday we found a little river through the mangroves off the Atlantic side of the Island and went in to find some very “rustic” housing and boats. We’re not sure if these were left over from when a bridge used to cross into this area and now has been partially dismantled so no one can drive there anymore or just some homeless people finding a place to call their own.
 

 

 

Saturday there was a parade of  Wounded Warriors’ (vets) consisting of hundreds of bicyclists pedaling through Marathon down to Key West. A lot of people lined the streets waving flags to show their support.

 

Sunday we took a bus ride to Key West. It was great seeing all the things we had both heard about like, Duval Street, Mallory Square, and Sunset Pier. Key West is an Island about 2x4 miles in size, but boy did they pack a lot of stores, restaurants, and bars on to it.

 

All around Key West you see chickens.

 

 

 Kapok tree.

 

 

 Ernest Hemmingway's house.

 

 Cruise ship in port.

 

 Looking south you can see the Atlantic ocean.

 

 Casa Cayo Hueso (southernmost house in the Continental US).

 

 Duval Street

 

 Mallory Square

 

 

 

 Sunset Pier

 

 Couldn't have picked a better sunset.

 

Jimmy Buffet's Margaretville restaurant.

Thank you Brent. My computer is working again so pictures have been updated.

 

Monday Dec. 30 – Sunday Jan. 5

0 miles

Life in the Keys (during winter) is awesome! No ice to slide on. No snow to shovel. It’s hard to believe snow even exists when you’re down here.

Every morning in the marina they have a Cruisers Net on channel 68 at 9am. They cover new arrivals, departures, local announcements, questions, help, and if any one has any thing to sell/trade/buy/or giveaway. It’s a great resource to not only find out what’s going on in the harbor or the area near by, but if you are in need of help with something there is usually someone here that can either assist you or know someone that can. The marina has a large tiki hut with picnic tables. The main building has a large area with books and DVD’s to borrow, an area to sit with free WIFI, and a large poster were you can post any service you need or would offer to others.

 

 dinghy docks

 

 

 

 

This past week we have taken our bikes out every day (it’s nice to have FLAT bike paths) to do some shopping or sightseeing. We have also taken the dinghy out and cruised thru the mangrove channels, checked out some gorgeous homes and boats and found several large Iguanas sunning them selves.

 

For New Years Eve we took the dinghy to a near by restaurant for dinner and music with another couple from MI that also has there boat here. On New Years day Randy joined about 20 others for a “polar plunge”. This was really quite funny. The water here was 76 degrees, but listening to the locals you would have thought it was freezing.

The gentleman on the trumpet is 96 years old had has played with Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra.

 

 Randy & Terry getting ready for the "polar plunge".

 

On Friday we went to the Crane Point nature center. This is a 63 acre ecological and cultural treasure that is the true “natural” Florida. They have 1.5 miles of nature trails that take you past the “Adderley house (the oldest house in Monroe county), a wild bird center (used to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured birds), and the Crane house (for the couple that purchased the land and preserved it till the center took over and named it after them).

 

 Found this "little" guy along the way.

 

Just when you get nice and comfortable and feel save in your new environment… you get awakened at 4:30 in the morning by a very strong wind during low tide with a bump that jars the boat and a not so nice noise that there is something hitting the bottom of the boat. We had to wait till 8:00 am for the office to open to let them know there was something down under us. The staff was very helpful and moved us to another mooring ball and told us they would send a diver to check out the old mooring site. Randy will be diving later to check out our boat. Hopefully no damage was done.