March 2024
Marathon, FL
Kim and I are taking a month to enjoy the Florida Keys. We have chosen to stay at Faro Blanco Marina and Resort. If you have read February's blog at the end, you already know this. So I will post every few days when there is something I think you may enjoy.
March 3-5, 2024
As well as sunsets.
Our resort also has fire pits.
Iguanas are everywhere. They seem aggressive but I am sure they are harmless. Maybe!
Love how the neighbor guy deals with pigeons. Relax! Not a real handgun but a pea shooter or salt gun.
We have found new lunch places, new activities, and a place that give you shots to toast the senset.
March 6, 2024 - Wednesday
Time to finally get the dingy down now that the sail is repaired and the new air conditioner is installed. Two very different dwellings on private islands and one massive motor yacht.
As you come into the marina there are rocks that birds sit on all day long. Tried to film them as we came back from our dingy ride.
We came back to the boat and we were attacked by tiny little flying bugs EVERYWHERE! And of course, Kim had just washed the boat this morning. Dock hand said that this was unusual this time of year.
March 7-9
We have attended a potluck at the marina, enjoyed the pool, I started a puzzle and Kim found a T-Shirt that he had to have.
We went to the Sea Food Festival on Saturday. Vendors, lots of sea food, Color Guard did a presentation and there was a military flyover. Very cool. Oh, they are Trump lovers down here!
Ended Saturday at Porkey's BBQ. Porkey's was the first place in the Keys to serve fried key lime pie 50 years ago. I tried it. It was not for me. Great place though and we will go back there. Didn't love the gnats but there are less of them.
Monday 3/11/24
What a windy night we had. As much as you think your halyard lines are secure, they still manage to bang on a windy night at 2:00 am.
Since it was cooler and so windy we decided to do some needed chores. Provisions at Publix and washing the bedding. We sat by the pool as we did laundry but no one was there.
Winds blew all day at about 20 knots. Temps were in the 70's. I had to smile at all the people in long sleeve shirts and light jackets. Obviously they have not lived in Michigan.
Tuesday, March 12
Today was my second art class at the local library. Free classes that someone from the marina invited me to attend. After the first week, I realized I was out of my element but I decided to give it another try. Painting with coffee was much better than paint.
Love watching all these huge yachts come in and dock.
Wednesday, March 13
Another beautiful day. We decided to go walk onto the Old 7 mile bridge after breakfast. This is a historic bridge that used to be a railroad bridge. We past a sailboat mast above the mangroves on the shore. As we continued on we saw a sign that said Pigeon Key was 2 miles away. So off we went. (Sorry for bad video angles. Still working on that)
Pigeon Key
We joined a tour. Check out the info at https://pigeonkey.net/about-us/history/.
On our walk we saw 4 Manta Rays and a nurse shark. We got the Manta Rays but the shark was fast and we missed getting video of it. Kim also checked out that sailboat ship wreck along the shore.
Thursday, March 14
A new boat project has been started. Our front glass is so scratched up we can hardly see those darn crab pots. So we found a place to replace the glass on all 3 front windows and a side window that had a hole in it. So off it came and we should have to wait 3 days.
Felt lazy in the afternoon so decided to play a game of lawn chess. Kim started us off and I successfully took him down! Afterwards, Kim had a talk with "his guys" for the rematch in the coming days.
Saw pretty good size tarpons swimming in our marina and a nurse shark following them. Could not get a good video of them. I did find a pic online that shows the shark we saw. Also saw a school of small fish swimming in a slip.
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Took a dingy ride to the 7 mile bridge. Saw the wrecked sailboat from the water. Kim was able to get the go pro under the boat to see that we did run over a crab pot weeks ago and the buoy was stuck in the rudder.
Sunday, March 17
The marina hosted a Slip Renters Appreciation St. Patrick's Day lunch today. People here are so friendly and welcoming.
A walk around the marina tonight was like going to an aquarium. We saw a manatee, a lemon shark, tarpon, an upside down swimming sting ray and pelicans. So fun!
Tuesday, March 18
Trip to Publix early due to high humidity predicted today. Found out why the rooster crossed the road.
Things you witness while waiting for your laundry to get done.
Not sure holding on by her neck is a turn on!
Tuesday, 3/19/24
What a beautiful breezy morning!
Went to my third art class this morning. We worked on light source and shading. No worries, I am not quite ready to hold my own art show where my family and friends feel obligated to buy my pieces.
The front enclosure windows are done and installed. Also the one side window no longer has a hole in it. Now I will be able to spot those darn crab pots!
Ended the day with an awesome sunset behind the Faro Blanco Light House.
Key West 3/20/24
Taking the public bus is not something Kim and I have done a lot of so this trip was an experience. We did our research after we found out that the bus stop by our marina was not on the printed schedule. The bus would stop there at 9:30 am we were told by locals. We got to the stop early and met a lovely lady from Norton Shores, MI and we had many things in common we found as we talked. The bus came 10 minutes late but oh well. Made a few stops, picked up other people as we cruised to Key West. About an hour into the trip, we pull off and were told we had to switch buses. Ok. Not so bad. We changed buses and off we went. Bus is filling up with people. We are just before the bridge to go into Key West and the bus stops at the Key West Transit Building. The driver tells us it is his break and he would be back. And off he went. All of us looked at each other and said 'now what?'. 20 minutes later, the driver came back and we took off. The trip took over 2 hours! But, we go to Key West for $1.00 each.
Key West Photo Dump:
The building with all the stickers on it is Jimmy Buffet's Recording Studio.
The bus ride home was only an hour and a half but the bus was 20 minutes late. Again it cost us a $1.00 each. We learned to be patient and talk to the other people around us.
We did see Fred the Tree on the old historic 7 mile bridge. Check out his facebook page and his song.
3/23-3/25 Brent and Mary come for a visit.
My sister and brother-in-law came for a visit!! We took them to Porky's for dinner on Saturday night and then watched fireworks from our boat. These were a surprise that must have been part of the wedding at the resort.
Sunday was a relaxing pool day, grilling chicken kabobs on the boat and sitting by the fire at night.
Monday we took the bus to Key West and found new areas to go to. Mallory's Square.
3/26/24-Beach Day
Our first official beach day since we have been in Marathon. It took awhile to get in since everyone else had the same idea. Walked on a small section of the old highway and got a good view of the beach from the bridge. The guys tried to snorkel but water was very murky.
3/27-/29 Last couple of days with Brent and Mary. Guys went fishing but only came back with a tall tale of the fish they "caught" (from the local fish market). Most important was they had fun. High winds kept us on the boat doing boat projects and finishing the puzzle I started. We ended our evening at Shuckers and Shakers. Finally found the Holiday Hill sticker, a resort in Saugatuck, MI that Cary Master put up. Also, found his son's, Nick Masters, company RF Film. They were hard to find among all the stickers on the walls.
Mary getting on the boat at high tide.
Had a great time with Brent and Mary! Sad to see them go.
