I must get better at updating regularly!

It is a little anticlimactic now, but we finally arrived at Mile O, roughly 1300 miles from our home port of Deltaville, Virginia!

It was a very fun, spirited sail that day … A beam reach, with east southeast winds at 20-25 knots, gusting to 30 knots, and 3-4 foot following seas inside the reef. The swells were close and choppy, and it felt like we were crossing the Potomac instead of ocean sailing. Pictures just don’t convey the conditions very well.

We have been in Key West for 3 weeks now. Over the next few days, we will be figuring out our next port of call. Anybody want to doggy sit sweet (and royal) Caleb so we can make the hop over to the Bahamas???

Technically, we are on Stock Island, which is separated from Key West proper by Cow Key Channel. It is out of the craziness of Key West, but close enough to partake in the hoopla when the mood hits you. The marina has a free shuttle which runs to the wharf area daily, a cab ride is $6.50 a person, or a healthy 5 mile bike trek gets you there as well.

It’s a nice new Marina, which even has a dog park onsite.

Along with a nice captains lounge, outdoor restaurant/bar, excellent laundry facility and bath house, and some interesting yachts coming and going.  Below is a view from the captains lounge looking across the harbor.

 

A 100+ foot ocean exploration vessel came in for a few days.

 

We’ve enjoyed our time here. Besides Duval Street, there is lots to do and see.

We took in a play at the Waterside Theatre, called “Next Fall”.

Debbie ran a 5k.

We biked to just about every nook and cranny. Howard toured the Mel Fisher museum.

We, of course, enjoyed some nice beach time. Mostly, the days have been sunny and warm with temperatures ranging from mid 60s into the lower 80s.  Temps in the 60s might sound a little chilly, but the sun makes it quite warm.  The nights have been typically cooler.

Caleb befriended a local rooster :-), aka, Key West alarm clock.

We took in a civil war sea battle re-enactment.

We did not wait in line for the “end of the earth” picture (yet).

And … of course there was some bar hopping as well, which pretty much tuckered out the little one! He had a few too many at Schooner Wharf. He was actually snoring!

Our favorite restaurants so far have been on Stock Island — Shrimp Road Grill, Roostica and Chico’s Cantina.  We did enjoy the Island Dog hotdog at the Island Dog Bar in Key West though, and want to check out El Siboney for what we heard is a good Cuban sandwich.

We hope to visit the Hemingway house, this week and check out some recommended secluded beaches by dinghy, as well as snorkeling, and maybe a trip out to the Dry Tortugas. At the moment, we are both nursing colds, so a little under the weather.

Stay tuned for week #3 – The Duval Krawl!

Cheers, for now!