Last Days in Key West

On February 25th Kim flew out of Key West at 12:22, and Gary Horvath landed at 5:00 and joined us for a few days.  Of course, the next day, after lunch at Sloppy Joe's,  we took Passage out for a long sail on the Hawk Channel.

The sailing was excellent, and on the way back in we spotted SV Sampatecho, our long time Canadian friends Bradd and Maeve Wilson from Port Colborne.  We talked on the radio and agreed to meet  later.
That evening we all went to Mallory Square to enjoy the street performers and another sunset.

 The five of us then walked to Finnegan's Wake, where we enjoyed very good Irish food.

During the rest of Gary's visit, the weather was not conducive to sailing, so we played the tourist, spending time on Duval street, shopping for souvenirs, and bar hopping.  At some point, we did enjoy another sunset from the deck atop the Galleon Resort.

All too soon Gary's visit ended, and we found ourselves waiting for a taxi at the Galleon.

Soon he was on the plane, and a week of enjoyable visits with Kim and Gary was over.

With the conclusion of our month in Key West, we elected to stay another week.  We explored the Truman Annex, which was a long time U.S. naval base.

Since the navy left in 1974, the annex has become an exclusive residential area.  In the midst of the lovely housing sits the Truman White House.

President Truman spent a total of 175 days working at the Truman White House while he was President of the United States.  The house is furnished in the original decor of the late 40's and early 50's.  Photos are not permitted inside since it is still considered an official presidential residence.  Tourists are not allowed to sit on the original furnishings, which Sue says look much like the furniture in her parents home.  The tour was excellent and educational, and we would recommend this to anyone visiting Key West.

After strolling through the Truman Annex and admiring the lovely homes and landscaping, we made a brief stop at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center.

The center has many interactive dioramas which illustrate ways in which the land and reefs contribute to nature's life cycle, as well as the threats of pollution and climate change.

We enjoyed socializing with cruising friends old and new during our time in Key West.  We met a wonderful couple on a Gemini Catamaran called Dawn Patrol.

Pictured here are Susannah and Paul, with their son Townes and furry companion Shadow. Paul and Susannah run Kill Devil Coffee Company on Roanoke Island.  In the category of  "its a small world", Paul ran the Ski Haus in Cleveland Heights back in the late seventies.  He sold Sue cross country skis, and they have several friends in common.

Tammy and Jerel Roe of SV Osprey anchored in the harbor, and we have enjoyed getting together with them several times.

 We have known them since meeting in Marathon 5 or 6 years ago, and we always have a great time together.  We hopped on a bus and went to a local park to hear Howard Livingston and the Marker 24 band.  What a great concert, made better because Tammy and Jerel are also big fans of the band.

Sue and I lunched at Sloppy Joe's both Tuesday and Wednesday this week, joined Wednesday by the crew of SV Osprey.  The food was good, but of course we were there to listen to Brian Roberts, who always puts on a great show.  Brian and Sue, naturally, are good friends.

So our time in Key West is about up, maybe.  We just learned from a mechanic that the problems with our dingy outboard motor are bigger than anticipated.  Hopefully, he will be able to finish it tomorrow.  If not, it looks like our time in Key West will be extended.  Talk about bad luck!