Cruisn' the Keys

Monday looks like some rain but Will-C. I would think you might want to come down past Marathon and spend the night at Bahia Honda about ten miles past Marathon. Then Key West is a pretty easy to make from Bahia Honda. Big nautical flea market today Islamorada. I'll you a buzz late this evening unless happy hour gets the best of me.
D.D.
 
Before you go into Pennekamp check out Evelyn's Restaurant on the right hand side headed towards Key West. Just enough room to get into the front lot with a boat on the trailer usually, great local food. Their seafood burrito is the bomb ($15) lots of seafood big enough to share and their other prices are pretty reasonable. Locals and the Police eat there.
It's about 50 miles to Marathon from Key Largo and another ten to Bahia Honda for your reference. Thunderstorms are predicted for Tuesday currently. Winds are looking about 15 to 17 mph out of the south east. We have been on the boat since early Feb and there have not been many calm days.
D.D.
 
In the water at Pennekamp! Saw Evelyns but we went to Gilbert's Tiiki Bar under the bridge. My buddy's brakes went out on his Ford so we're done for tonight but headed out in the morning.
 
It looks like we will leave Marathon tomorrow morning. The first half of the week the weather looks pretty peachy mostly sunny maybe a shower or two winds 8 to 12 mph out of the southeast. The wind is forecasted to pick up a little on Thursday. We are going to be in the A&B Marina in Key West in the down town area for Monday and Tuesday. It's a little pricey but has a great location. We will run back north to Marathon on Wednesday in the am. Happy Trails!
D.D.
 
Dave

Still a day behind...Leaving Islamorada this morning, stopping at marathon this afternoon/evening then staying on the hook at Bahia Honda Lagoon. World Wide Sportsman is such a cool place, don't want to leave. I posted a picture of the fire eating belly dancers on FB last night. Keeping in touch. Would love to see your new boat so we can't miss each other forever. Got to show the Mrs what's next.

John
 
We are in Key West till Wednesday am or longer if the weather does not cooperate. We are at the A&B Marina. Call me when you get in town.
Got kind of fugly coming down Northwest Channel this afternoon. If you walk around the harbor walk we in plain view dark blue R.T. with dark blue camper back parked next to some gigantic yacht named I Got This
A 25' C-Dory named Grey Beard passed us a little ways before we came across Florida Bay earlier today. I'll send you a pm with my phone number.
D.D.
 
I tried to post last night but was using my phone and must have hit a wrong button because after typing on MY PHONE for fifteen minutes I must have hit the wrong button because it disappeared, so I said F it! I was tell you about the fire eating belly dancers. Wow! Of course we ate at Ma's....

Anyway, yesterday at World Wide Sportsman in Islamorada was fantastic. We got there early cause it was a short trip from Pennekamp (where we had a blast Saturday night except the brakes went out on my friends Ford truck. That place rocks (WWS). So after a late start, as usual, we journeyed down he inside coast line of the keys to Marathon. I only ran aground once. Had to get ot and push. My buddy got a crab trap caught in his prop. We stopped at a couple places in Marathon for lunch but kept getting turned away due to no boat parking left. I could have squeezed in anywhere but my buddy's Carver is huge. (We have more room inside) We ended up at Bahia Honda State park. We we're supposed to be on the hook tonight but its awfully windy here. They say its the worst in years but it doesn't seem too bad to me unless your in the ocean. We're headed farther down tomorrow and see how far we get. I falling asleep. Tomorrow!

A Blue 22' named Vagabond is here too but we got in late and they weren't around.
 
We're on the way back and have been holed up in Marathon due to SCA. It's time to get back to the real world. Current conditions are moderate chop, winds NNW 15-20 kts in Hawk Channel. Will the reef protect me? Is it dangerous or just a rough ride? The bay side looks bad, HC not so much from shore. Is it protected all 50 miles to Pennekamp or are there reefless sections?
 
John,
The wind is coming across the gulf from the north. The reef runs the whole way. A small craft advisory is enough for me to stay put. If I had to do it I would try to hug the shore as you should find it the smoothest and the most protected from the wind as you have it blocked by the land more or less. Wind is predicted to blow from the north at 15 to 20 mph. Currently 13 per my phone. It s your call. A schedule can be a dangerous thing when you are cruising. Safe Travels,
D.D.
 
The trip from Marathon to Key Largo was 50-60 miles of moderate chop. Little wind in the AM but perfect day after Channel 5 (11am). I was a little nervous because we got caught in Small Craft Advisory out on the Okeechobee once and it was pretty rough. It also taught me how tough these little boats are. Anyway, moderate chop was well, moderate. We came up Hawk Channel about 500 yards off shore, just fast enough to get er up on plane, cranked up the stereo and loved the ride and the scenery. Now I can't say as much for my friend in his open boat. But we made it and were laughing about it at the "Big Chill" by Happy Hour. We're back at John Pennekamp State Park for a couple days then we'll load up and head back to Flagler Beach for Bike Week. Still undecided on St. John's Gathering.

I want thank all the C-Brats that helped us plan and execute this little adventure, especially Will-C who although they have graduated to Ranger Tug status, still hang with us regular people. I'll do a summary with some pictures at a later date.
 
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