Marathon

Once again I will not do a day by day account for the month we were in Marathon.

It was a lazy and very restful month. The weather was mostly sunny and mild.

We did do all of the things we wanted to do and see. Jay and Joan had their truck here and either went lots of places with them or they loaned us the truck.

The Owls

Burrowing Owl

Annie got a daily walk around the back nine of the golf course. There is a 1 1/2 mile road around the course and we walked it daily. Not much traffic and there were lots of interesting houses, plants and other people and dogs walking, jogging and biking also. The daily highlight was the Owl count. Alongside one of the holes there were a pair of Burrowing Owls. Almost every morning there were two Owls standing beside the burrow. Sometimes only one, most days two and then one day one flew off and another one popped up out of the ground so there were three that day.

Snorkeling

Our snorkeling trip was not very successful. We went out on Windsong to Sombrero Reef. There was a short chop and Carole had a hard time with both the chop and the gear, so we came back to the boat after about 15 minutes. Joan got seasick so they only made about a 45 minute snorkel trip. We headed in early and beat the nasty chop that followed. We did see a few nice fish in the short time we were out.

The Docks

Green Heron

There were also a lot Little Green Herons at the docks. They liked to sit on the power cables about 6” above the water and look for fish. Other birds that we saw were Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Cattle Egrets, White Ibis, Little Blue Herons and of course Brown Pelicans.

Next door neighbor on one side was a 90 year old that was a recent widower. He did great, but was at the point where he was going to sell his boat. We did go out to dinner with him one night. Carole helped take some pictures of the interior and I found a few web sites for him to list the boat. Another neighbor posted the listing for him. When we left he had one person looking and was hopeful.

We also watched a woman bring four large dogs to shore on a Kayak every day. I thought I was really cooking with only Annie on a Kayak.

The marina dockside grill (Sombrero Dockside) finally opened and they do Prime Rib every Wednesday and Saturday. They do it on an outside smoker grill. We had to try it. WOW, it was excellent. Even though we ordered at 7:30 and did not get dinner until 9:15 we still enjoyed it. They are having some real startup problems. People did not show up for work and both the kitchen and waitstaff were very short. Only one waiter, one bartender and one cook for a twenty five table deck plus bar.

You might have to click on the sign to read it.

There was a group of loopers from a previous year that met every year in Marathon. The sign behind their gathering area say it all.

Sombrero Beach and the Bed Race

Sombrero Beach is a “Dogs Allowed” beach. So we took Annie there several times. She had a ball! It was her first exposure to small waves and salt water. Until now she appeared not to like salt water. She would go up to the edge, get her feet wet and get out. Here when she saw people in the water, she jumped in and swam out. Ran up to the kids in the water and then promptly swam to the beach and rolled in the sand. Put on a show for the other beach goers who seemed to enjoy it. She was quite a sight – nose, eyes, back - sand everywhere. She was one happy dog.

The Bed Baron

On Marathon, for Marathon Week they had the First Annual Bed Race. About 10 teams racing the clock two at a time over a about a 500 yard course, with two traffic humps in it. The beds were really ingenious. It was fun to watch.

Dolphin Research Center

We met with some friends from that I knew from Bayshore Discovery Project. Gil and Vivian volunteer at the Dolphin Research Center and took us for a tour. Really interesting that there were several groups of dolphins doing different things for their trainers and although the whistles all sound the same the dolphins only respond to the trainer they are working with. We also watched them put a long tube down the dolphin's mouth and pour 4 liters of fresh water into it's stomach. Part of the health program. If you look at the video you will see that it does not bother the dolphins at all.

Dolphin Drinking top - Dolphins Jumping Bottom

We had Stone Crabs at the Keys Fishery that night and finally learned what all of the fuss was about. They were wonderful. MSC – They were only $1.25 each which is a great price.

No Name Key

Canals on No Name Key

We visited Tony and Liz (from Two Turtles) on No Name Key where they have a house. They took us on a boat tour of the canals. No Name Key currently has no power on the island. All of the homes are off the grid using solar panels and battery storage for power, and cisterns and roof collection for water. There are a few realtors who apparently speculated that are pushing for power. They have gone so far as to order poles and pay a $700,000 deposit to push it through. Tony is in the thick of the fight to keep it out.

Dollar Bills in No Name Bar

We also went to No Name Bar which is really on Big Pine Key. The walls inside are covered with Dollar Bills that people staple to the walls. Two years ago the candles were removed from the tables (for obvious reasons). While touring Big Pine Key we saw lots (20-30) of Key Deer and paid a visit to several of the area preserves where we saw turtles and an alligator.

Key Deer

The Sea Turtle Hospital

One afternoon we went on a tour of the Sea Turtle Hospital. They recover and nurse back to health sea turtles or if they can not be rehabilitated give them a home either here or at an aquarium facility. An interesting view of a really dumb animal. Perhaps not quite as bad as Manatees, but pretty slow on the uptake.

We bought fresh Mahi-Mahi at the Keys Fishery that night and cooked it on the grill. What a difference fresh caught makes.

Anniversary Dinner

Jay and Joan and Brenda and David took us to dinner at Keys Fishery to celebrate our anniversary. First we had to have the Stone Crab Claws at the bar and toast the sunset, then we stood in line downstairs to order and sit at picnic tables for dinner. Key Lime Scallops for Carole and Sushi for me. I almost ordered the Lobster Reuben Sandwich, but Reuben and Lobster doesn't seem right to me. It is however their signature dish – I met a number of those who had tried it and found no one that thought it was anything great. Dinner was great without the Lobster.

Key West

Before we left we took a trip to Key West with Tony and Liz. Took the bus to Big Pine Key and then they drove to Key West. Stopped for lunch at Hog Fish Bar. It is on Duck Key and the special is Hog Fish Sandwich. The real treat however was a walk around the dock. It is located in an old commercial dock and the work buildings are now living quarters. The occupants are artists and the decorations and art were really cool. Unfortunately we left the camera in the car.

Key West Wildlife

Key West Tame Life

In Key West we walked Duvall street from end to end. At sunset we joined the crowd at Mallory Square. We watched several of the street performers, an acrobat and fortune teller among them and enjoyed the shows. I learned that the cat trainer I saw 20 years ago was still there. He has become really weird. After at least 21 years training cats what can I expect! He did so much shouting and hollering we could not stay for the whole show. We did watch the cats jump over several kids and one jumped through a flaming hoop. We had a great day. Key West willo be a stop next year.

Cat through a flaming hoop - look quick

Sunset - Mallory Square

Wings

Found a happy hour with 25 cent wings and shrimp and $1.00 beers at Sparky's on Key Colony . Wing Rating: Meaty – 4, Heat – 2, Crispy – 3, Taste -4, Total = 13

The wings were way better than the 25 cent wings at the Hurricane on Wing Night. Those were so small that I don't think the chickens had hatched yet.

 

Miscellaneous

Some of the work we did during the month will make some things easier. I picked up the new radio that I bought at the Miami Boat Show from West Marine and installed it. I also connected it with the Chart Plotter so that the radio shows all of the information that the chart plotter does (without the map) and it sends the AIS signal to the chart. AIS is a signal sent out by all commercial vessels (and some pleasure vessels) that tells those who can receive it information about the vessels course, speed, name, and size, as well as their radio call number. The AIS can then use that information combined with information from our GPS and tell us if we are on a collision course, how close we will come to each other and how long it will take. It also lets us call them directly so that we can arrange for safe passage.

Carole made several pockets for the flybridge to hold charts and books and also sewed new velcro tabs on the flybridge windows.

I also did a definitive dinghy repair. The repair I made earlier was leaking. It turns out the dinghy is vinyl and not hypalon as I thought. I had been using the wrong glue. After a glue change all is well.

Carole took on an art project. They were selling (for a charity benefit) directional arrows to be painted with a boat name and graphic and they would be posted on a pole at the Marathon Marina. She also helped out Joan on Windsong design hers. Joan's won the award for the best sign.

Serendipity third from the top

Joan at the sign post

Windsong sign

Before we left I dove on the bottom and cleaned Barnacles off the prop.

Then we had one last Prime Rib Dinner before we left Marathon.

This was a really good layover. We met really nice folks – who invited us to come back next year. Had some good times with our friends and did some fun stuff. All without fuss. It was really relaxing.

South to Marathon

Monday, February 21^st (Presidents Day)

Pumpout, Water and sewing in the morning. We left late as we were going to an an anchorage for the night and it was only a short distance.

About halfway down the Caloosahatchie River we passed Sassy II and Mint Julep – friends from the loop and Burt Store – that were headed up the river to cross Florida on the Okeechobee Waterway and go to the Bahamas. Maybe we will see them on the East Coast ,when we head north and they are headed back to Burnt Store.

Once we entered the Gulf we saw a sea turtle as well as our dolphin friends. Turns out our Dolphin Warning Device (AKA Annie) only works when they are alongside swimming with us. If they are crossing our path she does not pay any attention to them.

When we got to Ft. Myers Beach we decided to take a mooring ball. We thought the anchorage was a bit exposed and far from town. Little did we know that the mooring would be a mile from the dinghy dock.

We took the dinghy in to the dock and took Annie for a walk through town.

Ft. Myers Beach is definitely a beach town. The streets are lined with bars and T shirt shops. It is Spring Break so the people on the street are quite varied, from girls in string bikinis and guys in baggy shorts to men and women with pot bellies and varicose veins. And not much in between, very few children. Actually quite a few nice bodies to look at thanks to spring break.

Had a really beautiful calm night.

Tuesday, February 22^nd

Foggy and calm this morning. The fog lifted at ten and we got underway to Naples. Out on the Gulf there was lots of fog left. Visibility was under 1/4 mile, however by 11 it became just hazy with a 5 mile visibility.

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I put the fishing rod out but nothing seems to like my offerings yet.

I spoke too soon . I almost caught a fishing boat. They passed close by my stern, cut my line and kept on going. If there is any justice it snarled in their prop and shut them down.

The entrance waterway to Naples is lined with Mega Houses. To call them “starter castles” would be belittling them. Carole counted one house with 32 columns that we could see.

The city marina where we stayed is also home to many charter fishing boats. When we arrived they were busy cleaning the day,s catch with a large audience of Pelicans watching. One of them was bold enough to stand on the dock surrounded by a crowd of people.

Had a good dinner at the Boat House Restaurant and hit the sack.

Wednesday, February 23^rd

Foggy again. We did get started at 9:45. We have along trip today.

It turned in to a beautiful day on the Gulf. Calm sea and a cool breeze. We are headed to the Everglades tonight, leaving the clear blue gulf water for the muddy mangrove swamp.

From Rags

To Riches

 

As we headed south it was leaving the Condo hell of Naples and Marco Island to the jungle. One moment you see a shore lined with concrete buildings and then you can not see anything but low growing mangroves. I kind of think of it as “Rags to Riches”. That is “Glad Rags” to Natural Riches.

A short way up the Barron River in the Everglades National Park is the town of Everglades City. This is the Florida of the 50's. Small single story houses on large lots. Wide streets with no sidewalks.

Rod and Gun Club

Bank of the Everglades circa 1928

We tied up at the Rod and Gun Club. The building dates to 1884, but it actually was bought and made famous on the 1920's. At that time Mr. Barron also built the Tamiami Trail across Florida so his clients could get to the Rod and Gun Club. The bars and game room were all in polished dark woods (it was really dark inside the rooms so no pictures). One room had a pool table with leather web pockets. There was a dining room but we all were eating on the screened in Veranda. A very pleasant trip in to the past (except for the bill, but that's O.K.).

Thursday, February 24^th

We were awakened at 4, 4:30 and 5 by Stone Crabbers heading out. They were not only noisy, but their wake rocked the boat pretty hard.

Woke up to fog again this morning, but since we did not plan to leave until afternoon it was no problem.

We walked to the National Park Visitor Center and were able to squeeze in on a boat tour of the mangroves. They were sold out, but when there were two no shows we were right there to snap up the seats. It was an interesting trip through the mangrove islands with all the usual Herons, Egrets and Osprey. Part of the trip was through a mangrove tunnel. The highlight for us was a dophin hunting in 2-3 feet of water. It was circling and would toss the fish up in to the air. One toss threw a foot long fish about 10 feet high. We stopped to watch it for quite a while.

Mangrove Tunnel

When we got back from the park, about a mile walk each way, Annie cleared the dock of pelicans much to the amusement of the onlookers. A number of Marinas up north were ready to hire her to keep the geese off their docks. Down here Pelicans are the problem. An airboat came by this afternoon with two pelicans sitting on the bow looking at the passengers and waiting for handouts.

We left Everglades City about 3 and traveled 5 miles downstream to a spot in the mangroves close to the gulf.

Very peaceful. We want to get an early start tomorrow as we have 40 miles to go to the next anchorage.

Friday, February 25^th

Clear and breezy the morning, no fog.

I have been fighting a cold for the last few days and Carole has pulled a muscle, so the walking wounded take off for the Little Shark River.

There is about a 1 to 2' chop on the Gulf today. A few dolphins alongside as we entered the Gulf and I saw a ray leap out of a wave. It was about 3' across. The wind picked up a bit, but the seas remained fairly calm. They maybe got to 1 - 1/2'.

We entered the Little Shark River and anchored in the mangroves again.

There is really no, I mean zero phone service here. The Verizon Card could not find even a trace of a signal. However I did get several strikes while fishing but was not able to hook anything. I did see a sea turtle swimming downriver against the tide. It surfaced several times, but dove before I could grab the camera.

Annie's walk consisted of pushing the front of the dinghy on to a 2' x 2' muddy opening in the mangroves. She jumped on to the mud, peed and jumped back in the dingy. I think she must have heard that there were crocodiles here. I slipped on the mud getting out and Annie refused to get out of the dinghy to finish her “toilet” unless I joined her on the mud. Add to that the insects trying to eat me and it was not a pleasant experience.

Sunset in Little Shark River

At sundown the wind died and then the bugs really came out in force. The No See-um screens and electronic flyswatter really earned their keep. I did have to go out to grill dinner, but a jacket with the collar pulled over my neck and a hood made it tolerable.

Saturday, February 26^th

Mangroves in the morning

We planned on an 8 o'clock start.After taking Annie to shore for a quick trip to the mud, I found the bugs so bad that we were underway at 7:30. Breakfast and coffee waited until we were clear of the bugs.

The crossing to Marathon in the Keys was easy. We had a fun dolphin show along the way. A pod of 8-10 were leaping and diving for a while off our beam.

We arrived at the Marina by 2:30 and settled in. We met our neighbors and were in time for the grand opening of the bar. It was officially the night before, but the beer was still a $1.00. The marina and bar are still coming off a bankruptcy sale so all of the licenses are not in place. Alcohol yes, food, no – have to keep our priorities straight.

We went to Banana Resort for Dinner with Jay and Joan from Windsong.

We are in Marathon for a month.