2-28 to 3-2 Everglades City to Key West

The ride to Key West was uneventful. A little rough for me for the first few hours, but then it smoothed out. One of the more interesting things about the trip was a radio conversation we overheard. As we neared Key West someone called the Coast Guard to follow up on the report of a skeleton found in a sunken boat. Dave and I looked at each other, wondering what we were getting into. From the beginning my only real fear related to this trip was encountering pirates.

The caller was a friend of the person who made the initial report to the coast guard, and went to check it out for her. The skeleton was made of PVC pipe, the caller credited the tourist industry for it! Ah yes, fun times ahead! We anchored in Garrison Bight, a huge anchorage with I would guess at least a hundred boats. The sun set behind pirate ships filled with tourists. Dave kept grinning and saying “We made it!” Mecca for boaters. Cruise ships, huge motor yachts and tiny derelict looking sailboats, they’re all here.

We took the dinghy down the next day and motored over to a nearby sailboat to find out of they knew where a “dinghy dock” was (a dock expressly for dinghies that is available for a cheap daily rate, usually used by people who are anchored out). Sympatico kindly gave us directions. On the way to town we saw a guy fiercely hand paddling his dinghy against the current. Dave asked if he’d like a tow in or if he was in it for the exercise. Mikael was on his way in to work and thrilled to hitch a ride. So we towed him in and in return he gave us some recommendations of local hang outs to visit.

Our first order of business was to get a prescription filled for Dave. There was a Wallgreen’s right near by, but alas the pharmacy is closed on the weekends. It was about a 2 ½ mile walk to one that was open so we decided to hoof it, we wanted to get some exercise anyway. It turned cold and rained on us. At least I had a hat. It would be an hour until the prescription was filled, so we went to a nearby diner and had breakfast.

By the time we were heading back the wind had really picked up and we were getting a little anxious about the security of our anchor. We still feel pretty inexperienced at setting it, especially to hold in high winds. The ride back to the boat was just plain ugly. It was very windy and very wavy. We were both completely soaked from head to toe within minutes of setting out. I bet I screamed ½ dozen times during the 15 minute trip.

Dave couldn’t see the boat when he thought he should have. Fears that it had come loose set in. As we got closer SeaChange was right where we left it, though she was swinging excessively. We only had one anchor out, so Dave changed into a dry shirt and decided to put out a second. A second anchor really helps a boat stop swinging while moored if it is put in the right place.

Sympatico was watching him try to set the second anchor, and one of the men on the boat kindly offered to help put it in the right place if Dave wanted to come and get him. Dave is very new to setting two anchors off the bow. Dave said “Are you sure? You’re going to get wet!” The man said “I’ve been wet before!” Dave had already dropped the anchor in the water, and of course the first thing that happened when they got back to SeaChange was that the anchor line wrapped around the dinghy’s propeller. So Dave and the man got totally soaked getting the line unwrapped, and Dave nearly fell overboard.

They placed the anchor and the improvement in our swing was nearly immediate. It was a really rough night with gusts over 30 mph, but at least we felt fairly secure that our anchor would hold. None the less, Dave slept on the couch just to make sure he would be right there if something went wrong. We were anchored pretty close to shore and there wouldn’t be much time to react. The wind finally died down the next afternoon, and Dave took a bottle of wine over to Sympatico as a gesture of thanks. They were heading to Marathon that day.

We went back to Key West that afternoon, this time to have some fun! Dave had picked up a magazine with restaurant menus in it the day before, so we knew where the happy hour bargains were and went to find them. On the way we stopped at the (semi) organic market and wound up chatting with Randy, the regional manager for the grocery chain for almost ½ hour! We are both much chattier than we used to be a few short months ago.


Roosters are regular pedestrains in Key West!

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Anyway, we found our way to the Green Parrot, recommended by Mikael. It was indeed a real local‘s spot, I suspect it is part of the origin for the term “Parrot Head” used to describe Buffett fans. It has been around since the 1890’s and you can almost see the ghosts of the sailors that hung out there. I’m sure that most of Key West now would horrify them. The bar had no food, however, so we wandered on to Kelly’s (had the best happy hour deals) and met Joel. Joel is a New Yorker turned 1960’s era San Francisco hippie turned Boston business man/husband/father turned Key West style hippie in his 60’s. Full circle, as he said. And so we discussed politics, possessions and the price of health insurance. He has no possessions any more, and is happier than he has ever been.

This is a Cockatoo from another bar.

After a couple of Margaritas and plates of wings we decided it was time to head back, hopefully before the wind picked up this time. As we untied the dinghy a young girl (I’d guess 18 or 19) asked if we would give her a ride over to “the island”. It looked like she was with a group of people and the boat they were going over on was too small to carry all of them. I said “Sure!” So Rain grabbed her bags of groceries and hopped on board. “The island” is across from the main warf and was donated by someone so that people could live on it for free. From the water it looks completely natural. Rain is a “day worker” because no one is hiring right now, and lives on the island with her husband. She spoke about a study that concluded too many possessions actually made people unhappy, and that people were happiest with an income of $15,000. I didn’t question her on the particulars of the study, but the fundamental premise I believe to be true. She also mentioned that there is theft, jealousy and fighting on the island just like everywhere else. Fuzzball is happy!