Funky Key West

March 10 - 15, 2013

Key West greeted us with high winds, rough water and many challenges before we ever went to town.  Our reservation was for a mooring ball.   A mooring ball is a large float attached to a big piece of cement.  A line is floating in the water that must be caught and attached to the boat.  This isn’t too difficult in calm water, but we were in rough water with high winds.  Brian decided I should drive the boat and he would grab the line.  My first attempt brought us very close.  Brian was using the boat hook to catch the line.  Before he caught the line the pole caught his headset and flipped it overboard.  Lost—no chance for retrieval.  After 6 passes, we connect.  Then we realized we drove over the ball, it gets caught on our stabilizer fin.  We have to let the line go.  Start over ---- this time, we are lucky and we catch the line immediately.  Success, we are settled!   

 

We thought the Army Special Forces were coming
to rescue us, but no they are just training.

 Monday morning it’s time to launch the dingy so we can go to town.  Brian goes to the fly bridge to lower the dingy.  The davit doesn’t work.  Most of the day is consumed fixing it.  As long as we are in good water and we can’t go to town, let’s try the water maker.  All looks promising.  The water is clean and salt-free, but it won’t discharge the water into the water tank – it is dumping it overboard!  Each time the water maker is started it uses fresh water to purge the system.  Now we have only 1/8 tank (50 gallons) of fresh water.   

Look what we found on our way to town!  Crazy......

Tuesday began with final adjustments on the davit, some phone calls for advice about the water maker and a couple of additional tweaks.  Still, no water going into the tank.  Enough of this – we’re going to town!  We just got a glimpse of Key West, but it was not a disappointment.  It’s definitely one funky place.  Ann, from Long Boat Key, recommended lunch at Pepe’s.  It is the oldest restaurant in the Keys.  Their motto, “a fairly good place for quite a long time”.

 

Wednesday and Thursday the wind picked up along with the waves.  It is too rough to go to town in the dingy.  A good time to cook a couple of nice dinners, do some repairs and even a little cleaning.  Brian completed the water maker repairs.  It is pumping 26 gallons each hour into our water tank.  Yea, showers again!    

 

We ate on the patio at Pepe's.  Their cat was taking
a catnap on this mesh over the tables.  He slept the
whole time we were there.  Several patrons inquired
about  his health:  alive or dead.

Friday our patience was rewarded with beautiful weather and flat water.  We headed into town for a day of exploration.  Determined to see as much as we could -- we were in the dingy and on our way at 8:30.  No disappointments today -- Key West lived up to its reputation and we did what little we could to make it a friendly happy place.     

Our day begins with breakfast at Blue Heaven --
eggs benedict with shrimp.  Delicious!

Roosters and chickens walk between the tables.

Momma chicken keeps her 4 chicks warm by
sitting on them.  Can you see all 4?

The southernmost point in the continental United States.

                      

Some might say -- over acting.
My grandchildren say "Wow, Grandma is being eaten
by a giant shark!"

Street performers entertain the crowd
in Mallory Square as we wait for the
sunset.

I didn't see a title on this sculpture, but I bet you
can come up with something interesting.

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!