Jan 21-29 Boot Key Mooring Field

We are still hanging out in Marathon at Boot Key Harbor!

Carol relaxing in the hammock

Enjoying living on a mooring ball with the conveniences onshore just a dinghy ride way.  It can sometimes be a wet ride when its windy!

Institutional plush bathrooms- haha 

Need to watch out for the manatees at the dinghy dock.

It has been quite windy here the past week with north or northeast winds. Temp in 70's. Great for bike riding. Did swim one day at Sombrero Beach.

Bob was having a difficult time getting the dingy motor to start and it often stalled out.  We paid $200 in Miami for a mechanic to work on it, but it wasn't much better.  One day in desperation, Carol suggested Bob "Google" the words "Mercury outboard stalls". He read through a series of blogs and then went to work.  15 minutes later it started right up with just a pull of the wrist!  Even Carol could start it!  Turns out it was the idle mixture needle valve clogged up.  The miracle of WD40 in the right place.

There are several dockside bars here with live entertainment at sunset and we have enjoyed dinghying over to listen to the music.

 Eric Stone Band at Dockside Grill

People are always talking about the
"Green Flash" at sunset, but we haven't seen it yet!  But we have seen lots of gorgeous sunsets:

Some of the bar patrons say they saw the green flash on this sunset.  I don't think we had enough to drink to see it…..

Went to Movie Night at the marina tiki hut and watched a new movie called Red Dot on the Ocean.  It was the story of Matt Rutherford who recently circumnavigated the Americas.  Apparently he was a difficult youth, in and out of detention centers, then discovered sailing. The director was onboard her sailboat in our harbor and gave an interesting talk afterwards.

Outdoor movie screen at the marina Tiki hut

Last week 12 Cubans made it to shore at the local beach here in a very small boat.  The Border Patrol officer told Bob that if a Cuban makes it to shore, he is taken to Miami and given clothing and $10,0000 to get started in the US.  Carol wasn't sure Bob heard him right, then someone else confirmed this. Interesting...

We took the Keys Shuttle Bus to Key West one day and had a blast!  Went with 2 other couples and met up with some other cruising friends staying at the docks in KW. Did the "Duval Crawl"!

Had lunch at Blue Heaven with nice live music.

Rock Hall friends David&Jackie, Gary&Linda, Gary&Kathy

Key West infamous "Sloppy Joe's"