Marathon (2/28 - 3/7)

Garrison Bay Mooring Field, Key West
Wednesday February 27, 2013

Today just turned into a day of rest. We needed a pump-out and a break. The wind was up and we did not want to launch the dinghy. So we stayed on board all day. We will go to Marathon tomorrow.

Boot Key Harbor (Marathon)
Thursday February 28, 2013

Boot Key

We were out of bed by 6:30 PM and underway by 7:00 AM. We wanted to ge to Marathon as early as possible because vacant mooring balls there are scarce. We had called Wednesday and there was one 50' space available.

It was a bit windy, but from the North, so we were in the lee, and the ride was pleasant enough. We made good time and had the entry to Boot Key Harbor in site by 1:30 PM. The City Marina will not allocate a mooring until your boat reaches the entrance marker (Green 1 or Red 2). And to our "horror" we heard a boat call in on VHF16 and ask for a mooring, just minutes ahead of us. They got the last one!

Boot Key Mooring Field

So we resolved to anchor and get on the waiting list. It really is a pain in the rear system. Boot Key Harbor is very protected but also very popular and there was not much anchoring space. But we found a spot and after two tries we got the anchor to set. We launched the dinghy and I ran into the office and put our name down on the "waiting list" for a mooring. By the time I was back on the boat they called us and gave us a number! Blimey.

The mooring field is enormous and the boats are packed like sardines. But we wove our way in and picked up the mooring like real pros. We had arrived.

Boot Key is the winter "cruiser mecca". There must be 500 boats in here. Deidre compared it to camping at Dromana Beach, but for cruisers. Apart from the safety of the harbor and the reliable winter weather Deidre and I really do not see the appeal. The dinghy dock is a very busy place. There is a daily 9:00 AM radio net where all the new arrivals announce themselves, items are offered for sale or swap, announcements made etc.

Five minutes after we had shut down the engines a dinghy appeared with people we had met in NC last year. They invited us out to dinner with 4 other cruisers and so we joined the social whirl.

Friday March 1st, 2013

Admiral at the helm

Went ashore to shop for supplies. Not too impressed with Marathon.There is no city center, just a highway and a bit scruffy at that.

Saturday March 2nd, 2013
Took in a movie ("The life of Pi"), more shopping, and visited Richard and Connie after dinner. They did the "Down East Loop" last season and we wanted to hear about it.

Sunday March 3rd, 2013
Sleep in, cold and a bit windy. To break the monotony we took a dinghy trip up Sister's Creek but it was too cold and windy. Later in the day Australian-Canadian friends popped in. We had met them in Stuart a couple of month's ago and liked them.

Monday March 4th, 2013

DeFever Get-together

Breakfast ashore at the Happy Pig (or whatever). I visited the boat next door and looked at their solar panel installation. That afternoon we went to a "Mini DeFever Rendezvous" ashore. About 30 people turned up, was fun, although I am getting a bit sick of "You bought Norm and Vicki's boat. They were such nice people!"

Tuesday March 5th, 2013
We had been planning to leave today. The forecast for today was good but the forecast for Wednesday was horrible, so we decided to stray till Thursday.

We had a quiet day on the boat. I would have preferred to say "we had a pleasantly quiet day on the boat" but Deidre was stir crazy and was not able to relax. I got all sorts of clerical things done. We went ashore at 5PM, paid for the extra 2 days and went to a local spot for beer and tacos with 8 others.(Two pommies, two Canadians, two Australians and two Americans.) .

Wednesday March 6th, 2013

Our neighbors (plus daughter)

Sunny and calm this morning, the front is not expected to arrive until mid afternoon. Since it was still calm, we decided to take Tide Hiker to the dock and load water. We took 280 gallons! Our capacity is only 300. Oops, that could have been a bit of an issue.

That afternoon we went to a seminar on cruising the Bahamas. the price of entry was a can off beer. They guy scored a couple of dozen beers. Now there is a career.

Bahamas Seminar

Ian and Marlene popped over late in the afternoon and invited us to join them  and a couple of friends out for dinner. (Weather permitting because it was a three mile dinghy ride)

The weather held off OK so we all made it and had a pleasant evening. Ian is an Australian who was recruited to teach in Canada. Of course he met a girl and married her and now he is a Canadian-Australian..

This boat has 2 adults and 4 kids! Yikes!

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