Log 91; Day 246; Jan. 22, 2009; Key West

This makes perfect sense to me...especially in the Keys

Here is my favorite bait and tackle store...the one with draft beer...great idea

Before I could eat a bite, Deb had to take a picture. It looks great. Taste...no so much

Another lunch spot...Hogs Breath Inn. Very good food

On Deb's bar list she found the smallest on in the world.

I hope Deb put the good word in for Mr. Obama to get the market back in order

Just one of the many pictures Deb has of the local cemetaries

Ok...another one

Just one more

Log 91
Day 246
Thursday, January 22, 2009

7:30 AM EST
Location: A&B Marina, Key West, FL
Weather: 54 and windy

Well the forecast has been correct about the winds and the temperature. It got to a low of 54 here last nights...and the north winds continued to blow 15 to 20. This morning you can sense a change is coming. The winds have already laid down a little, and the dark grey winter clouds are moving away. The sun is just coming up over the Key West bight, and looking west, there is nothing but blue sky. The forecast is for a high of 61 today...and then in the mid 70’s for the next week or so. I wonder when it gets spring in Key West?

Sometimes I wonder what we do all day without any schedule, or requirements of any kind...but somehow we manage. Deb has been walking a lot the last few days. She leaves the boat between 9 and 10 and walks until lunch. Her goal is 10,000 steps...and most of the time she makes it. She also has been listing all the cool places to visit (mostly bars) so when people come down we’ll know where to go. Somehow on this “best bars” quest she has also found a cool things like cemeteries, and other spots she is intrigued with. Me...on the other hand...I am content walking back and forth between the boat and West Marine and the bait shop. However many steps that is...is just fine. It is very interesting to me that no matter how many times I have been to both, I somehow find something I need with each visit. West Marine is starting to send me daily emails wondering if I will be coming to their stores each day...something about if I don’t, they will have to lay some folks off. It’s good to know I’m doing my part to help the economy.

In between the walks and shopping, we continue to do boat chores, and make sure we do not have to work on the boat when our guests arrive, at the end of the month. Nothing major...just keeping up with normal “stuff” you have to do when a boat is your home. We also continue our quest for great lunch spots...a highlight of our day. It gets pretty bad when Deb takes a picture of our meal before we eat it, but it was a great cheeseburger presentation. The fact is...it looked better than it tasted. Oh well...take that one off the list. We’ll just have to keep looking.

Today...no real plan as of this point. A couple more boat projects to complete before the weather turns real nice...and all we think about is being outside. I’m sure Deb will get her walk in, and there may be a lunch trip in there as well. If these winds continue to die down I can also see a fishing trip later this afternoon. Not much of a plan at all. I talked to 2 different industry friends yesterday, and they both talked about the issues and pressures of the business. I loved talking to them...but I do not miss the pressures they are under. The pressure Deb and I have living on this boat are just fine...thank you.

I’ll keep you posted.

Bob

Log 90; Day 244; Jan. 20, 2009; Key West

Here I am talking to the fishing guide, asking him for as many tips as he will give me. Deb took this picture from the bow of our boat.

This is the dinghy dock just across the harbor from us...there must have been over 50 of them.

One of the many fishing boats fishing out in the Gulf

Lunch at Wille-T's on Duval street...great Pizza

This is Maggie May...the 55 Nordhaven parked across from us...what a boat.

This is Starlight...parked just in front of us. You never know what boat will show up next.

On one of Deb's walk she saw this manatee drinking water from someone's hose

There are lots of chickens on the streets of Key West, and each morning you can hear lots of roosters crowing just before dawn

Most days there are cruise ships that dock here

The most southern point in the US.

Log 90
Day 244
Tuesday, January 20, 2009

7:45 AM EST
Location: A&B Marina, Key West, FL
Weather: 61 and windy

After a couple of days of light winds...they have picked up again and will be 15 to 25 MPH of the next 3 days. NOAA is predicting waves of 7 to 12 feet out in the Atlantic. In the harbor it’s breezy, but where we are, we are pretty protected. It’s also go to be a high of about 60 tomorrow and Wednesday, and after that it will be in the mid 70’s for several days. No fishing for a couple of days, but then it looks like several nice days for fishing.

Speaking of fishing...I have been trying for the last couple of days, but I have only caught 1 fish...a small barracuda. My lack of success caused me to visit West Marine a couple of times, and also several trips to Key West Bait and Tackle, for the latest lure guaranteed to catch fish. My last trip there yesterday I also discovered that at the bait and tackle shop, they also serve draft beer...how cool is that? While shopping you can enjoy a beer...and I did. I also talked to a guy who is a back water fishing guide, and has a boat here on the dock. The first thing he told me was that the area I am fishing does not “hold” many fish. He also said that with winds out of the west and north the fish won’t be biting...he was right. The last thing he told me was were to fish, and I’ve got that saved on my GPS, so when the wind dies down, I head out and give it a try.

In the last couple of days we have done some more exploring of Key West. Deb has been walking each morning trying to get in 10,000 steps per day, so she has seen a lot of new places. We haven’t visited them all yet...but we have time. We both really like Key West...more than we may have thought. There is always something going on, especially now, because there is a major sailing event that has boats from all over the world docked here. It’s also cool to hear so many different languages spoken on the docks.

We’ll it’s bright and sunny...and time to get going. Another day in paradise.

I’ll keep you posted.

Bob