February 27, Day 247 - In Marathon

After a leisurely cup of coffee and briefly working on a few chores this morning we headed out for “National Pig Day”. National Pig Day is one of the lesser known holidays, but seems to be celebrated in many towns across the U.S.A. Here in Marathon a restaurant, aptly named The Stuffed Pig, sponsors 3 days of activities. Included in the activities are pig races. Having never been to a pig race we were quite fascinated with how this really worked. We discovered it was pretty much like a horse race where you could bet on your favorite. “Favorite” here was more or less determined by which name you liked the best. Among the names were clever monikers such as Britney Spareribs, Christina Hoguilera, Hamma Montana and Clay Aiken-Bacon. There were 3 heats (races) and you could bet a minimum of $2 on each heat. Gerry and I each bet $6 ($2 on each race). The money collected from the pig races serves as the main fund raiser for the Grace Jones Community Center which is a non-profit daycare for special needs children. Gerry’s pig pick won the first race; Linda’s picks did not win. Gerry returned his winnings to the day care, as did most winners. So that you can share in the day's festivities, we've included a couple of clips of the races.

We had lunch and a couple of drinks after the pig race and then started back to the boat as there was a threat of rain. Later in the day it did rain some with strong winds out of the south, then it cleared up and the winds changed to the north.

Here is the race track for the pigs

The pigs in the second heat were the very fast experienced pigs

The "hefty" group ran last ..... er well, maybe run is too strong a word. Check out the video clip for these speedsters.

This was one huge pig .... over 300 lbs.



Click here to see pigs in the 1st heat. Gerry's pick was the winner.

... and click here to see the suprise finish of the 3rd heat

February 26, Day 246 - In Marathon

Today was pretty good weatherwise. The wind was calm and it was sunny. Still a bit cool, but certainly a day where you wanted to get out and about. After breakfast we hopped on our bikes and rode up to Office Depot. It is about 5 miles from the marina, but we needed paper and ink cartridges and …. the big deciding factor was that we have a gift card from them. This is actually the replacement money from Linda’s last fiasco with taking her camera for a swim. After destroying her first one we got the replacement insurance on the second one so that when she ended up destroying that one, we got our money back for a replacement. However, they just sent a gift card for the replacement amount. Since we had already bought another camera, we are now using the money on the gift card for other items.

By the time we made the trip, shopped around a bit and started back, it was well after 12:00, so we decided to stop for lunch. We ended up at a place called Herbies – a local fish place. While not much to look at, the food was very good.

Back at the boat, Gerry and Michael worked on securing the boats a little better. They took lines over to the other docks to hold us off the cement wall the next time the wind blows hard from the north (which is forecast for Saturday night). All of the locals keep telling us this is MOST unusual weather. Actually, we have been hearing that almost our entire looping trip.

Later in the afternoon we walked across the street to the Marathon Marina and visited with some friends, Zoltan and Christina on Christina Diane. They are a couple from London, Ontario that we cruised with for a while down the river system. We made it back to the boat just before sunset. It proved to be one of the better ones we’ve seen since being here in Marathon. After that we ordered pizza, watched a bit of the Olympics and then called it a night.

A few shots of the sunset ... the colors were very intense tonight with lots of deep pink

Birds in flight

... and a boat out in the distance

The moon was almost full

... and what's this you ask. It's a halo around the moon. Folklore states that it's a predictor of storms within the next 36 hours.

February 25, Day 245 - In Marathon

Our prediction of yesterday held true. We didn’t get much sleep. The winds were strong out of the north and we banged around all night. Maybe not as bad as a week or so ago, or maybe we’re just getting use to it. Second Star sustained some fiberglass damage when one of their lines and fenders gave way.

At noon we, along with the gang on Second Star, walked over to Porky’s for lunch. We needed to get off the boats. We also ended up walking to the bike shop and West Marine. It was still quite breezy and cool, but felt good to be on land – some place that wasn’t moving back and forth.
Later in the day, Linda went for a walk down to the bridge (it was very windy there in the cut) and Gerry napped and worked on taxes one last time. Then we sent them off.

By evening the wind had died down and we joined Michael and Jana and did a bit of chart planning for the Bahamas. However, until the northerly wind pattern changes there is really no sense in leaving Marathon as we can’t make a crossing.

February 24, Day 244 - In Marathon

The forecast today called for rain, but it proved not to be a total washout as the rain did not start until late afternoon. First thing this morning Linda went for another walk – shorter than yesterday’s – while Gerry did a bit of consulting work. After that we walked to the West Marine for wax and a few other supplies. When the weather cooperates we hope to compound and wax the topsides.

We did a bit more tax related paperwork and fiddled around with a tarp for the dinghy. Also rechecked the lines. We are supposed to get gusty winds from the north starting early evening – that means rocking and rolling again.

Right around 5:00 (happy hour) the rain came and shortly thereafter the wind started. By the time we went to bed it was around 25, gusting to 35. Bet we don’t get much sleep tonight.

When we woke up this morning the skies were very threatening, but they soon cleared and it didn't rain until later in the day. At the time there was not a breath of air. That would also change later in the day.

February 23, Day 243 - In Marathon

In contrast to yesterday’s gloomy look and rain, today was the exact opposite.

Linda woke up early. Remember at the beginning of the trip how she would rise at 5:30 and go out for a walk. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for that habit to die and her idea of getting up early is now 8:00. Well, with new resolve she headed out this morning at 6:30. It was a gorgeous morning so she headed for the 7 mile bridge. She walked an hour one direction, then turned around and came back. By that time, Gerry was wondering where in the heck she was. He was about to head out on the bike when she returned.

We decided today was dinghy cleaning day. Gerry took the dinghy down and pulled it over to the ramp. We had some Captain Phab dinghy cleaner that we had bought in Canada. We had used most of it earlier, but were able to judiciously use the rest to get the dinghy pretty darn clean. It is great stuff. Unfortunately you can only get Captain Phab in Canada. We bought some other cleaner recently, but it’s not nearly as good. Once the dinghy was clean we applied UV protection. Then it was good to go …… so off we went for a dinghy ride. It was a beautiful day to be on the water. We explored many of the places we had been to by land. Things actually look must better from the water. After being out for an hour or two, we noticed what looked like a fog bank moving in. Sure enough, within a few minutes we were shrouded in fog. It was very strange. Locals said it never gets foggy here …. Just another case of unusual weather.

We spent a few hours in the afternoon working on taxes. Michael is helping us with them and we needed to supply him with additional information.

We had a very nice sunset tonight. We walked the dock taking a few pictures and then headed down the street for Mexican food. Great food again … a nice ending to a nice day.

This is the way the water and sky looked just before sunrise. Early morning is a great time of day, especially here in the Keys

... and here comes the sun. Didn't take long for the temps to rise. Linda was pretty sweaty by the time she returned from her walk.

Walked the old 7 mile bridge down to here -- Pigeon Key. The old bridge was built by Henry Flagler as part of a railroad system starting in 1905. The railroad stretched from Miami to Key West. Pigeon Key was used as the construction base camp for the the bridge. The railroad to Key West never really caught on and when a hurricane destroyed the Islamorada portion in the 1930's it was never repaired. The old bridge was subsequently turned over to the Federal Government who refurbished it as an automobile bridge. In 1982 a new bridge was finished and the old 7 mile bridge became a walking, hiking, biking, fishing bridge.

Is that a new dinghy??? Sure looks like one after a few hours of scrubbing

... and one more view (too bad we didn't have a "before" picture so you could see the difference)

Here's Gerry out for a quick run in the dinghy. Needed to make sure everything was working properly before heading out

This egret was right at home on the small boat next to where we had cleaned the dinghy

This is a shot of the pier next to the Tiki Hut where we meet for happy hour in the evenings. Who wouldn't be happy here!

Out and about we went by Keys Fisheries. Not much to look at, but the food sure is good (this is where we ate a few nights ago)

Hundreds of birds on some pilings and an old breakwater wall

I believe this pelican was just napping in the sun ... it was that kind of a day

A shot of the old 7 mile bridge (this is where Linda walked this morning)

A jellyfish in the water. These are very different looking from the jellyfish in Maryland. We saw several of them floating on the water. Didn't get a very good picture, but the camera battery died, so couldn't get a better one.

Just before sunset .... perhaps this is the same bird from the earlier picture

Sunset ... looking through the trees

February 22, Day 242 - In Marathon

Today was a stay inside day. It was still warm, but was windy and rainy all day. This morning Gerry returned the rental car which turned into quite a lengthy process as Enterprise was very busy and he had to wait quite awhile before they could bring him back.

We worked on taxes most of the rest of the day. Looks like we’ll get some money back, but we’re having Michael take a look at them as he is a CPA.

By 5:00 the rain had finally stopped and the sun was trying to peek through the clouds so we took a glass of wine and went to the Tiki Hut. At sundown we went back to the boat, had leftovers for dinner, watched the Olympics and then off to bed.

After such a gloomy day, it was nice to see a bit of color in the sunset

The colors weren't bright, but the sunset was quite pretty and you could see forever

February 21, Day 241 - In Marathon

The day started with an early breakfast at the 7 Mile Grill. Fantastic food for all – blueberry pancakes and eggs Benedict for the guys and the women had spinach and feta omelets. After that we drove around Marathon checking out all the marinas. We walked the docks and chatted with several loopers/cruisers that were out on their boats enjoying the good weather.

We stopped at the beach for awhile and decided we’d come back later with the necessary stuff (beach chairs and a book). We went to a shell shop as Gerry wanted to get a conch shell to blow. He is pretty good at it as he played the trumpet when he was younger.

Later in the day, Michael, Jana and Linda went to the beach for awhile. Gerry stayed behind and started on taxes. We’d like to get our taxes filed before leaving for the Bahamas. At this point, we’re not sure when we’ll make the crossing. The weather here is very unsettled with winds out of the north. We will probably stay here in Marathon a while longer waiting for the weather pattern to become more “normal”. Then we’ll work our way north to the Key Biscayne area for the crossing.

Since we still had the rental car, we decided to do a bit more provisioning. After that, Linda declared us “full”. There is not room for another can or box or any room in the fridge.

For dinner we went to Key Fisheries. It’s a very informal place with fantastic fish. We thought the prices were a bit high until we saw the portion size. Once again …. we took enough home for another meal.

Back at the boat we watched the Olympics for awhile and then off to bed.

We spotted a bike rental truck with a cute sign on top .... "Free Snow Removal". Wonder if he'd be willing to go to Maryland

A shot of the beach at Sombrero

More of the beach

... and here's Jana and Michael getting ready to relax and soak up the rays

February 20, Day 240 - In Marathon

Today we got up fairly early and, along with Michael and Jana, headed for the Islamorada Nautical Flea Market. There were over 100 vendors selling both used and new equipment. Among the items at the market were all kinds of marine equipment, dive gear, clothing, electronics, dock equipment, antiques, fishing gear and lots of arts and crafts. We wandered around the whole event first to see what was there. Our purchases included a knot-tying tool for Gerry (for his fishing gear) and new sunglasses for Linda. Now she has glasses like Gerry bought in Everglades City.

It was amazing how many people we knew at the flea market. We think every looper in Florida must have been there. It was great weather and it was fun visiting with fellow boaters. On the way back to Marathon we stopped at World Wide Sportsman and ended up buying a few items there.

When we got back to the boat we were ecstatic to discover that we’d finally gotten mail. We’ve had problems getting our mail forwarded lately. When we left Annapolis, we put in a temporary 6-month forwarding request. At the end of 6 months we renewed it for another 6 months. However, it never went into effect and our mail has been delivered to our home since then. Our friends, Jim and Karen, packed it up for us and tried to forward it to us in Fort Myers but, as luck would have it, the post office screwed up again and the package was sent back to them in Maryland instead of us. Very frustrating as all of our tax stuff was in the package. They finally got things squared away with the post office and it arrived here in Marathon. We owe them a huge THANK YOU for all their efforts.

Later that night we walked next door to Porky’s for dinner. The food was good and the portions were huge. We ended up with lots of leftovers for another meal. Back at the boat we went to bed early. The day’s events (and the sun) had worn us out. We were ready to call it a day.

The Flea Market was held at Founder's Park. In addition to the park there is also a nice beach and a marina. There were a few looper boats at the marina.

A few of the vendor tents at the Flea Market

.... and, of course, there was a food tent

A shot of the Bayside Marina which is part of the World Wide Sportsman complex

February 19, Day 239 - In Marathon

First thing this morning Gerry went to pick up a rental car. Then he and Michael did a bit of shopping at one of their favorite stores -- Home Depot. Back at the boat Gerry did a few chores, including switching out the propane tank. In the process he ended up bending the line and had to redo it. That whole process took several hours, including another trip to Home Depot for a needed tool.

This evening there was a Looper gathering sponsored at Banana Bay Marina. There were over 50 people there, most of whom we had met along the way or at one of the last parties. As usual, lots of good food. However, because the weather was so chilly, we only stayed a couple of hours. The temperature is about 15 degrees below normal. We keep waiting for a change in the weather …. Maybe next week !!!

This is Banana Bay-- a resort-type marina with pool, hot tub, gazebo, etc.

A nice view with a beach and beach chairs

Here's the Loopers .... quite a few attended (However, notice the jackets -- it was chilly)

A plate of appetizers -- just a sample of what was available. Loopers eat good.

February 18, Day 238 - In Marathon

Today was basically just a day for hanging out. It was cool and breezy, so we really didn’t feel like doing outdoor things. Linda did some laundry and reading; Gerry did a few boat chores along with trying a little fishing. Definitely nothing noteworthy to write about or take pictures of.

February 17, Day 237 - In Marathon

Today we planned a day trip to Key West. At the moment, we don’t have a rental car, but you can take the bus from Marathon to Key West for $3.00 or, in our case, seniors ride for $1.50. Once you’re at the end of the line, you take another transfer bus to downtown which costs $2.00. It’s not the most convenient schedule considering all the stops and the transfer, but the price is right. We left the boat around 11:00, got to the end of the line (Sears/Publix complex) around 1:00 and then to the downtown area by 1:30.

Michael and Jana had spent many weeks in Key West on their boat, so they gave us the whirlwind tour and we saw as much as we could in one day. We ate lunch at a place called B.O.’s. It had great fish. We walked down Caroline and Duval Streets, walked to the southernmost point in the continental U.S. and to Mallory Square for the sunset. Of course along the way we had to sample a few of the drinks available at some of the establishments we passed. We also browsed in a few shops but resisted the temptation to buy anything.

We caught the 7:20 shuttle bus to take it back to the Publix/Sears area to catch the bus back to Marathon. It took a very convoluted route so we figured out a place to get off at Hurricane Hole to grab some dinner and were then able to catch the bus back to Marathon from there. We got home around 10:00. Needless to say we were tired and headed straight for bed. It had been a fun day.

The entrance to B.O.'s where we had lunch. Great food and definitely Key West atmosphere

Sign at the restaurant ... absolutely no snivelling ... and notice the hours ... island time!!

A little of the decor

Walking along the waterfront

Strolling through the streets

The Bull and Whistle Bar on the corner of Duval and Caroline

A church on one of the corners

One of the many roosters you see in Key West

Another type of critter in Key West .... and yes, it's real (the Boa)

The Southernmost House Motel

Here are the 4 of us at the Southernmost Point in the continental U.S.

Cuba is that-a-way

Key West Lighthouse

.... and Ernest Hemingway's home

Heard some loud chirping ... had to look close to see the chicks

The local courthouse

This is the end of the road .... Mile Marker 0 and the end of US1

The Key West Museum of Art and History. Notice the "large" couple dancing out front

... and this was some unique artwork entitled Daydream

Walking along the harbor about 1/2 hour before sunset

Some boats in the harbor. The one on the left is the same boat I took a picture of in Fort Myers Beach... the express boat that goes from Fort Myers Beach to Key West and back.

Michael and Jana enjoying the sunset

It wasn't the greatest sunset .... but we were in Key West and it is known for its sunset so we had to take a picture

.... and one last picture as the sun disappeared