Back In Islamorada

Today we left Boot Key in Marathon and went 40 miles north back to Islamorada.  We are making our way back to Key Largo to meet family on Wednesday.  We are anchored outside Lorelei's Restaurant.

 

When we arrived there were quite a few boats anchored here, so we must have made a good decision in selecting this locations.  As usual we are the only power boat... front row in photo below.  We took the dingy into shore and picked up groceries and did some shopping.  I found one Christmas gift and a bracelet for myself!



 

Our boat is right above our right shoulder in the photos below.

 

Crazy looking mini pirate ship docked outside Lorelei's.







 

More big boats outside Lorelie's

 

Lorelei's Restaurant

 

Time for the cheesy tourist photos.

 

Corp chilling at the bar at sunset.

Selfie at sunset.

 

Another beautiful sunset.  Love the pink coloring!

 

 

We saw Michael Trixx, a magican at Lorelei's tonight.  I'm not really into magic acts, but he was pretty good and his act featured music from several 80s hair bands so we loved that!  Although the photo below is pretty grainy, he is pulling a dove out of nowhere!

 

 

When we got back to the boat we decided to turn on the blue platform lights. We saw several fish and even a small jellyfish in the photo below.

 





Day at Sombrero Beach

The morning started off with Corp going on the Cruisers Net on VHF Channel 68 and trying to sell our smaller dinghy.  No luck, but their banter back and forth is pretty entertaining.  Corp even won one of the trivia questions.  Another boater asked what ended happy hour in a bar in her home town of Grand Rapids, MI.  Corp guessed the first person who went to the restroom and won! 

 

Then we jumped in the dinghy and head out to Sombrero Beach.  It was about a 25 minute ride down Sister Creek.

 

Photo below shows us leaving marina and entering Sister Creek.

 



 

 

As usual very nice homes along the way.

 

We pulled the dinghy up on shore and got ready for our beach day.

 

 

Someone the day before had made the mermaid sand sculpture shown below.

 



 

I was able to get my first live nature shot.  The bird below was eating a fish.

 

We then took the dinghy to the Dockside restaurant.  Only bar/restaurant we have been disappointed in so far.... expensive for what we ordered.  We did meet a really nice couple from Philadelphia.... Rob and Sarah.  They rented a restored 70's orange VW van in Tampa and were driving it to Key West.  They also had their puppy with them.  She told me how she was able to get a doctor's sign-off to fly with him on Southwest on her lap for free.  He was a certified emotional stress animal.  I am going to check into this if we decide to fly with Charlie.  I will never fly with him in cargo.

 

Tonight they lit the Christmas lights at the Marathon Community Park that is right next to the marina.  We stopped in and took a few photos.  Definitely got me in the holiday spirit.

 

 

Santa fishing... won't see that in Minnesota for sure!

 

I couldn't pass up photos with the lighted seahorse and flamingo.... won't see those in Minnesota either!

 

On our dinghy ride back to the boat tonight, a helicopter took off next to the marina and did a fly by with its lights on very close to us... unnerving but cool at the same time.  Felt like we were in a movie.  That will probably never happen again.

 

Tomorrow we are leaving Marathon and heading north to Islamorada.... about 60 miles.  We plan to anchor close to Lora Lea's restaurant and dinghy into shore for dinner and some shopping.

 

 



A Fun Day Ashore

We are still in Marathon at the City Marina.  We continue to meet new friends and see familiar faces.

This morning we saw our first manatee.... of course we didn't have a camera because we were off to the showers.  It was huge and drinking fresh water on the sea wall.  She must have been 12 feet long and 4 feet wide.  Tomorrow I will have my camera on me all day so hopefully she comes back for a return visit.

We also walked to Sombrero Beach this afternoon.  Very pretty beach.  We plan to take the dinghy there tomorrow for lunch.  It should be about a 1 mile ride.  Still loving our new dinghy!

 I found this cute little gecko at the marina.  He was maybe 2 inches long.

 

We met an interesting sailor tonight... Gill Hummel.  His son lives in Minnetrista, which is very close to where we keep our boat docked on Lake Minnetonka.... small world.  He has circumvented the world in his sailboat.  He is our boat neighbor and definitely an interesting character to chat with.

 

Then we went to the Key Fisheries and met another couple from St. Augustine, FL...Robby and Christine.  We were telling them about our adventure and they said they wanted to do the same thing in the future and we were their inspiration.... we both laughed.... inspiration????  too funny.

 

We also saw some tarpon in the water at Key Fisheries... They were huge... they looked like sharks swarming.

 

 

Of course we had to take the corny tourist photo for the blog!

 

 

Signing off until tomorrow!

 

 

  

Early Christmas For Us - We Bought A New Dinghy

Today's highlight...... we bought a new dinghy at West Marine... it is so much better!  Now we just get a little water spray instead of a water drenching every time we go to shore.

The dinghy was pretty heavy so Corp took a taxi back to the marina.  Taxi rides are only $5 so it was well worth it.  That bag was really heavy!

 

 

Our new dinghy is the one on the left.  Who would have thought 1.5 foot longer and 1 foot wider would make that much difference. 

 

 

After we got the new dinghy out to the boat, Corp was in MacGyver mode trying to figure out how to tie it to the back when we are in transit.  We even had to go to Home Depot for parts/tools.  We returned to the marina and discovered there is a tool room we could use to do what Corp needed.  So tomorrow we return tools.  We were joking it was Corp's first time shopping on Black Friday!

 

Now we are trying to sell the smaller one.  We talked to a few people who gave us some suggestions on places to try and sell (online, vhf channel 68, and post at the marina and a neighboring bar).  We met a couple at the neighboring bar tonight who said if we don't sell it we could put it on the front of the boat and use it as a bath tub.... they were serious....I thought it was hilarious!!!

We had lunch at The Stuffed Pig.... excellent breakfast!

Dinner at FL Keys Steak and Lobster tonight.  We met Eric and Gio who live in Marathon and gave us a ton of restaurant ideas and things we should know about Marathon.  We always love getting local expertise!  We can't wait to try out some of their suggestions tomorrow.

We are planning to stay here until Sunday and then head back to Key Largo.  We have family coming to visit next week.... we are excited to see them and show them what we have discovered so far!

Dinghy Envy on Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!  Lots to be thankful for today!!!

There are a ton of boats in this marina; therefore, a ton of dinghies as well.  Photo below only shows one of the two docking areas.  The other is much larger.

Corp was having dinghy envy and we are sick of getting wet when taking the dinghy to shore so today we ordered a larger dinghy from West Marine.  We pick it up tomorrow.... yay!!!!  We will try to sell ours tomorrow as well.  If not, we bring it with us.  Also with a new dinghy I will feel much more comfortable bringing my DSLR camera to shore!

We celebrated Thanksgiving at a potluck with people in the marina.... about 125 people.... tons of food!  We brought ham cream cheese pickle roll ups.  They were a big hit.  It was the easiest holiday food prep I have had in years.

 

We also saw a sailboat crash into another sailboat right next to us.  He was on a collision to hit us too, but a gust of wind pushed him away from us.... thank goodness.  Corp jumped in the dinghy to try and help but when he arrived the guy had it under control.  Not sure what happened.  People at the potluck told us he was getting kicked out... not sure why, but not a well liked guy.

I'm not sure I mentioned we named our boat Goin' Deep.  We thought the multiple innuendos was funny.  The Marina lady found the multiple meaning funny as well as a few customers she was helping when we called in for a mooring ball.  She said they couldn't stop laughing.

I had to include another beautiful sunset photo.

 

 

Corp was concentrating so hard to get the sun in the selfie that he forgot to smile....lol

 

 

Arrive at Boot Key in Marathon

Today we traveled about 40 miles south to Booty Key in Marathon.  We are moored where the blue dot is tonight and tomorrow night.

Along the way we saw some dolphins surface.  They are pretty quick, so I could only get one photo while we were moving so its blurry.

 

 

Along the way we also saw a beached sail boat.

 

 

 

These are the red and green markers we follow down the Intercoastal Waterway.  Our GPS and paper navy charts lead the way.

 

 

We arrived at 7 mile bridge and went under it to the Atlantic side.

 

 

And boy did the water change... white caps and super choppy.  Our dinghy quickly filled with water and we almost lost the seat and life jackets.

 

 

Photo below doesn't show the size of the white caps... probably 4-5 foot waves crashing on us.

 

 

Coming into Boot Key to moor in the Marathon City Marina.

 

 

We hope to check out this tiki bar before we leave.

 



 Bascule Bridge.

 

 

Arriving in Boot Key.  Tons of sail boats.

 

 

Corp putting the dinghy back together again.  It is so windy that we get wet when taking dinghy to shore.  We are trying to decide is we should buy a larger one at West Marine on Friday.

 

Better sail boat photo.

 

Another boat photo.  There are over 150 of them moored.

 

Sunset photo from our swim platform.  Not such a bad view!!!!

 

Beautiful full moon tonight.

 

 

Tomorrow we are having Thanksgiving with other boaters at the marina.  We are bringing ham, cream cheese, pickle rollups.  Should be interesting!!!!