Day 212 - 219 January 18 - 25, 2023

 Day 212 Wednesday, January 18, 2023

More Stock Island and Key West

We have been blessed with mostly sunny days, temps in the 80's, lots of sights to enjoy and fun with our friends.  I can't believe that we are lucky enough to be here when our friends and family are dealing with snow and freezing cold temps.  We will do our best to suffer through the heat without complaints!!

As such, we spent the afternoon at the beach. 

 

There is a constant LOUD noise of planes overhead.  The marina is in the flight line of both the Key West airport and the Key West Naval Station.  The military air traffic far surpasses the commercial traffic.  We have seen all sorts of planes including harriers and Ospreys.  Activity starts around 8am and continues until  around 6pm. We joke that the pilots are coming back in time for dinner.

Ospreys

Also of note, my bug bites are almost unbearable.  No one else seems to be bothered as much as me by the No See Ums.  I feel like the sacrificial lamb.  

Day 213 Thursday, January 19, 2023

Big day planned with our friends Janet and Russ of Tug Bussle.  Their boat is docked at Farro Blanco Marina in Marathon; they are taking the bus to our marina to visit. We (Arlene, Al, Susan, Danny, Jerry and I) met them at Hogfish Bar and Grill for lunch and then walked back to the marina. We sat at the beach and shared our adventures with them.  Tug Bussle was last with us in Clearwater before Christmas. 

 

 Arlene, Susan, Peg and Janet enjoying Bushwackers made by Al.

 Enjoying the beach

 

Day 214 Friday, January 20, 2023

Today was Susan and Danny's 33rd wedding anniversary.  Surprisingly, they invited us to share their day with them!  This time we tried a different bus stop to catch the Southern Loop.  The bus stop is closer, only 0.9 mile away.  It was more residential and a quicker ride.  Our first stop was The Green Parrot for cold refreshments and free popcorn, and hoping for live entertainment.  The very busy popcorn machine was equipped with a push button dispenser so that hands didn't touch the popcorn inside the machine.  An employee was kept busy adding more popcorn/oil, refilling it at least 5 times within the hour.  No entertainment, we would have to come back later. 

Next we went to Ram's Head Southernmost (Susan's favorite) and enjoyed happy hour and snacks.  We wandered town and then appreciated sunset at Mallory Square.  

The best part of the celebration was dessert at "Better Than Sex Desserts".    The atmosphere is intimate and the desserts are fabulous!

   Wines are paired with chocolate or caramel.  The "Lucky Shot" and "Money Shot" are house made liquors with thick homemade flavored whipped cream served in shot glasses.

    Danny had the Italian Stallion -described as a "Well-Endowed Package" of "espresso soaked lady fingers, Amaretto kissed cream heese mousse and a stroke of cinnamon" on a "firm chocolate shortbread bottom".

 Susan had Between My Red Velvet Sheets Cheesecake Pie

 Jerry had Kinky-er Key West Cream Key Lime  Pie

  I had the Double Stuffed Oreo Bread Pudding with vanilla cheesecake ice cream

Filled with deliciousness we were ready to walk a bit to get back to the Green Parrot.  Jackpot, there was live music.  Unfortunately, we got there just as the band was ending their set with a conga line around the bar.  Instead we were entertained by the neighborhood mascot.

 

 

We Ubered back to our boats - now 11pm, the busses had stopped.  What a fun day.  Thanks Susan and Danny for letting us celebrate with you.

Day 215 Saturday, January 21, 2023

Quiet day after yesterday.  Laundry and a bike ride to Home Depot, then football at our boat (Kansas City vs Jags) with Danny.

Day 216 Sunday January 22, 2023

We biked to church then stopped at Publix on the way back.  We travel with a backpack so that we can pick up milk/bread on our way.  We fasten bigger purchases to the bikes with bungee cords and cargo nets.

We joined the other Loopers for happy hour at the pool.  Happy hour is 2 for 1 beer or mixed drinks.  That second drink can do you in, especially in the heat.  Just ask our friend who shall not be named!

We had company at the pool.

  

 

Day 217 Monday, January 23, 2023

Another successful laundry attempt on the boat.  The marina laundry was a victim of Hurricane Ian so we have been trying to figure out the onboard washer/dryer.  Jerry has been babysitting the washer.  It looks like the dial/timer doesn't advance so he has been advancing it manually.  It's a lot of effort for a small load of laundry but beats schlepping to a laundromat and back.  

The big job for the day was scrubbing the inside of the fly bridge bimini .  The canvas has a tendency to mold in the heat and humidity.  It was long overdue.  Armed with brushes and Spray 9 Jerry and I knocked it out in no time.

Another happy hour, this time at Roostica with Danny, Susan, Al, Arlene and Diane and Tim of Arcadia.  Nine dollar wood fired pizzas, $4 draft beers.  The pizza was great. We topped off the evening with a game of Mexican Train Dominoes on Phil-N-Wild.

  

Day 218 Tuesday January 24, 2023

Quiet day with a pancake and bacon breakfast and more laundry.  I did some sewing repair, practicing with a curved needle.  I want to repair some canvas on the fly.  Jerry scoped out his next project, the macerator install.  Our boat came with a macerator pump, which Jerry took out.  Macerators are illegal on Lake Champlain and boaters can incur a hefty fine.  We brought the pump back with us when we returned after Christmas.  Pump outs are rare and frequently broken in the Bahamas; we want to be prepared for that part of the trip.

Day 219 Wednesday, January 25, 2023

We cleaned the boat, inside and out.  We are getting company tomorrow!! We spent the evening playing cards on Arion.

Day 209 - 211, January 15 - 17, 2023

 Day 209 Sunday, January 15, 2023

Stock Island

Still not comfortable with public transportation we opted to Uber to church at The Basilica of St. Mary, Star of the Sea.  The Basilica was the first Catholic parish in  South Florida and the 3rd oldest Catholic parish in all of Florida.  The Basilica includes a school, meditation garden, a grotto celebrating Our Lady of Lourdes, outdoor Stations of the Cross, the Perpetual Adoration Chapel and a gift shop.  The church was packed with parishioners, ushers directing the standing room only crowd.  The music was beautiful.

 

 Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto was built by Sister Louise Gabriel who survived 3 major hurricanes.  By building the grotto she sought protection  from the Blessed Mary against future hurricanes.  There hasn't been a severe storm on Key West since the Grotto was built in 1922. 

Jerry and I enjoyed a walk around Key West and ended up at Southernmost on the Beach for lunch.  We have been there on past visits to Key West.

 This rooster joined us for lunch.

  Home still decorated for Christmas

After walking Duval Street to Mallory Square we Ubered back to the boat in time to see our friends on Arion arrive. Time to enjoy beach tales with Arlene, Al, Danny, Susan, Rocky and Deb (Danny's sister and hubby).  All fun except when I discovered the MULTIPLE No See Um bites I experienced.  I feel like bait.

Beach view of the former Tiki Hut bar and docks at the marina.  They were destroyed by Hurricane Ian.

Day 210 Monday, January 16, 2023

Time to figure out transportation.  Bike ride to Key West was on the agenda to check out the traffic and see how long it would take to get to church.  Forty five minutes and 5.5 miles later we have our route figured out.  No more $$ to get to church. 

  The dreaded crab pots are built around the corner from our marina.

We met our friends at the pool and made plans for cards on Phil-N-Wild after a dinner of salad and  chicken penne pasta in marinara sauce.

 

Day 211 Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Today we headed by bus to Key West with Arlene and Al.  The bus is a great deal - only 50 cents each way for seniors. 

 Al and Jerry waiting for the bus.  Don't stand in the grass -- fire ants!

We walked to Duval Street, found some ice cream and took our pictures at the southern tip marker.  This is a very popular tourist stop.  There is even a web cam where you can wave to family or check out all the visitors.  Recently, illegal immigrants were caught on camera as they came ashore there.  They were immediately met by border protection officers.

  

                                                                                    Banyan tree

We introduced Arlene and Al to Willie T's and were joined by Susan, Danny, Deb and Rocky.  They had driven in earlier in the day to check out some of the tourist attractions. Sloppy Joe's for dinner with Al and Arlene where we tried out their famous Sloppy Joe sandwich.  It was tasty and definitely messy;  I like the North Country version better. 

 Al, Arlene and Susan

 

The Mile 0 marker is at the end of Interstate 1 that runs from Key West to Fort Kent, Maine.  The highway is 2,370 miles long and is the longest north - south road in the US.  Jerry has been at both ends!!

More adventure for the day -- we hopped a ride on the Perry Hotel shuttle back to Stock Island. (Don't tell!!)  We still needed to walk 30 minutes from the hotel to our marina but it was well lit.  The end of a very fun day.

Day 207 & 208 January 13 - 14, 2023

 Day 207 Friday, January 13, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!  

Stock Island Yacht Club and Marina, Key West Florida

It feels so good to be tied to a dock after our long passage yesterday.  Our plan is to stay here until February 15th.  We'll see if the weather or our plans dictate a change.  We are anxious to explore Stock Island and Key West.  Our bikes will make it much easier since the marina seems to be a little remote from restaurants, groceries and church.

We celebrated with a real breakfast of eggs and toast instead of the usual bagels, cereal or peanut butter toast.  Our neighbors are Jean and Tim.  They are on a 59 foot Marquis, Bello; their home port is Sacramento California.  Far from home, they bought the boat in Michigan for the loop.  They are spending 2 months here while Tim travels back and forth for work.  I can't imagine doing the loop and still working.

Jerry spent the morning cleaning the salt off the boat while I cleaned inside.  I had a great birthday phone call with Dad.  We celebrated our arrival (we were too tired to eat last night) with steak on the grill.

Boats moored in the channel outside of the marina

View from the beach and pool.

Day 208 Saturday, January 14, 2023

Time to explore Key West!  

 

We walked to the bus stop and caught the bus to Key West with Susan and Danny.  First stop was Bay View Park and the Sea Food Festival.  We enjoyed the various vendors, music and of course the sea food.  I ordered the snow crab and Jerry got the sea food platter of crab, shrimp, conch fritters, ceviche, and fries; all to share -- yummy. 

  Nothing left but the shells!

From there we walked downtown to Duval Street to enjoy frozen key lime drinks and music at Willie T's. 

  Dollar bills posted everywhere at Willie T's

 

Sloppy Joe's was the favorite of Ernest Hemingway

Walls filled with beer cans at Mary Ellen's

Our day was filled with fun, sun and sights -- enjoying stops at Irish Kevin's, Mary Ellen's for lunch, and Sloppy Joe's (best music).  We Ubered back to the marina since we weren't sure where to pick up the bus and it was getting late.  We plan to stay in Stock Island until February 15th -- plenty of time to explore Key West and beyond!