Key West adventure for the Don

No trip to the Keys would be complete without a sunset in Key West. From Parrot heads to Dead Heads and street performers to tall ships, you can see it all including the southern most point in the United States in Key West. After a good dinner we watched the sun set from Malory Square and headed for home.

Glass bottom boat at John Pennekamp State Park

One of the better glass bottom boats in the keys is at John Pennekamp State Park. With seas at just 2 feet, we picked the best day to enjoy the ride out to the reef. Molasses reef sits around 7 miles out from the marina and once there, you can sit on the edge of one of the two large pontoons that have a glass bottom, watching the reef just below the boat while the crew give you a detailed description of all you are seeing. With the light seas we had no issues with people getting sick and picking a mid week morning ride we had very few people. Just a great time with many good sightings including two turtles.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, 14 days remaining in the keys

Our last stay in the Keys is John Pennekamp State Park located in the upper Keys. This week Gary's brother Don joined us for a break from the MN winter, and a nice week it has been for him. On his first day we walked the campground showing him the marina area, beaches, visitor center and finally a walk through the grove to look for key limes, but no luck. Instead we have been enjoying what is now my favorite ice cream from Publics which is Key Lime pie!

The Lower Keys

Last night in the lower Keys. Bye, bye Bahia Honda

The best seat in the Keys

It's all about that bass.

While Curry Hammock is our favorite campground in the Keys, well, the bathroom facilities, not so much. It's not that they are bad or dirty, in fact, they are kept spotless by the best efforts of the volunteers, it's just that they are a little different.

In an interest to be Eco-friendly the state put in a recycling system. What does that mean? I am not completely sure but no chemicals or excess water are involved. All this is done below the structure which sits some 16 feet off the ground. This also makes this the highest spot in the park, with the best views for sunset photos The toilets are similar to vault toilets, no flushing just a good drop, plop and you close the lid, fast, so nothing can fly out. Remember this is Florida and keeping the place open keeps the air flowing, and gives the bugs, lizards and other interested parties a home for the night. And on the days when there is a breeze, you can feel it across your bottom. On a good day, they really do not smell but this year, which has been a bit hotter than past years, it has had an smell at times, not the best smell but not as bad as the conventional vault toilets either. Live and learn, that's what I say and Curry hammock is a great place to stay

Doing the keys shuffle

What's this you ask. Well when you are unable to win the lottery (or book campsites in the Keys) you watch the reservation site for openings and take what you can get. The result is eventually you have some gaps you need to fill, 3 days here, 4 days there... And that is where we are now. 2 days on Curry and 4 days in Bahaia before we have a full two weeks in Pennikamp. Some times the Keys shuffle means you need to move from site to site within the same campground, example, in Pennikamp we have 11 days in one site and 3 days in the site across the street. Not bad when you consider that some people move everyday! Crazy but it is, what it is, the Keys shuffle.

Too much sun in the Keys

Just a little too much sun and you will look like Jerry here. But when the sun is not out, the best beach in the keys is empty. Fine by us, the water is still mid seventies!

Bahia Honda Sunsets

Jan. 13, 2015, Bahia Honda bird watch

I have always enjoyed the outdoors, especially wildlife and learned to identify birds while in high school. One of the most challenging teachers at my school was Oscar Johnson, a chemistry and ornithology teacher. I never had him for chemistry but I was the only girl in his ornithology class. I love birds and learned to identify many of our local species in no time. My photography skills quickly earned me special privileges like taking Mr. Johnson's expensive camera equipment out to track down and photograph birds that were not from our area, skipping classes with a special pass.

So when birds present themselves like this little Cormorant did today, I get the biggest thrill. We were just sitting out watching the bay and I turned to see her just a few feet behind us, picking up rocks from our site. I snapped her picture and started talking to her, which she did not seem to mind. If I came too close, she spread her wings an moved just out of reach, but still stayed close. After some time, she slid into the water and continued fishing in the area in front of our site. I must say, she is much better at fishing than I.

Key deer on Big Pine Key

Just across the bridge from our campground sits Big Pine Key, home to the smallest deer in the US. Key deer are easily recognized, they are much smaller than other white-tailed deer. Bucks usually weigh 55–75 lb. and stand about 30 in tall at the shoulder. Adult females weigh between 44 and 64 lb. and have an average height of 26. They generally resembles other white-tailed deer in appearance.

Living close to humans, the Key deer has little natural fear of humans. It is not unusual to see them on No Name Key, and northern areas of Big Pine Key. Key deer easily swim between islands.

And Freedom is her name

This brings back the days of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and Freedom was her name. These are the very waters Stills sings about in his song, Southern Cross. Not sure if this is his boat but it is named the Freedom and it is a beauty!

Gators in the keys?

If you think there are no gators in the keys, think again. And there have been some crock sightings as well, but other than these two lounging at the Blue hole on Big Pine Key, I have never seen one.

Seven mile bridge to Bahia Honda SP

Time flies when you're having sun!

Holly cow, two weeks go by in a flash when you are on a long winter break in the Keys. Today we move lower in the keys to another state park, Bahia Honda. To get to this park we cross what is known as the seven mile bridge. Portions have what was called Flaglers folly parallel to the vehicle bridge, full of walkers and bikers who can go several miles out but need to turn back as this old railroad bridge no longer completes the span.

Henry Flagler's railroad to Key West turned the remote island of Bahia Honda Key into a tropical destination. The railroad was a success until a hurricane took out several portions. Today, the island is home to one of Florida's southernmost state parks, known for beautiful beaches, magnificent sunsets and excellent snorkeling. You can picnic on the beach, take a swim, watch the sunset from the old railroad bridge or relax and enjoy the balmy sea breezes. Visitors to the park like to walk out on a portion of the old railroad bridge to catch the sunset.

We hope to get in some fishing from the kayak and off shore. We lucked out again with a nice site on the water, hard to come by in this park.

The best toys are the simple ones.

Give a cat a box and he is happy for hours or even days.

Music on the beach

Buffett music on a beach, could it get any better than in the keys?