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We spent the first couple of weeks exploring and scouting out the area. These are pictures of the other side of Boot Key. Boot Key is an island and the only access is the Boot Key Bridge or by boat. The bridge was a bascule bridge, which means it opens to let boat traffic through. Click here for more Bridge info. It is the one we had to go through in the fog to get here. Anyway, the bridge is now permanently open, because there is no money in the state budget to repair it. The island of Boot Key is privately owned and the owners don't have the money to repair it either. So its open to boat traffic and closed to vehicle traffic. Now the only way to get there is boat or helicopter. This canal on the other side shows different boats that are either fisherman and have the owner's permission or just derelicts hanging out. Pretty interesting back in there.
Mom Pitteroff or Mabel as she is sometimes called, finally got to visit :)))) She had such a great time and we can't wait until she can come back. The first order of business was the get in the water, which we did, then RELAX. I think she caught on pretty good! We found her in this position quite often.
In order to get to Sombrero Beach from the anchorage you have to travel down Sister's Creek, it's not far and it's a very beautiful ride with lots of fish. You see a lot of eagle rays, dolphins and occasionally a manatee. Mom caught on to piloting the dinghy right away.
Made it to the Dinghy, but after a couple of beers is seems it might take the two of us to untie this line. Hey - who tied this thing? Well no fear we did get loose.
No visit to the Florida Keys is complete without a visit to Key West. We have been there several times and still haven't seen everything we want to see. There are so many restaurants and we haven't yet had a bad experience. Beach Bar & Grill on Duvall Street where we had lunch was no exception - it was fantastic the food and the ambiance.
The shopping in Key West offers something for everyone. Even Roosters I guess cause there were plenty of them. There are lots of clothing stores, shell stores, novelty stores, everything you can think of. Mom is getting some advice on shoes from another tourist.
I gotta get me one of these T-shirts :)
Back home in Marathon, we had a great barbecue lunch at Sombrero Beach.
Unfortunately, it was time for Mom to go, BYE Mom we love you and want you to come back soon!!!!!!!!!!!! We took her to Key West Airport and sadly said good-bye.
After we dropped Mom off we walked the docks at Key West and met some of the locals.
Click here for a great link to a live web cam of Boot Key Harbour and click here for a live web cam of Sombrero Beach. There are also some great pictures if you click on Photo Gallery on the Boot Key Harbour site.
We arrived in Boot Key Harbour on February 13, 2009 and settled in on a mooring ball. It was warm and tropical, just the kind of place we like. The marina has wireless internet, showers, washers/dryers and dinghy docks. There is also a tennis court and a park. The first thing we did was try to find our beloved Nookie a home. We announced it on the daily 
cruisers' net and posted pictures in the Marina. It took a while but one day this really nice young girl dinghies up to the boat and asks if we still had the kitten. We had her come aboard and meet Nookie and they were meant for each other. She brought her husband over later and he fell in love too. So yes we found a great 
home for our little girl who has since been renamed Twig. The young couple are from Colorado and had grown up in the mountains, which they loved. They named their sailing vessel Willow which was her favorite tree, so hence Twig. They were headed out to the Bahamas for the season and then up to Maine to work on a farm and learn to grow their own food. We know Nookie-Twig is going to be very happy and climbing trees on a farm soon. We were very sad to have her leave, but very glad that she will eventually have a land home.
cruisers' net and posted pictures in the Marina. It took a while but one day this really nice young girl dinghies up to the boat and asks if we still had the kitten. We had her come aboard and meet Nookie and they were meant for each other. She brought her husband over later and he fell in love too. So yes we found a great 
home for our little girl who has since been renamed Twig. The young couple are from Colorado and had grown up in the mountains, which they loved. They named their sailing vessel Willow which was her favorite tree, so hence Twig. They were headed out to the Bahamas for the season and then up to Maine to work on a farm and learn to grow their own food. We know Nookie-Twig is going to be very happy and climbing trees on a farm soon. We were very sad to have her leave, but very glad that she will eventually have a land home. 
We spent the first couple of weeks exploring and scouting out the area. These are pictures of the other side of Boot Key. Boot Key is an island and the only access is the Boot Key Bridge or by boat. The bridge was a bascule bridge, which means it opens to let boat traffic through. Click here for more Bridge info. It is the one we had to go through in the fog to get here. Anyway, the bridge is now permanently open, because there is no money in the state budget to repair it. The island of Boot Key is privately owned and the owners don't have the money to repair it either. So its open to boat traffic and closed to vehicle traffic. Now the only way to get there is boat or helicopter. This canal on the other side shows different boats that are either fisherman and have the owner's permission or just derelicts hanging out. Pretty interesting back in there. 
Mom Pitteroff or Mabel as she is sometimes called, finally got to visit :)))) She had such a great time and we can't wait until she can come back. The first order of business was the get in the water, which we did, then RELAX. I think she caught on pretty good! We found her in this position quite often.
In order to get to Sombrero Beach from the anchorage you have to travel down Sister's Creek, it's not far and it's a very beautiful ride with lots of fish. You see a lot of eagle rays, dolphins and occasionally a manatee. Mom caught on to piloting the dinghy right away.
After a long days play it's great to go out for sundowners and a meal. This is Frosty's Bar and Grille located on the waterfront so you can get there by dinghy. Here we are at the left making our way back to the dinghy.
No visit to the Florida Keys is complete without a visit to Key West. We have been there several times and still haven't seen everything we want to see. There are so many restaurants and we haven't yet had a bad experience. Beach Bar & Grill on Duvall Street where we had lunch was no exception - it was fantastic the food and the ambiance.
The shopping in Key West offers something for everyone. Even Roosters I guess cause there were plenty of them. There are lots of clothing stores, shell stores, novelty stores, everything you can think of. Mom is getting some advice on shoes from another tourist.
I gotta get me one of these T-shirts :)
Back home in Marathon, we had a great barbecue lunch at Sombrero Beach.
Unfortunately, it was time for Mom to go, BYE Mom we love you and want you to come back soon!!!!!!!!!!!! We took her to Key West Airport and sadly said good-bye.
After we dropped Mom off we walked the docks at Key West and met some of the locals.
Some Pelicans and some Cats.
We think the Cats must be related because they looked exactly alike, however the one sleeping was a sweetheart but the one staring at us was a meany.
Cheers for now, Mom and Kim and Mike who really needs to brush his teeth :)
We think the Cats must be related because they looked exactly alike, however the one sleeping was a sweetheart but the one staring at us was a meany.
Cheers for now, Mom and Kim and Mike who really needs to brush his teeth :)
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