January 11, 2013 Friday
Getting around Marathon pleasantly requires a bicycle. We bought two collapsible bikes before we left Muskegon, Michigan and we never needed to use them this entire trip. Terry had complained repeatedly about them taking up so much room in our aft cabin "garage". By bike we can get to everything and go anywhere, shopping, restaurants, the beach. Bike paths are plentiful. We can travel great distances on paths along Highway 1. Terry is not complaining about the bikes anymore!
The Sombrero Beach is small, natural and beautiful. We will spend many days there. The weather is very warm, temperatures in the 80's by day and 70's by night. A little too warm for sleeping. These are unseasonably warm temperatures, as they have been across the nation, but we are not complaining. We will be shopping for air conditioning this week.
Boot Key Harbor has close to 300 moorings and they are all occupied. The City of Marathon manages this mooring field and takes very good care of their cruisers with great facilities and activities. There is a real community here. The "Cruisers Net" broadcasts on VHF channel 68 every morning at 9:00 a.m. with introduction of new cruisers in the harbor, announcements of all kind, help session where cruisers ask for help and cruisers offer help, exchange and selling of equipment, other comments and ends with "Stump the Harbor" trivia challenges. The broadcast is quite entertaining and informative.
We have another pet on our dock we have named "IGGY" (see photo). These iguanas can be troublesome, they have no fear and will board your boat, precautions are necessary.
The day after we arrived, our good friend Gale Laine from Grand Rapids, Michigan, flew down to join us. Gale has been with us this entire trip (vicariously). He just
had to be here for our arrival. We owed Gale a surf and turf dinner for his help in selling our last beloved sailboat "Shoalmate" We enjoyed dinner at Lazy Days restaurant overlooking the Atlantic.
 |
| Sombrero Beach |
 |
| Our transportation |
 |
| "Iggy" |
 |
| If you look closely you will see 3 Large dogs on this kayak |
 |
| Gale and Terry |
 |
| Torn and faded, looks like it's time to replace our ensign, she served us well! |
Glad you made it safe and sound. I'm sure you will enjoy Boot Key Harbor. My cousin and his life lived aboard a 42 foot Whitby ( Free-n-Clear)for eight or nine years there at the Municipal. They had to sell 2 years ago. They loved it there. I've so enjoyed keeping tabs on you and of course am so full of envy. We've had warm weather but hasn't hurt our sleeping.
ReplyDeleteCindy Cunningham- Calaloo
B Dock Great Lakes