KEY WEST FL, USA
It has been so long since the top of the blog didn't say Sarasota or something stupid like "In the Airplane". It felt great to leave the docks. We left Sarasota at 0800 on Wednesday morning with Naples locked in to the charts. Due to rising fuel prices the owner wanted to take it slow so I kept it at 10 knots the entire way. It took us around 8 hours dock to dock but it was a pleasant ride as seas were calm. Everything seemed O.K. with the bow thruster which is a great relief. The owner invited some friends over that he knew lived in Naples. He invited me to join them for dinner which was very nice of them. We went to this lobster house right near the marina and it was funny because they were out of lobster...weird. The party went in to the night but I turned in well before that. That is about all of Naples that I saw.
On Thursday we woke up and were OTD at 0755, right on time. Todays destination, Key West, FL. It was gloomy today, but warmer. The seas started off about the same as yesterday but on the port beam. As we pulled away from shore and in to open water the seas built a little. We decided to speed it up in order to make for a smoother ride. When we pulled in to Key West there was a buzz. Most marinas I've been to seem like ghost towns 90% of the time. As soon as we got in to the channel there were little boats buzzing in front of us, tour sailboats on both beams, a snorkeling boat splitting the difference. The only thing missing was a giant cruise ship (which is now at the dock as I write this blog on Friday morning). Once inside the bight the action picked up. Bars scattered the shoreline and every one had some sort of live music coming out of it. As we passed boats we picked up different tunes that were coming from each boat. Everyone was on their boats waiting for the much anticipated happy hour. The traffic in the marina was worse than the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago during rush hour. It was great. Finally a place that is alive! Shortly after arriving to the dock we launched the tender as well as both scooters. I gave the bow of the boat a fresh water rinse down and finished a few other chores. The owner then invited me to go for a dinghy ride with him. Every corner we went around was packed with sailboats on the hook. Every anchorage was packed. Looking back in to the marina looked like a big messy pile of fiberglass as the boats to our port and starboard are only a foot away being that there are no finger piers. The street performers were in full swing up on shore as we cruised by. I think I'm in love with this place.
The owner again invited me to join them for dinner at the A&B Lobster House right at the end of the dock. It was a fine dining place and wow was it good. I had the seared Yellowfin Tuna, and it was the most amazing dish ever. After dinner we took a stroll down Duval St., which is where all the action will be on New Years Eve, and I broke off from the group and did my own thing for the rest of the night. Despite working and hanging out in good ole Saugatuck, MI in my lifetime, last night was the first time ever that someone came right out and asked me straight up: "So are you gay or what?". Key West is a very gay friendly community, but that one caught me off guard haha.
This city is alive. As I walked home last night every bar was blasting some sort of live music. Bicycle taxi's buzzed around the streets ringing their bells at every person on the sidewalk. The smell of hot dogs filled the air as street vendors dished out food to the drunks as fast as they could. Families walked by with young kids in awe as to what was happening on Duval St. in Key West, FL. I can only imagine what it will be like on New Years Eve as they say they will pack the streets with over 60,000 people.
On one last note: Happy Birthday Mom!!! Sorry for waking you up, but I had to wish you a happy birthday before I lost cell service!
Sound Waves Ouy
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