Mike

Ringling museum

Marina Jack Sarasota FL

We have waved our flag in many fun places over the past week since departing the Keys. Here below we lunch with Pat and Jerry at Ft Myers Beach and later went on to share the grins with Bill and Lynn in Punta Gorda.

We liked Bonita Springs, were amused by Cape Coral and now in Sarasota and we can tell this is going to be good. “Prettiest beach in America” was recently awarded here and we have already seen enough to know that we really enjoy the local community culture.  We are going to hang out and spend some extra time here.

This place is getting real high marks so far but there is so much more to see.

Mike & Mari Lynn

We headed west on Hwy 1 and we immediately noticed that things were different from prior days. The number of vehicles headed west was far greater than last week. Automobile tags from many states were showing up in the steady stream of traffic. It was obvious that many people were now heading towards Key West to enjoy the upcoming annual celebration. Music, dancing, singing, laughing and abundant libations are characteristic of New Year celebrations and, of the most legendary places in the USA for these celebrations to occur, one of them is only 50 miles down the road. So why would we be surprised to see a heavy flow of people moving in that direction?

We ended the first half of our walk at Marathon Marina. We checked on Wally to insure the tie downs were still in place and then we hit the showers to change before entering the pool. From the 5 ft. depth marker in the heated water, the view of the bay is awesome. We spent about 3 seconds wondering why we were the only people who were taking advantage of this great facility. After our swim, we changed again and headed back to our base cottage to fire up the coffee pot.

During the day we did some reading, organizing, trip planning, researching of places we are going to visit and then a little light shopping. In addition to discovering North America’s best fresh-right-out-of-the-oven hot French bread at a local deli, we visited Publix to select items we needed for participation at a neighborhood dinner tonight. Gidget and Tony had invited us to join them at the weekly gathering in their condo complex. (Later we learned our decision to take grilled fresh vegetables really hit the mark so our acceptance was off to a good start.)

The Captains Quarters is a small condo complex in a great location. They park their boats along either of two facing seawalls and the amenities are exceptional. But the most positive feature about this development is the people who live there. We have traveled to many places and we have met lots of people. We have enjoyed every place visited but none more than this group. These folks were so welcoming and cordial. It was obvious they enjoy and admire each other a lot. They shared funny stories and they showed genuine interest in the lives and well-being of each other. They are a colorful collection of people (from all around the country) who come together for 5-7 months each year and they clearly enjoy the experience. One of them explained “we all enjoy the clean air, the warm winters and the beautiful blue waters that surround us but it’s what’s under that water that really grabbed our attention in the first place. We believe we have the best sport fishing to be found anywhere!”  Spending an evening with these people was truly a pleasure.

I need to add: Jose at his Cuban sandwich shop and remembrances of Irish coffee

We had previously taken Willie (Craig Cat) out a couple of times but only for short little excursions close in around the marina. We had idled along rows of big boats as they were moored or snuggled within their harbor slips but we had not yet ventured out beyond the No Wake markers. The sky was blue and the winds had settled a bit so it was time to go exploring.  

We packed a few snacks, double checked all safety gear and headed north along the Ocean side of Marathon. We went out around the shallows and then probed areas north. We went inland to explore the canals within Key Colony and we were totally impressed with the neighborhoods. Most of the homes were typical 3/2 sized homes with a typical 25’ Grady-White center console out back. In some of the really choice locations, we saw a few of the much more upscale homes. The swimming pool was encircled by colorful outdoor furniture, the outside kitchen had fallen straight from the pages of Coastal Living and these homes typically had multiple balconies. These homes typically had 60-90’ crewed yachts parked out back along the atypical seawall.

We stopped at a sand bar and enjoyed our picnic lunch. The view was fantastic, the sounds of the gentle waves on our craft were soothing and the whole experience served as a reminder of why we had decided to make this trip in the first place. For people who enjoy sunshine, warm weather and clear water, this was relaxation at its best.

We continued all the way to the top end and then hit the cut near the Marathon Lady. The tides were falling fast so the currents were swift as we motored under Hwy 1 to enter the Gulf of Mexico. We then turned back south and enjoyed a completely different view as we started looking for alternatives places for visiting a tiki bar. While there were several options along the way, we did not find one that was a good fit for our little Willie. The guest docks were a bit too high for us during the low tide so we just continued pushing south.

We had spent the entire day completing the full Marathon loop but it had been interesting and fun. By the time we refueled, docked and washed Willie, we were tired, thirsty and hungry. So rather than stopping back into the Lady Days (which we should have done), we drove a few blocks to visit Castaways. This place has a reputation for providing good quality seafood, good services and memorable tabs at the end of the meal. We agreed with most and especially about the prices. The menu items seem to be about 20-25% higher than other comparable restaurants but the kicker is that once the check arrived, we found they actually charged more than had been listed in the menu.

Having enjoyed a full day absorbing reflective sun rays, the next day we looked for things that needed to be done in the shade. We passed the day catching up on email, a few business phone calls, doing laundry, grocery shopping, paying bills online and even ordering tickets to a couple of upcoming local plays (Marathon and Key West).

Then comes the 24^th and we decided to ride Willie down a few streets within a couple of the residential areas. We had seen several neighborhoods from the water side so now we could take a look at their front doors. As we were riding past one house we thought to be attractive, we saw a For Sale sign protruding from the shrubs. Out of curiosity, I called the number just to ask about the price. My call was answered by a very cheerful voice and the next 10 minutes were spent in a fairly rapid exchange of humorous proclamations and observations.

Within the hour we met Gidget (from Coral Gables) (how is another story) and she invited us to join her and her husband Tony (from Chicago) for a holiday cheer. Her good friend Debbie (from Atlanta) dropped by and we enjoyed a very fun afternoon exchanging tall tales and memorable experiences.

That evening, Mari Lynn and I attended a really nice musical program at the United Methodist Church. The sanctuary was packed and the entire experience reminded me of my home church when I was growing up in South Alabama. We were glad we attended that evening and I expect we might go back there again soon.

Christmas Day was devoted to relaxation. We enjoyed a late breakfast by the canal and we exchanged our cards for each other. Mari Lynn gave me a fun sign that will find a home on the deck back at Blairsville and we spent a few hours making family phone calls and/or exchanging email messages.

We went for a swim in the afternoon and then headed over to Key Colony for our 4:00 PM Christmas dinner reservations. We invited a couple from the marina to join us and that too was fun. We had a very delicious meal and we were all entertained by the exchange of selected experiences. Chris and Linda (from Savannah) are traveling on their motor yacht and it was fun to hear about their adventures. They have lots of boating experiences and I sometimes think we are checking off our boat trip just by listening to the stories of others.

Julie (daughter) and I had talked about trying my hand at FaceTime so this looked like a good time to give it a shot. After brief coordination and one failed attempt, it turned out to be easier to just shoot a short video clip from the beach. Mari Lynn and I played around creating short video messages with the iPad but we found the microphone just does not like a windy beach. The video images were good but our voices were not being picked up at all. We will work on this and try again later.

From there we went for brunch at the Cracked Conch. Probably will not do that again. Great location but cleanliness is not high on their list and the food was boring. I have had lots of meals in Army mess halls that were far more appealing.

Stopped by West Marine store to pick up a few items that were recommended last night by the nice officer in uniform. Man, what a store! If you ever need accessories for your yacht then I recommend this store. I had never seen a $700 anchor on a shelf in a store and a simple little handheld air horn is available in about 10 sizes and colors. This place has it all.

Loaded up with lots of boat stuff and fishing licenses that will cover us through 2012, we stopped off at the cottage to return a few emails before heading back over to Marathon Marina. There we secured our new whistles, air horn and flares before heading out for another exploration in Boot Key. |  We enjoyed a few hours riding around, admiring boats of all sizes and styles while also meeting several happy people. When the temperature is hovering around 72 degrees and the afternoon sun is beginning to pick a landing spot on the western horizon, then people begin occupying their favorite seats along the sea wall and on the topside of boats. They all seemed to be amused by our Wally (Craig Cat) and conversations were light-hearted and upbeat. We talked with people from Ontario, Chicago, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Sydney, Youngstown and even one chipper Okie from Oklahoma. People come here from all around the world for good reasons. Blue water, blue skies, nice temperatures, great seafood and a nice collection of interesting people.

We returned home to enjoy a bowl of our own veggie soup that we preserved last summer in Blairsville. We enjoyed a glass of wine as we watched a couple of the Coast Guard crews return from their missions. They are very professional in all that we have seen then do and they give additional cause for all Americans to take pride in the quality of our military forces. 

After a light lunch I felt better and I was back in the mood to explore. We had noticed a driveway right next door but today I decided to venture inside and learn more about the neighborhood. What a surprise to find a very nice condo complex which has its own marina, large swimming pool and restaurant/tiki bar (Barney’s) overlooking water on both sides. This turned out to be the first place where we met only people from the southeast. A researcher from UGA, an angel investor from Charlotte and a couple from Charleston were all quick to explain this to be the “best kept secret in the Keys.”  The marina has great rental boats and the two fishing guides there are known to be among the best in the Keys. I expect I will take a trip with one of them soon.

In mid-afternoon, Mari Lynn and I went over to Marathon Marina to take Willie (Craig Cat) out for a ride. The wind was still high so we decided to stay inside the harbor and just cruise around to admire some of the neat boats which are moored in Boot Key harbor. We enjoyed putt zing around and I guess we kinda lost track of time. All of a sudden it was dark and we were further from our slip than we wanted to be. So I cranked up the RPMs out in an open area of the harbor and at precisely that same moment, the Wild Life Enforcement boat came around the nearest bend. I knew was in trouble. | Later as he waved and pushed us away from his Contender (after handing me the yellow copy of the citation), I was very clear about what items I needed to add to the boat tomorrow. I really did not think we needed all that safety stuff when just hanging out in the harbor but I was wrong.

It had been a long time since lunch so we stopped off at Porky’s for dinner. This is an interesting place where lots of locals seem to go and hang at one end of the bar. The owner is right in the middle of that circle and he is proud of the variety of services he has pulled together into one place. There are cabins, boats, bait, guides, boat repair services and a very colorful open air tiki bar all connected likes the spokes within the hub. The menu has good variety and the entrees are reasonably priced. The primary reason I am not anxious to go back is because the service is spotty and haphazard. At the right table you will be OK, but at others the wait is far too long. We saw and experienced the differences. 

Willie was all charged up so we drove up to the north end to continue looking around. We have seen several neighborhoods that looked interesting and today we found even more. Outside kitchens are growing in popularity here and we have now seen some that are very nice. They seem to be the epicenter for socializing in tropical communities.

We took the advice of several and went to Frank’s Grill for lunch. What a treat! This little place has great service and fantastic Italian food. I can vouch for the mussels and the Cesar salad. Both were exceptional and the Italian bread with garlic butter provided still anther memorable treat.

We phoned the marina to say we wanted to go boating and our little Craig Cat (Wally) was sitting there waiting when we arrived. A release from one cleat and we were on our way.

We putzed in and around the marina area just to learn the boundaries and man did we see some nice yachts. Again, we met interesting people and we reminded ourselves of the unique friendliness of this area as we motored away from those conversations.

As we arrived back near the center of the marina we learned that we had permission to dock in a most convenient area. This means that we can come down and go for a boat ride without even bothering to call ahead.

We ended up back at Lazy Day’s for a cocktail and then back over to our waterside cottage for a cookout. The wind was down and we enjoyed cooking “chicken-fish” for dinner. (We can explain later but after talking about “cat-fish, red-fish, lion-fish and hog-fish, we found that our neighbors really liked the aroma of “chicken-fish as we cooked on the grill.)

More later,

Mike

Our cottage is on water and very comfortable. It is fully equipped and has all the conveniences we could need. Great location and close to marina where boat (Wally) is stored.

 12/18 – Another boring forecast of 75 degrees and dropping down into 60’s tonight. We drove down to local airport at 9:45 and were airborne in helicopter by 10 AM. Dave Odom (from Atlanta) enjoys flying his chopper around Marathon area to show off the beauty of the area.

Later we drove around the area to explore the residential areas we had admired from the sky. There are some very nice communities and almost all have direct access to boat in back yard. We saw some very impressive places.

At lunch we stopped into Sparky’s for lunch and the food was very good. Grouper with fresh coconut crust is a winner there. We watched as many nice boats idled past on the way out for an afternoon ride.

We stopped into local Elk’s Club where many had gathered and we ended up experiencing the game that provides true credentials as a senior in Florida – we played BINGO. We could see they were very serious so we were soon on our way. 

We continued to explore other residential areas and as we met locals, we decided to start recording the recommendations we received for “best local restaurants.” After collecting the top places from only a few people, we recognized this might become an interesting conversational topic as we continue local exploration. 

We ended the late afternoon again back at Lazy Day’s and the sunset was again spectacular. We met a very interesting couple who moved here 3 years ago from Europe. They contributed to our “best local” survey and I expect we will see them again one afternoon.

 We collected a lot of information today about other places we want to go and we have expanded our list of things we want to do while we are here. We know about Marathon Lady as a good fishing trip and we learned more about where we want to explore with our little boat (Willie.)

 All and all, things are good and we are enjoying the Keys.

 Mike