Back in Marathon

Mr Manatee coming to visit

Get together at the dock for St Patricks Day!

The beach on St Patricks Day

This guy came to visit me while I was at the laundromat!

Most of you know that our family suffered a terrible tragedy back in late January.  We went home to be with our family and were gone about 8 weeks.  We recently returned to NautiNell and are trying to get back into the swing of things.  I want to thank all of our cruiser friends here in Marathon for watching over NautiNell while we were gone.  It was nice to know that everything on this end was being taken care of so we could focus on the tasks at hand back home in Joplin. 

We got back to the boat on Saturday, March 16 just in time for St Patrick’s Day.  And of course, just as expected, everything here on the boat was fine.  It just needed to be aired out a little and maybe a little cleaning.  We on the other hand have had to decompress a little.  It’s nice to be back in the sunshine and warm weather. 

Sunday our dockside friends threw a get together for St Patrick’s Day.  It was really nice to see everyone and to enjoy the great food.  Several of the cruisers left while we were gone.  And several new faces have joined our little community.   It didn’t take long to feel at home again.

We spent most of this past week working on the boat.  Nothing major – just cleaning and stuff.  We purchased a new television while we were home.  Mike installed a wall mount for it.  We are really uptown now!

We took a short dinghy ride up the canal the other day.  It looks like there has been a lot of work on the new marina being built.  It still looks like it’s a long way off from being in business.  The way things go around here – I’d guess another five years.  Ha!

Even with all the “work” we’re doing we did manage to make it to Hurricanes the other night for their 25-cent wings.  J  Mike doesn’t want to miss that.    Oh, and of course, Sparkys.  Where you can also get 25-cent wings and jumbo shrimp.  We had to hit that too!

Saturday we went to the Key West Air Show at the Navy Air Field.  It was really amazing!  What a great show – and it was free!  The Blue Angels put on a spectacular show.  There were several other performers too including a female wing-walker from Tulsa.  This is the first Air Show I have ever been too.  I was really impressed.  It was a gorgeous day and I even got sunburned. 

Dan and Elise (they live here in Marathon) took us to Happy Hour at The Marathon Yacht Club on Sunday evening.  It’s a really nice place with a great view of the Bay.  I think that if Mike and I were going to stay here permanently, we would look into joining. 

We can’t decide what we are going to do.  It’s hard to think about leaving here since we really just got back.  We should look into going north either up the west coast or the east coast of Florida.  We had originally planned to go up the east coast – cross Florida on the Okeechobee River – then up the west coast and on up the rivers.  We were going to do that with a couple of other boating friends.  Now their plans have changed too so we really have no idea at this point.  Several boaters here are going home for Easter and are planning to head out when they return – some to the Bahamas – some back home, wherever that may be.  I guess we’ll make up our minds in a few days.  Of course, our plans will be in sand and you know how they can change!  Meanwhile – we are enjoying it here in Marathon.  We had a huge fish fry last night with a bunch of the cruisers.  Can’t beat that!

It’s different having a car here now.  We traded our motorcycle that we still had for a car while we were back in Missouri.  We drove it back down here.  Now we have a car, two scooters and two bicycles.  Hmmm!  It’s going to take some planning when we decide to leave!  But now we can go to Key West whenever we want and not have to deal with the bus!  Think we’ll go tomorrow! 

Stay tuned!

Admiral “C”

 

 

Visiting here with the Kelleys.....

Having lunch at Burdines

Only 90 miles to Cuba!
Can you see it?

Mike beating the bongos!

Pam capturing Jack Sparrow
Where's the Black Pearl??

Inside Captain Tony's
(the original Sloppy Joes)

nice catch this morning

This guy needs a drink!

Catman with his cat show
Very strange indeed - think he's been in
Key Weird too long.....

Mallory Square - cruise ship in the distance

hanging out on the golf course

Yep, my 2nd hole in one!
Thinking of going pro....  LOL

A visitor on the rough

Just a few dollar bills in
No Name Pub

Pam and Me - BFFs

Our friends from Joplin, Pam and Bill, arrived here about 6:30 Sunday evening (January 13).   After unloading and visiting awhile on the sundeck, we went to Porky’s for a bite to eat.  Good bbq there along with good music.  It’s pretty cool around here – no matter when and where you go -  you can almost always find a place that has good food and music without a cover!

Monday was such a pleasant day.  We took a dinghy ride around the canals and showed Pam and Bill the sights.  “Jeremiah” and “SeaMoore” went along with us.  Of course, we ended up at Burdines for lunch.   We spent the day relaxing in the sun.  Then that evening we went to Key Fisheries where we could celebrate the sunset and feast on stone crabs and shrimp.  They also have the best rum cake!

Of course, we made a trip to Key West!  After getting our pictures taken at the “Southernmost Point” we ventured to Duval Street and had lunch at Hog’s Breath.  We really had a full day – spending a lot of time on Duval Street, having a beer at Schooners Wharf and watching the sunset at Mallory Square.  Always fun watching the street entertainers – some better than others!  HA!

Mike and Bill went fishing on Wednesday.  They first went out to catch some bait using the casting net and caught quite a bunch of “trophy bait”!  We went to lunch at Hurricanes and then they went back out to fish.  They did pretty good – catching several Spanish mackerel, mutton snapper and yellowtail.  Too bad Bill didn’t read the “fishing guide” before they went out.  HA!  He got his butt kicked by a “leatherjack”   Those little things have sharp spines on their dorsal fins.  According to the book “these spines can administer very painful puncture wounds.  Not the most obvious characteristic but the one an angler should be most aware of” Unfortunately Bill had to learn the hard way.  He’s okay.  Just a few bleeding fingers – all was well after a couple of beers.

Thursday morning we had a late breakfast at the Wooden Spoon.  If it sounds like all we’ve done is eat that’s about right.  So many restaurants and so little time!  We did a little sightseeing and tried to search out another marina for the month of February.  We were hoping to find one a little cheaper – but no success.  Looks like we’ll be spending February here at Sombrero – not a problem!  We hung out on the boat for a while and then decided it was time to play “Putt Putt”.  Boondocks on Ramrod Key about 25 miles away has a neat little miniature golf course where you can have a cocktail while you play.  They even come out and wait on you while you’re playing!  I don’t think Mike and I have ever played miniature golf together.  At least it was a very long time ago, if we did.  We had a blast!  And guess who won!!!??  Me!  I even made two “holes in one”!   I wish I could have taken a picture of Mike’s face when I shot the second one.  OMG!  I should probably quit now  - never be able to play like that again….. HA!

After a round of golf – we decided it was time to find the No Name Pub.  Their logo says “a great little place if you can find it”.  That’s true!  It did take a little time to find it even using our GPS.  But the results were great.  This is a neat little local place that is the oldest bar in the Keys.  They have terrific pizza.  There must be a million dollars hanging on the ceiling and rafters.  A very cool place indeed.  Also, the key deer are numerous here on Big Pine Key.  They are rather tame and have been known to walk right up to you.  However, we only saw a few and not from very close.  L

Bill and Pam went back to Key West on Friday morning.  Mike and I begged off and spent the time hanging out on the boat.  Later that evening we had dinner at Cabana Breezes.  It was a nice evening and we enjoyed visiting.

Saturday morning we made a quick run down to Big Pine Key again – this time to the annual Nautical Flea Market.  Actually we were a little disappointed in it.  We had heard it was a “don’t miss” but we didn’t find any real bargains.  Bill and Pam left about noon  - driving back to Miami to catch their flight.  Again, I must say it was great having them here.  We will be heading home to Joplin in March for a quick visit – so we will be seeing them again soon.

Needless to say – we did nothing much but lounge around the boat for the next couple of days.  Monday was my birthday so Mike and I spent some time on the beach.  It was really nice – not much wind.  Jeff and Linda (Jeremiah) had us over for dinner that evening.  Rich and Linda (Goofing Off) were here for a visit so we got to relive some of our adventures on the Loop.  Rich and Linda are here by land yacht (RV).  Their home is in Waterford NY.   They too are enjoying the warm weather here in the Keys.

For those of you who are curious – Dockside Restaurant is now closed for good.  We understand that the guy leasing it “Roco” walked.  We really miss not having the convenience of a place so close with such good food and entertainment.  It’s on the market again so maybe someone else will pick it up soon. 

Till next time!

Admiral “C”

Greetings from Marathon and Happy 2013!!

 It’s been a busy week here in Marathon.  We ended up spending New Year’s Eve with most of the cruisers here at Sombrero.  We had dinner at Dockside, the restaurant here at the Marina.  It was a really nice get together although most of us didn’t make it to midnight.  They ended up passing out the noise makers and champagne at 10:00!  Mike and I did make it to midnight though and watched the ball drop in New York from our television on the boat.

New Year’s Day was beautiful and we had another big shindig on the dock – a great potluck dinner.  I furnished the black-eyed peas.  Had to have them for good luck!  Up in Pennsylvania it’s pork and sauerkraut – so we had plenty of that too!  One thing about it – boaters sure can cook!  It’s a good thing too, because they sure can eat!  J

This past week has been busy either working on the boat, cleaning etc. or hanging out.  We spent last Sunday taking a dinghy ride along with “Jeremiah” and “SeaMoore”.  We went to Burdines for lunch and then took a ride up the canals.  Wow!  There are some beautiful homes around here in the canals.  I was happy to go to Burdines.  I’d been craving their French fries.  I got my fix!

We also had many happy hours – we all met at Cabana Breezes one evening after the guys played golf.  Mike, Jeff and Carlton tried their skills at golf again one more time.  This time all three were on the winning team.  How did that happen?? 

Several of the boaters are back from the holidays now.  The marina has definitely filling up.  I think we are supposed to get a couple of more boats in today and there are only about 4 slips left open.  The bad thing is that the restaurant “Dockside” has been closed temporarily.  They started some remodeling and ran into major problems.  The city shut them down until they get everything up to snuff.  Who knows when that will be.  The problem is that this also closed the showers and facilities.  This isn’t a problem for us because we use ours on board.  However, it’s a little disconcerting for some of the others around here – especially some of the sailboats and the dinghy rats (aka Locals).  Hopefully it won’t be much longer.  I miss the musical entertainment and the convenience of the food!  Both were usually very good!

Mike has been fishing several mornings with Glenn from Coral Reefer.  eHHeHjjjHe has a 20 foot skiff – they can go out farther than he can in the dinghy.  However, most of the time they’ve been hanging out by the Seven Mile Bridge.  I’ve been pretty impressed!  I must say that my freezer is about full!  We’ve been really enjoying the bounty of fresh fish lately – mostly yellowtail.  We tasted Kingfish for the first time.  It was really good too!

We’ve been busy cleaning up NautiNell.  We have company coming to visit from Missouri next week.  My BFF – Pam and her hubby, Bill.  It will be great to see them.  I see another trip to Key West in the future!  Yea!  Looking forward to it!

Till next time!

Admiral “C”                        

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

Best cruising buddies ever - having lunch at Burdines
while on a Sunday afternnon dinghy ride

Just one of the beautiful homes along the canals

Mike thought for some reason he should
be able to claim this boat. 

Gathered at Dockside to welcome in the New Year

Happy New Year everyone!

Mitch and Carol ready to celebrate!

Can you say "Happy New Year!"??

Bounty from one morning fishing - 35 yellowtail and a hogfish!
Fish for dinner!!

Randy - one of the local guys
can play about any string instrument

Spending the Holidays in the Keys

Merry Christmas from Naughty and Nice!

Sombrero Beach on Christmas Day

Sorry Capt Chappy, Santa couldn't fit this in your stocking!

Christmas chow-down on the dock

Mr Manatee visited us on Christmas morning 

NautiNell was all decked
out for Christmas

Take a look at the sign behind us........

No, it's not Jimmy Buffett
but they were good, anyway

It’s really been a different Christmas this year.  Not used to the temperatures being in the 80s at Christmastime!  Not complaining though!  We’ve enjoyed days at the beach with our toes in the sand! 

We finally got to try out Boondocks.  It’s a really neat bar and restaurant on Ramrod Key about 25 miles south from here.  Carlton and Becky (Sea Moore) had a car for the week so they invited us to go with them to check it out.  A  Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band – “Caribbean Chillers” was playing.  They were pretty good!  And the food and company were great!  They have a miniature golf course there but we didn’t have time to give it a try.  We’ve heard really fun things about it.  Maybe next time…

I’ve spent several days baking goodies, even though it’s only Mike and I.  It does seem weird baking Christmas cookies when it’s 85 degrees outside!  I tried playing Christmas music, but it still seemed strange.  I still felt the urge to bake though – it just wouldn’t have seemed like Christmas otherwise.

We have met a couple, Dan and Elise, who have a home here close to the marina.  They invited us to spend Christmas Eve with them.  They have recently moved here from Indiana.  We were their first “official” guests!  We really enjoyed visiting with them.  They have a beautiful home here on the canal. 

We spent Christmas Day taking a dinghy ride to the beach.  The beach was really busy!  Lots of people on vacation, I guess, and wanting to go home with a tan.  The water was really calm.  We also went back into the mangroves looking for wildlife – iguanas and crocodiles.  Didn’t see any of either!! 

That evening we enjoyed a potluck dinner with several of the cruisers here.  Lots of them had gone somewhere for the holidays but there were several of us still here.  We managed to have turkey and all the trimmings.  It was nice to share the day with friends.  The only thing though – we didn’t have any leftovers this way!  SO…..

The day after Christmas, Mike and I made a trip to the grocery.  We cooked our own after Christmas dinner and stuffed ourselves again!  Now we’re still eating turkey sandwiches!  That’s more like it!  HA!

Mike spent most of yesterday refurbishing some of his lures with new hooks.  You know he always finds something to do…..  It’s been really nice weather with crystal clear skies.  The full moon last night was awesome!  He went fishing today with one of the guys here who has a 20+ foot fishing boat.  They were gone most of the day and came back with a huge mess of fish – hogfish and yellowtail mostly!  Yes, fresh fish for dinner!  No turkey tonight!  Yea!!

Oh, I have to tell you what I heard on the radio yesterday  - a cleanup crew working back behind the local Publix here in Marathon which is only about ½ mile from us – (we go by there about every day) stumbled across a 10 foot python!  They hung it up using a front loader.  It was huge!   Probably been feeding on the iguanas around here.  I can’t imagine what I would have done had I came across that thing while on my scooter!  Hmmm....

Right now, I don't have any idea how we will be spending New Years Eve and how we will be welcoming in the New Year.  I'm sure we will think of something.  We talked about going to Key West but that is just too crowded.  We'll miss the giant Pink High Heeled Pump dropping down  on Duval Street or the huge Conch Shell dropping at Sloppy Joes.  Ours will be a little tamer, I'm sure.

2012 has brought a lot of heartache for some – I offer up my prayers for those that are hurting.  May they find some peace in God’s Love.   I also pray that 2013 bring peace, love and happiness to everyone.

Till next time!

Admiral “C”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

 

Spending the Winter in Marathon

Cool boat in the Marathon Parade

Interesting cat-rigged sailboat out on the mooring

Lots of lights - Key West Parade

Even more lights!

Now this is a fishing boat!

Having a beer at Sloppy Joes

Okay, it was a steel drum band
just not what we expected

We invaded the beach on a Sunday afternoon

Linda and Jeff along with Molly and Snickers

Now where are we going?  Who's our leader??

The Keys seem much quieter now that our company is gone.  We really did enjoy seeing everyone.   It was just such a whirlwind!!  Haha! 
 

Right after they left – our computer crashed.  We’ve now realized just how dependent we have become on this little machine.  It was only a couple of days before we got it back but it seemed like a lifetime!  LOL!  Thank goodness for my android phone!

The last couple of weeks have been spent enjoying the Keys and the local attitude.  I believe we’ve caught the “Keys disease”.   Not a bad thing!!

We spent one Sunday afternoon taking a dinghy trip to the beach and to the local hangout “Castaways”.  There were six dinghies in number with 14 people in tow.  What a great day!  The weather was great and so was the company.   I was anxious to get to Castaways to see the little puffer fish “Valentino”.  We had seen him back in February when we were here. Unfortunately, the sweet little blue-eyed fish that made everyone smile had been sick and his tank was being treated.  Later that week we heard on the radio that he had passed.  He was quite a local celebrity.  It may seem rather silly but everyone was really sad that the little guy was gone.

We’ve enjoyed several dinners at the local hangouts – Hurricanes, Dockside, Salty's and Keys Fisheries to name a few.  There are about 10 boats here so far and more on the way.  There is always something going on. 

Unfortunately the restaurant here at the marina (Dockside) had to close for a few days – in order to make a few repairs.  The locals told us that it was slowly sinking into the harbor.   It should be open this weekend.  Hope so!  I like hanging out there  - nothing fancy – but there is always some good music and things going on. They plan to be open by Friday so they can hold the "end of the world" party.  There are several of those parties going on around here this weekend.  I'm looking forward to Saturday moring!

Marathon held its annual lighted boat parade.  Although there weren’t really a lot of boats this year – the ones that did decorate were great.  The cruisers here had a little get together (lots of food and drink) and we watched the parade from our dock. 

We’ve had our boat bottom cleaned again.  And Mike spent one entire day power washing the bottom of the whaler.  He can stay busy doing about anything!  HA!  I have been busy shopping and wrapping Christmas presents for home.  They are all bought, wrapped and mailed.  I’m done!  At least, I think I am….. 

Last Saturday, Mike and I along with two other couples (SeaMoore and Jeremiah) rode the bus to Key West to see the lighted boat parade there.  It turned out to be a very long day – fun - but long……  First the bus schedule had changed – we had to literally rush to another stop – only to wait another 30 minutes for the bus to show.  Then off to Key West we went.  No problem!  We hung out at Schooners Wharf where there was to be a steel drum band.  What we didn’t know was that the steel drum band was from an elementary school.  It turned out to be nice enough but not what we had expected.  They kids were good and the singers were very cute.  But after a while we had had our fill.  We finally landed at a place near the bar and on the pier where we could see the lighted boats.  These boats were amazing!  The pictures don’t do them justice.  There were over 65 boats in the parade!  There was a huge crowd and I wondered if the pier would hold us the entire time – but it turned out to be a good time.  Of course, we had to rush to the bus stop to catch the last bus out of town.  It was a long ride home but we made it safe and sound.  Maybe we’re getting a little too old for such adventures….  Maybe not!

Today Mike is going to golf with a few of the guys.  Not that he's a big golfer or anything.  I'm not sure how many guys are going but I do know of three and it's safe to say that between those three - they may have played golf a dozen times in their lifetime all together!  It should prove interesting at the most.  The girls are meeting them for Happy Hour at Sparky's afterwards..... :-)

This is our first Christmas in the Keys.  It is quite different down here.  Not only is the weather different – 80 degrees and sunny about every day – the attitude is different.  The radio has been playing lots of Christmas songs – tropical ones – not the more traditional ones you hear at home.  I’m talking – Cheech and Chong – Calypso – lots of steel drums  - and lots of local recordings – some of them are quite creative!

Although a few are going home, there are several cruisers that plan to spend Christmas Day here.  A great potluck dinner is in the works.  It won’t be home – but it will be good.  Here’s to a very Merry Christmas with 80 degrees and sandy beaches – I can handle that! 

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!  And from the words of Tiny Tim – “God Bless Us Everyone!

Till next time!

Admiral “C”