Boot Key Harbor (Marathon) - February 2014

 

We've been in Marathon for a month now.  Sorry I haven't been updating the blog like I wanted, but we always seem to be going somewhere.

The first day in town our friends from Phoenix, Pat and Jack, came over for drinks at Dockside Café, which is a tiki bar that's only nine slips from our boat.  That could be bad!!!  On our 12th anniversary (the second day in town), we watched the Super Bowl with them at the Dockside Café.  I knew this place was going to break the bank.

We've been riding our bikes all over the place, the grocery store, the pharmacy, the doctor, the post office, etc.  We're getting a lot of exercise.  There are excellent walking/biking paths everywhere we go.  That's a good thing because riding a bike after sunset and with a few drinks, you need all three feet of the bike path, and sometimes more. 

There is a covered dish dock party every Monday, which has had an excellent turn out of both people and food.  We went to the first one on the 3rd and there were about 15-20 people.  The second one on the 10th had 20-25 people.  It seems that each week we pick up more people (and more food).

Monday night covered dish on the dock

John started golf lessons with the pro at the country club directly across from the marina.  He played golf with Pat and Jack at Key Colony on the 4th and claims that he stunk up the course.  Hopefully these lessons will help him with his game.  After playing the game in Key Colony he, Pat and Jack went to Sparky's for happy hour and he ran into Jim and Sue Shilling from Two Rivers Marina back home.  What a small world.  He called me and I took a cab over to meet them.  We had appetizers and drinks at Sparky's and then came back to Dockside Café with everyone.  It was a great day and so good to see somebody from home.

Jim and Sue Shilling from the Bohemia River

On the 5th, John had an appointment with the urologist and they have scheduled surgery in Key West for the 18th.  For those of you that didn't know, he was diagnosed with a polyp in his bladder on our last day in Delaware.  The doctor there couldn't get him on his surgery schedule for six weeks, so he opted to find a doctor down here to remove it.  The doctor here explained that it is a cancerous tumor, not a polyp, as we had believed.  Unbelievable!  The poor man.  This is his third type of cancer in 12 years.  It was a long bike ride to and from the doctor's office and a very rough day for both of us.  But we have faith that it will be okay.

On Thursday, the 6th, we took the dinghy to Sombrero Beach.  What a beautiful ride over and lovely beach, too.  It's the first time we've been in the ocean on this trip.  It felt great!!

Sisters Creek on the way to Sombrero Beach

John's new friend at Sombrero Beach

 

On Sunday, the 9th, we rode our bikes to the Municipal Park for the Pigeon Key Art Festival.  The art was disappointing as there wasn't much there and what was there was very, very expensive.  The live music was excellent, though.  We left there and went by Banana Bay Resort to check it out since we were going to be attending an MTOA event there on Wednesday.  When we got back to the boat, I fell getting off of my bike... and I wasn't even drinking.  It hurt like hell, though.  I have bruises on both legs and on my ego.  Some of our dock neighbors witnessed the event.  How humiliating.

 

We had a great time at the MTOA event on the 12th.  There were about 75 people there.  It was BYOB and an appetizer.  They had one MTOA member play the guitar and sing and by the time it was over they had six people playing guitars, a bass, and  a harmonica.  Apparently Banana Bay Resort and Marina has some very talented guests. 

Jamming at the MTOA event.

 

My brother Walter came by the boat on Thursday, the 13th, on his way to his home on Ramrod Key.  We had lunch and drinks with him at Dockside Café.  The food there sucks, which is probably a good thing.  If it were good, we'd probably eat out a lot more, and we can't afford that.  Later in the day Jim and Sue picked us up and took us to Cabana Breeze in Key Colony for drinks.  We really liked that place.  Much better than Dockside Café.  ...and the drinks at happy hour are REALLY good.

 

On Valentine's Day, we took a cab to Sunset Grille for drinks and appetizers.  The place was packed with people.  We like this place the best of any that we've been to.  There were four drunk guys playing corn hole, and they were more entertaining than the band.  John and I laughed until our sides hurt.  John bought me a rose made out of palm fronds.  Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

We planned to go bar hopping by dinghy with Pat and Jack on Sunday, the 16th.  We started out at Dockside Café, which does have good Bloody Mary's.

Bloody Mary from Dockside Café.  Yes, that's a slider.

 

We left Dockside and went to Burdine's.  We had one drink there and then went to Sunset Grille.  We played two games of corn hole, Pat and I as partners, and Jack and John as partners.  Needless to say, the boys won both games, and very handily I might add.  Can I not beat this man at anything???  We got back to the boat just before dark.

 

Corn hole at Sunset Grille

Bar hopping by dinghy



 

 

On Tuesday, the 18th, we left the boat early to go to Key West for John's surgery.  It went well and the doctor told us at the follow-up visit that he wouldn't recommend any treatment at this time.  However, there is a 50/50 chance that it will come back, and if it does, he would recommend treatment at that time.  He has to be checked every three months.  That means he has to be checked now for bladder cancer every three months, and for melanoma every three months.  The man is sick of doctors and I can understand why.

 

On the 19th, since we had a rental car, we went to the Dolphin Research Center, which is about 15 miles north of Marathon.  If you are ever in that area, you should definitely check it out.  It was like being at Sea World, only better.  You are up close to the dolphins.  When you talk to them, they actually act like they hear you.  According to the trainers, they do.  They are amazing creatures... so intelligent... and so darn cute.  The place is guaranteed to make you smile from the time you arrive until the time you leave.  We loved it.

 

 

Dolphin jumping out of the water.  Some even do flips

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Dolphin playing with a hula hoop

Sea lions at Dolphin Research Center

 

Friday, the 20th, Walter picked us up and we went to Cabana Breeze for happy hour drinks and then to Key Colony Inn for dinner.  Walter's friend, Ennio and his wife, Terry, met us there.  Walter loves the place, but I wasn't all that impressed.  Maybe I had the wrong thing for my entrée.  It's supposed to have great Italian food, so I ordered manicotti.  It was so salty I could hardly eat it.  John and everyone else had their special and they all said it was delicious.  Guess I'll have to try it again before I form an opinion.

 

On Saturday, we went to the annual nautical flea market in Islamorada with John and Cindy Etsch and Margie and Larry Ross.  There were over 200 vendors there, but we only bought a shirt for John and a doo-dah for my hair.  When we got back, John had his last golf lesson and then we rode our bikes to Keys Fisheries to watch the sunset over the gulf.  One of the best places to watch the sunset that we've been to.

Sunset over the Gulf, at Keys Fisheries.

 

Sunday, February 23rd, we went to church with Flint and Leslie Firestone.  Very casual, but the most uplifting service I've been to in years.  When you first walk in, you go through a breakfast buffet line, complete with eggs, sausage, home fries, toast, bagels, waffles, etc., etc.  After eating, you take a seat in a very comfortable chair, not a pew.  There was a five or six piece band and two vocals playing Christian rock on stage.  They played for about 20 minutes.  Then they have a children's message after which there is a five minute break.  During the break,  you can go to the bathroom, get a cup of coffee, or whatever.  Then the minister speaks for 20-25 minutes.  You never once look at your watch to see how much longer you have to sit there.  You WANT it to go on.  We thoroughly enjoyed it and will be going back every Sunday we are here as long as Flint and Leslie will pick us up and take us.  It's a half hour by car, so not something we can do on our bikes.

 

Later that afternoon, we went to Marathon Yacht Club for an AGLCA get together.  They provided hot dogs and happy hour drink prices and everyone brought an appetizer.  There was live music and it was very enjoyable.  Afterward we stopped at the Brass Monkey on the way home and shot a game of pool.  I WON!!!!!  Finally.  The score is now 7 to 3, favor John.  My enthusiasm after my victory was short lived, however, because two days later we were back at the Brass Monkey and John won two games and I won none.  9 to 3, favor John.  Damn it!!

 

We finally got our fishing licenses after being here for three and a half weeks.  We went fishing on Wednesday, the 26th, at the 7-mile bridge.  We caught a few fish but nothing of much size.  We only kept two and after fileting them, I realized that we probably should have thrown them back.  They aren't even enough for one appetizer.  Next time if they're not 15 inches or bigger, they're going back.  The ones we kept were 12 inches. 

 

On Thursday, Jim and Sue met us at Dockside Café.  They are leaving in the morning so we wanted to see them before they left.  It happened to be karaoke night, and Jim just happens to love to sing karaoke.  He sang three songs and he's pretty darn good.  Everyone who sang were quite good.  We thoroughly enjoyed the evening and stayed until it was over at 10 o'clock.

Jim singing karaoke

 

My brothers (Curtis, Roger, Kevin), and two nephews (Kevin, Jr. and Kevin Curtis) got into town Thursday night.  They stopped by the boat on Friday, had a couple of drinks, and then we all went to Sunset Grille for happy hour drinks and appetizers.  John played corn hole with Kevin, Kevin, and Kevin.  You could tell those Kevins have played this game before.  LOL!  At least some Garbers can beat John at something.  Better than this Garber can do.

 

That's pretty much it for the month of February.  Way too much drinking and too much eating.  Thank goodness we're leaving here in two weeks.  Drinking and eating out is going to kill our budget, if it doesn't kill us first.  Overall, we have thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Keys.  My brothers will be leaving on the 6th and then John's daughter, Ashley, will get in on the 10th.  So we'll be busy for the next two weeks.  Til then...

 

Still 1328 miles south of the Bohemia River.



 

Cocoa Village to Marathon - 1/25/14-2/1/14

 

This picture is mostly for my brother, Kevin.  These fish were right in the marina in Cocoa.

Schools and schools of fish in the marina

We left Cocoa Village on December 18th to go home for the holidays.  It was nice to be home, but it felt a little strange.  Almost like I had left my home in Cocoa and was going to Delaware for a visit.  Just nine short weeks on the boat and it already felt like it was home now.  It snowed twice while we were home and let me tell you, shoveling snow is not fun.  It's cold, it's wet, and it's hard work.  Neither one of us care if we ever see snow again.  We sent the picture below to our friends who were in Florida on their boat and they said "John looks better behind the helm than he does the snow blower."  John very much agrees.

John - at home in Delaware.  Hopefully this will be the last time he will ever have to use this machine.

It was great to see family and friends again but we can't wait to get to warm weather.  John officially retired on January 23rd and we left for Florida at 7:30 a.m. on the 24th.  We arrived back in Cocoa on the 25th (temperature a cool 68 degrees).  We did the grocery store thing to re-provision the boat, turned the rental car in, and prepared for departure on the 27th. 


Our first day back in Cocoa Village.

Our last night in Cocoa, we went to the village for dinner and to shoot some pool.  John won one and I won one.  The record is now 8 for John and 2 for Miss Deb, but I think I'm on a roll. 

We said good-bye to Cocoa Village at 8:50 in the morning, heading south for as long as we felt like going.  We ended up traveling 66 miles that day, anchoring in Faber Cove, which is just north of Fort Pierce.  It was a beautiful anchorage just off the ICW.  In the morning we woke to a dense fog and couldn't get underway until almost ten o'clock.  We only travelled 44 miles on Thursday, some of which was due to slow wake zones because of manatees and some of which was due to waiting for bridges to open.  We anchored in the north end of Lake Fort Worth, which is just north of Palm Beach.  I wouldn't anchor there again.  Way too much wake from the ICW.  Next time we'll find a calmer spot to drop the hook.

Our view from our anchorage in Lake Fort Worth

Florida has miles and miles of waterway that are manatee zones, but we only ever saw one, and then we're not even sure that it was a manatee.  We travel slow anyway (approx. 8k) but 5 or 6 knots???  What a pain in the ass! 

This was also the start of many low bridges that we had to wait for an opening.  One bridge had a piece of construction equipment on it and said they wouldn't open at all until the end of the day.  Really?!?!  The bridge tender said we should be able to make it without an opening, but it wasn't his boat with $17,000 worth of new equipment on top of it.  So, I went up on the hard top and stood on my tippy toes in front of all that equipment and told John to go very, very slow and if I yelled, he was to immediately stop and back up.  The bridge tender was correct, though.  We cleared the bottom of the bridge with about six inches to spare.  Another bridge was supposed to open on the quarter past and quarter til the hour.  We motored at a slow speed so we would get there at quarter til and not have to wait too long for an opening.  Not to be.  The bridge tender told us that due to construction, they only open on the quarter past now.  When you drive on the highway, they post signs indicating that there is a road closed ahead, or there is construction ahead.  So, you prepare for that.  Why can't the ICW do the same?  It's more or less a highway for boats.  I think we had to wait on a total of 19 bridges to open over two days time.  These bridges, too, are a pain in the ass!  I thought John was going to lose his mind!!!

A lot of the bridges are pretty, though.

 

On Wednesday, the 29th, we got underway at 7:45, going through "Concrete Canyon".  It's called this because both sides of the ICW are lined with a concrete bulkhead for 66 miles.  There was little boat traffic when we went through, so the wave action wasn't bad.  They say that on weekends, the water just bounces off the concrete bulkheads and there is continuous wave action.  We anchored that night in Sunrise Bay, Ft. Lauderdale.

   

 

 

 

Concrete Canyon

 

Downtown Miami

 

On Thursday, January 30, we got a slip in Key Biscayne.  That was a total waste of money.  There was nothing to do there.  The Cruiser's Guide said they had a restaurant but all the restaurants were miles away and we didn't feel like taking a cab.  Plus it was raining.  So, we stayed on the boat, went to bed early and left the next morning at 7:20.  Our whole trip from Cocoa to Marathon was pretty uneventful.  The water is now a turquoise color.  Friday night we anchored in a beautiful cove off Windley Key, Islamorada.  On the way into the cove, three dolphin swam in our bow wake but before I could get a picture, they stopped.  We've heard of dolphin doing this but this is the first time we've ever experienced it.  We took the dinghy ashore and had dinner and drinks at Ocean View.  Really cool place.  They have a heated/cooled pool that the restaurant patrons can use.  I wish I had known that.  I would have worn my suit. 

 

Saturday, February 1st -- Happy birthday to my brother Walter. 

 

The water in this area is very shallow and has a lot of lobster and stone crab pots, so we couldn't go too fast.  That morning, we left the ICW and headed into the Atlantic Ocean in order to cut about 45 minutes off the trip.  I'm not sure that was wise because it was a pretty rough ride.

 





Going into the ocean at Channel Five

 

YIPPEE!!!  We finally arrived in Marathon.  We're very excited!  We got into Boot Key Harbor at 1:00 p.m.  WOW!  There are a thousand boats here if there's one.  A number of MTOA (Marine Trawler Owners Association) members greeted us at the dock and helped tie the boat up.  Everyone is very, very friendly.  Why not?  They're in paradise.

 

1328 miles from the Bohemia River.