Key Wierd and Environs

Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FL

From Everglades City, we went to Little Shark River and anchored for the night. The next day, we were off to Boot Key Harbor where we spent a little over three weeks at anchor. We rigged up our new folding bikes for the first time and, after some mild trials and tribulations, used them to galavant all over the island for shopping, sightseeing, etc. Since the Keys are only about 4-feet above sea level, there are no hills for the old folks to navigate. Judy did manage to bend a front wheel and skin her knee in a minor accident, but all was put together again in a couple of days. We also managed to drown our own 5kW generator in salt water and had to have it replaced at the Marathon Boat Yard. ("BOAT" = "Bring On Another Thousand".) We refound a number of old friends in Marathon and made quite a few new ones.

Before growing roots into the bottom of the harbor, we had the bottom cleaned by Dave the Diver and made a quick (4.5 hour) trip to Key West in order to: 1) Clear out the engine which has been used at idle for a long time to charge the batteries and, 2) To get there fast in a somewhat lumpy sea.

SESAME at A&B Marina, Key West

We took a slip for three days, right in the middle of Old Town. We can walk to the sunset shows at Mallory Square and everything else in town. We've checked out the Mel Fisher Museum where there are artifacts from both old Spanish treasure ships and a slave ship. We went to the art museum which has a wonderful display of Impressionist painters' works reproduced in 3-dimensions so that real people can become part of them.

Judy as a Van Gogh Model

Many people tried to convince us to take our own boat to the Dry Tortugas, but, discretion being the better part of valor, Allen took the high speed catamaran while Judy explored Duvall Street with her credit card.

Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas

It worked out well because the trip out was quite lumpy and a number of passengers got mal de mer. The Admiral would not have enjoyed the trip!

So we are now into our 4th day of our 3 day stay at Key West, waiting for a "weather window" to head back toward Marathon. It is now gusting to about 40 out of the northwest, so we're here for a while. We're hoping to be in the Miami area around the 1st of March to "stage" for a passage across the Gulf Stream to West End, Bahamas and a month or so in the Abacos.

Please send any questions or comments to us at: sesame@snet.net and check the link to our photo albums.

Our Mascot, Bernie, is Prepared for Anything!

Judy and Allen Ames

Aboard SESAME