Author: Mike & Pam

Well…. social distancing is quite easy if one is out at sea aboard a floating bubble.   Our plan is to anchor off shore more frequently in our POD during the coming weeks while we wait to see what happens next.   

Before we left Marathon, a fellow Mainship vessel arrived at Blackfin Marina and docked directly across from our slip.  The next morning, we noticed that all the cracks and every entry point of the boat was tightly sealed off with tape, and a large KEEP OUT/CAUTION sign was posted on the port and starboard sides.   Our initial thought was that a major COVID-19 carrier had invaded the fort.    Luckily!?……it turns out that their craft had become infested with termites down in Key West and the entire vessel needed to be aborted and fumigated for 24 hrs….Wheww only termites…wait…are they contagious?

Due to winds and waves we ended up spending more time in Marathon after our stay in Key West  than originally planned.  No regrets, we loved feeling at home with our regular yoga, pickle ball, fishing, snorkeling, dinghying around and just enjoying the winter.   We even had a chance to spend another great day down in fun Key West with Uncle Johnny and Aunt Lydia.   They showed us the “real” local music and entertainment scene around town.  

Like most everyone in the world, our plans have taken several unforeseen changes in direction.   We are no longer going to the Bahamas, our trip back to Chicago in April is in question, and we are rerouting for the coming weeks.   We are on the move once again and have been winding our way through and around the Keys taking in the nature and beauty.  We are currently in Key Largo at John Pennekamp State Park.  Our first real scuba dive outing (after becoming certified in the Racine quarry)  was here at the John Pennekamp Park in 1990 ~ exactly 30 years ago.   We are booked for an anniversary Scuba excursion tomorrow. 

After dodging thousands of crab pot buoys over the last few months, one finely grabbed our propeller! We saw the floating buoy ahead, but its underwater rope was unusually angled, just high enough to catch our port prop. As soon as we saw the rope, Pam jammed the throttles into neutral and looked back to see if the buoy surfaced as we floated by. It did not….so we promptly shut down the engines and anxiously grabbed the diving mask to go under and check for damage. Fortunately…there was only one wrap of the rope around the propeller which was easy to unwind…WHEW.. could have been much worse!

One of our dock neighbors at Blackfin Resort painted the crab pot buoy with our boat name and logo. The buoy now adorns our boat as a reminder that it only takes seconds for your day to change..

As we now hang out in the middle Keys waiting for a good weather window to cruise to the Bahamas, we learned how to hunt Florida Spiny Lobster. All one needs is a mask, fins and snorkel, net, tickle stick, measuring device, and of course, a fishing license. We have caught dozens of lobster and one crab, although, we had to release most of them because they were smaller that the legal size. We caught several keepers which have allowed us two unbelievably tasty steamed lobster dinner nights.

Hoping to head towards the Bahamas this week! Not a bad place to be stuck though.

A band of Palatine Pirates, many from the Class of 78, descended upon Key West this week to ponder turning the magical 60 and reenact some of our younger years tomfoolery.   Sixteen of us spent a few days exploring the streets,  from Key West Harbor, to The Southern Most point and a lot in between.  We are lucky to have such good friends and loved being with the group, although, the time went by way too fast. 

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Sea C Rider was docked at Key West Bight Marina while the others stayed at the Southern Most Point Resort.  In addition to wandering the streets, we set a new record for number of passengers (16) aboard Sea C as we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon cruising on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico..no casualties!

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Once the group departed back to the cold lands we had a chance to dig a little deeper into the crazy fabric that makes up Key West.   Great local music and entertainment along with hundreds of restaurants and bars make this place non-stop entertainment.  

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We left Key West yesterday and headed North East on the Gulf side to anchor out for the day at the Great White Heron National Wildlife reserve for the actual birthday. Great, peaceful day to dinghy around the remote islands, snorkel and cleaning the bottom of the boat. We officially called a close to the MPS bday celebration with a hearty conch shell blow and salute to the Lower Keys!

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Awesome visit with the SAMFAM at Marlin Bay Marina in Marathon.  Michael’s Brother Tom outdid himself by renting a palatial three story 10+ room house complete with dipping pool overlooking the Marina.  Only steps from our boat, it truly was a perfect place to visit with much of our family.  An added bonus was Camille and Dave, and Lynn visiting along with locals Uncle Johnny and Aunt Lydia.   We enjoyed great meals and fun with the entire crew throughout the week. It was also nice to have a few cars around to help us provision for the days ahead. 

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As we continue to peel back the interesting layers of Marathon, the more we are discovering its wonder.  To the passer byer, the town may simply look like a busy four lane speedway with a bunch of strip malls.  But the more time one spends immersing themselves in the community the more the community gives back.     

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Excellent & unique restaurants, Dolphin Research Center, Turtle Rescue Hospital, regular pickleball, regular yoga, beautiful Sombrero beach, theaters, festivals, fishing, crabbing and lobstering, largest mooring community in the US, daily mariner net on Channel 68, dolphins and manatee everywhere, loopers galore and friendly locals, docktails on demand, breathtaking sunsets, friendly bike paths, rich history are some of what we are experiencing.

Key West is up next as we head down to meet a group of nine couples for all to reflect on turning 60 in 2020. Frisky at 60…  Should be interesting!

We arrived at Marlin Bay Marina in Marathon Florida Keys a week ago and love the area. The Marina has the nicest Gulf of Mexico view, pool area, and clubhouse that we have experienced to date. Our dock view off the stern looks out through a couple of palm trees and into the bright Gulf waters.

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Our Uncle Johnny and Aunt Lydia live 20 miles down the keys in Cudjoe Key. We took the bus down to meet them and spent a great day getting to know the area better thanks to their local knowledge. John and Lydia are no strangers to boating, They navigated their boat down the river system from Chicago all the way to Punta Gorda more than 20 years ago. They did it on their own and without the modern electronic tools available today. Quite a feat! They are now snowbirds who spend the winter months in an awesome community with a great view overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

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The annual Florida Keys Celtic Festival took place in the park right across the street from our resort and provided excellent weekend entertainment. From women’s log toss, sheep herding, local craft beer and fantastic music we took in two days of this Keys-ey event.

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John and Lydia taught us that certain elements and characteristics of the Keys are referred to as Keys-ey. Things like the relaxed pace of life, large live aboard boat communities, cool RV parks, open outdoor restaurants and bars, limited availability of goods, eclectic collection of people, etc…we are adapting nicely into the Keys-ey lifestyle.