Published by admin on 22 Mar 2010
Lunch today was at a unique restaurant in Key West, Blue Heaven, with our friend Jean. As you can see this spot features the laid back atmosphere of the Keys. The dirt floors and several roosters wandering about makes you feel as if you are in your own backyard.
Published by admin on 21 Mar 2010
Key West is being inundated by Fathom Yachts – there are three right now in Key West area (2 in Stock Island). Considering there are only about 15 or 16 in existence (and most of those on the west coast) that’s a lot in one place. Our Kismet along with Sea Venture and Wishing Star are all proudly representing HarborView Yacht Sales (www.harborviewyachtsales.com ) in the Keys this winter.
Published by admin on 20 Mar 2010
Key West Yacht Harbor is on Stock Island (the next island up from Key West), just a hop skip and a jump from where all the action is in downtown KW. We’ve used several modes of transportation to and from downtown, bus, dinghy or vehicle but sometimes it’s just nice to hang out in the peace and quiet at the marina pool or beach. It’s also a good spot to dinghy around when we need to get off the boat.
Published by admin on 20 Mar 2010
Because we use our boat to mostly travel from one destination to another we consider this exploration cruising so we don’t do much in the form of leisure boating once we get to port. After a long haul, moving frequently, it’s nice just to sit and relax in the current location. So when we asked Jeff and Denise, friends from Michigan and fellow boaters who were in Florida on vacation, out for a leisure cruise around Key West we were excited. We had a weather perfect day, with calm seas and a bright blue sky, for our three-hour tour. Three hours just like the Gilligan’s Island TV show except we made it back to port still afloat.
The water was almost phosphorescence in the bright sun. With the sand stirred up below the surface it glowed a neon turquoise. It was blindingly beautiful.
We left the south-side of Stock Island heading west to the tip of Key West and the southern most point in the United States. Along the way we saw several schools of dolphin playing in the water, a sight we never tire of. It was a perfect day and the perfect way to spend some one-on-one time cruising around Key West its Harbor. Jeff and Denise were in Key West during spring break therefore the beaches were packed and the town was full with tourists so to be able experience Key West from the rather tranquil comfort of our pilothouse for a treat for all of us.
Published by admin on 19 Mar 2010
The is a perfect example of the laid-back lifestyle down here in the Keys. Need I say more?
Published by admin on 17 Mar 2010
Dinner tonight was on Rick’s boat, Wishing Star (a Fathom boat just like ours). Rick is a fabulous host and cook, he prepared the ultimate feast for his friends. (Bottom left to right: Rick, Jeff, Denise, Jeff and Jim.) Thanks Rick!
Published by admin on 17 Mar 2010
Mike and Lynne’s visit just “whet our whistle” for a taste of home. When you’re on the water, in our case for 5 years, and end up staying in one place for any period of time it eventually starts to feel a little like a home away from home for us. In the case of Key West it’s a “twofer” – this place is magnet for boaters, a lot of whom we’ve met along our trip adventures, as well as friends from home trying to escape the drudgery of winter to soak up some sun. So, having friends come to vacation where we are staying for the winter brought a much needed feeling of home.
We all met at the Tarpon Bar, downtown, for St. Patty’s Day festivities. (side note: some of us are obviously more Irish than others). (From left to right: Lisa, Denise, Rick, Jim and Jeff.)
Our homeport dock mates (Charlevoix, Michigan) have long since abanded the idea that we’ll have our boat back in our slip in Charlevoix any time soon so it was nice to be able to see them here in Key West. Gary and Jean (Jean, above right joined us later) arrived in the Keys first, they are staying in a condo downtown – for 5 weeks. So our home base is starting to grow. Next our friend Rick Garton (a fellow Fathom owner who is docked at A&B Marina in Key West) arrived followed by Jeff and Denise who flew in for a weeks vacation. We’ve docked next to, boated with and have known them all for the last 6-7 years so it will be nice to have our boating friends nearby.
It’s nice to have a home away from home for a while, but while traveling long distances we’re often reminded of Dorothy, from the Wizord of Oz’s saying, “There’s no place like home.”
