Great Loop Date 02.07.2011: Cayo Hueso...Pueblo Caliente!

Day #179 - 207 (Monday): 3165.3 total miles (50.4 miles)
Port #73: Conch Harbor Marina; Key West, FL

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Although we enjoyed our 2 week stay in Marathon, FL, Todd and I really looked forward to today.  This was the final leg of our trip to the edge of the United States.  It also would end in one of our most favorite cities, Key West, FL.

It seemed normal for the days in the Keys to dawn cloudless and warm and today was no different.  Todd guided OB into the Atlantic Ocean and Hawk Channel.  The first point of interest on this leg of the trip came as we passed Bahia Honda State Park and the old railroad bridge.

The Florida East Coast Railroad was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison Flagler. It was built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century. The FEC possibly best known for building the first railroad bridges to Key West, completed in 1912. When the FEC's line from the mainland to Key West was heavily damaged by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, the State of Florida purchased the remaining right-of-way and bridges south of Dade County. They were rebuilt into road bridges for vehicle traffic and became known as the Overseas Highway (HWY 1).  Note the cut in the bridge.  When the new bridge was constructed, the cut was made in the old bridge to allow sailboats to cross between Hawk Channel on the Atlantic side to the Gulf side of the Keys.

See that little white dot in the sky?



This is what Fat Albert really looks like.  We missed seeing Fat Albert last year while we were on Little Torch Key.  It had been damaged during a storm and had been sent out for repairs and upgrades to it's electronics.  Fat Albert is located on Blimp Road on Cudjoe Key.

The United States Army activated Cudjoe Key Air Force Station in 1959 to track missiles traveling through the Eglin Gulf Test Range. The Air Force took over operations the following year, and it subsequently became a detached installation of Homestead Joint Air Reserve Base. The station flies a white radar aerostat, known locally as "Fat Albert", which is used for drug interdiction missions by the Drug Enforcement Administration. On April 20, 2007 a Cessna 182 crashed after its left wing struck the tether anchoring "Fat Albert". The aerostat is marked on air navigation charts inside a restricted area that contains the warning, "Caution: Unmarked balloon on cable to 14,000".
Another interesting factoid or tall tale on Fat Albert, a story circulates in the Keys about Fat Albert breaking loose in a thunderstorm, catching a small fishing boat in it's dragging tether, eventually taking it airborne.  Jets were sent to shoot down the wayward balloon as it headed toward Cuba.  The pilots noticed the now airborne boat and fisherman on board waving frantically.  Instead of blowing the balloon up, the shot a few small holes in it so it would loose air and fall into the ocean.  Once down, the Cuban born fisherman saw he was only 15 miles from his home and took his boat to Cuba to visit his mother.  The stories in the Keys can be as interesting as those in the Great Lakes.

Of course, we couldn't go anywhere without playing dodge the crabpot ball...

...as well as dodge the Marine Sanctuary Marker ball!

We passed NAS KW (Naval Air Station Key West).  Our son David had a two week training mission with his Ordinance group last April.  Passing Boca Chita Key increased our excitement.  We were nearing Key West!

N II Wishin soldiered alongside us.

Now the crabpots were marked with two balls instead of one.

We began to see close surveillance, first with the US Coast Guard.  Navy jets flew over us as well, but were too quick to get pictures.

Finally, KEY WEST !!!!!!  The Key West Lighthouse came into view. It stands 100 feet above sea level. It isn't the first lighthouse in Key West. The first was destroyed during a hurricane in 1846. It was rebuilt on higher ground. The first lighthouse was 65 feet tall and the new lighthouse was 66 feet tall. Fresnel lenses were added twice that raised to height of the light about 40 feet. The trees and tropical foliage began to grow tall enough to obliterate the light. In 1894 the new lighthouse was raised another 20 feet where it remains today. It was decommissioned in 1969.  If you look at the right side of the picture, you will see the marker for the Southernmost Point in the USA.

It was amazing to see the skyscrapers in Key West really were the cruise ships.  A love/hate relationship exists between the Conchs (locals) and these huge hotels of the sea.  They hate the huge number of tourists that crowd the streets...and they love the income generated from the tourists.  An ordinance exists making the cruise ships depart Key West before sunset each day.

The NAS KW branch on Key West is full of radar and surveillance equipment.  We had never seen this from our land excursions in past years.

Another US Coast Guard ship standing sentinel where Hawk Channel and KW Channel intersect.  The ship never leaves it's station.

As OB moved from Hawk Channel in the Atlantic to Key West Channel that connects to the Gulf, the cruise ships came into full view.

Passing the cruise ships, we could see the US Coast Guard Museum ship in the Navy Shipyard.

Soon after, a US Coast Guard Cutter passed us on our portside.  She had big guns and friendly sailors...and she left a mighty big wake!

Moving up Key West Channel, we passed what is now known as Sunset Island.  It has built up over the years we have been coming to Key West.  The island consists of a total of 48 single-family homes and 21 vacant lots, all of which are valued at over $1.5 million.  It used to be called Tank Island.

The United States Navy constructed Tank Island to serve as a fuel tank depot during the Cold War. Dredging began in 1965 to form the island as well as to build passageways for submarines and other large vessels. However, the Navy's plans changed and the island saw little military action. Only two of the twelve planned fuel tanks were constructed, and although the fuel lines were run, the tanks were never filled.

In 1986, the Government sold off Tank Island and other anchorages in Key West in an auction to developer Pritam Singh from New England. In 1988, the tanks were dismantled while the remaining fuel lines served as conduits for water, sewage, and utility. Power cables were later laid alongside the existing fuel pipes.

In 1994, the island was re-purchased and renamed to Sunset Key. The island is now owned by Tom Walsh, who also owns the Westin Key West Resort Marina.

On our starboard side was the Pier House Resort.  We were getting closer to our destination and were very excited.

Key West Bight.  It houses 4 marinas: Conch Harbor, City Docks, AB Marina and Gallion.

This is Conch Harbor, our home for the four weeks we stayed in Key West.

And there's OB all settled into her dock at Conch Harbor (see the big orange fender balls on the bow?).



First and foremost, we went straight to Mallory Square to watch the sunset.  It is the happening place every evening in Key West.  Hundreds of visitors watch performers, view artwork from local artisans and watch the sun sink into to Gulf.

This is always the main attraction...

...and these are the folks anticipating the view.

After sunset, it was time to celebrate the end of our journey south.  Schooner Wharf is a very popular watering hole in the Key West Bight.

We met Joan and Jerry for a toast to our travels.

The following morning we were entertained by these huge tarpon at Conch Harbor.  The fishing boat feeds them with unused bait fish before and after charters.  The tarpon are so well trained, they refuse anything from passersby.  These guys were so BIG...at least 4 feet long and probably weigh as much as me!

Conch Harbor is a secured dock at night.  During the day, the gate is open for folks boarding the charter.

Conch Harbor and Dante's are friendly neighbors.  Boaters from the dock are welcome to use the pool and enjoy the food and beverages (for a price, of course).

Another venture to sunset.  This picture really demonstrates the masses that gather at Mallory Square.

We've been to Key West so many times, even Popcorn Joe recognizes us!

He serves up so 'Pretty Good Popcorn' every night of the year.

Sunset on this evening wasn't the normal sinking into the sea...but it did not disappoint either.

Some of the performers change as the years pass, but the acts remain in place.  We've seen a few other jugglers in years past.  They've retired and left their act to young followers.

Even fortune tellers have joined the Mallory Square gang.  We hadn't seen them in years past.  This year there were two.

One Man Band had been around a long time.  We first saw him in 1994.  He's getting older but still is amazing to watch.

Charlie enjoyed the attention he got while walking along the acts at Mallory Square.

Cat Man has been at Mallory Square since our first visit in 1994 as well.  It's always amazing to see what he has trained these street cats to do.

As we came around to the Westin docks, we passed this huge yacht.  There was quite the party going on.  The owner had a string quartet proving background music for his cocktail party.  A full course meal was in the process of set up in the huge saloon.  We weren't invited...maybe because we had Charlie in tow.

Coming around from the Westin, many new sculptures are springing up behind the Old Customs House.

They look so real that I was initially confused by this painter.  He wasn't real. 

New acquaintances from Epilogue came from Marathon to Key West for the day.  Connie and Phillip brought acquaintances Bill and Judy from Charbonneau with them.  We had a good lunch at B.O.'s Fish Wagon and shared stories of our adventures.

The evening was spent at Sloppy Joe's Bar. It was the Third Annual Put In Bay Weekend at Key West.

First up from our Put in Bay performers, Mad Dog (Mike Adams)!  This guy really gets the crowd rolling with a mix of his own songs as well as many 60s and 70s favorites.  He also blows a pretty mean conch...but not near as well as I can.



Don't know this guy but he was really good at singing about the Great Lakes and knew lots of fish songs.

The dock behind OB kept us entertained as we watched big yachts come and go.  The first to come in was the M/V Freedom.  She was a huge wooden yacht from days gone by.

M/V Freedom is the only remaining true "sister-ship" to the presidential yacht Sequoia. She enjoyed a 7 year complete rebuild/"keel up" restoration with all new systems and engines. She was launched in May 9, 2009 and is home based in Beaufort, SC.

Freedom has 5 double state rooms and a crew of 4. Investors have a 5% share and are entitled to a minimum of 8 days per year at the partner rate plus operating expenses (4 of which may be used in any season). The grand old lady is available for year round usage, Summer in New England, Spring and Fall on the East Coast, or Winter in Florida/Bahamas. She is professionally managed by McMillen Yachts, Inc.

Freedom was designed by John Trumpy and built by the Mathis Yacht Building Company of Camden, NJ for Mr. Aubert J. Fay of Boston, MA. She was named in honor of the 150th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence. In the 1930s Freedom was owned by Mrs. J.P. Donahue, daughter of F.W. Woolworth, who at that time, was the wealthiest woman in the United States. In 1939 her name was changed to Sunset. In 2002, Sunset was purchased by the Yacht Freedom, LLC and her name returned to Freedom.

We had a surprise call from Bill Lengen, a running buddy from Cleveland.  He was in Key West with 6 of his high school buddies.

They came to the boat to hear about our adventure.

One of these fine fellows (the one in the corner) was celebrating an important birthday.  We enjoyed having these guys on board and look forward to crossing their paths sometime in the future.

The OB hotel opened Saturday, February 12th with good friends, Nancy and Pete Kiziu coming to visit us from Sarasota.  They did well with their quarters on the boat.  We had a wonderful weekend doing the Key West thing.

First stop with Nancy and Pete was at the Half Shell Raw Bar for conch chowder.

This couple seemed to show up everywhere too!

A family photo opportunity.  Look at Todd's hair...it got pretty long.

Charlie is such a poser.  He was demonstrating for Nancy.

This is how I got that shot.  Charlie loves good pictures.

Paula Sue, Todd, Pete and Nancy before our Italian feast.

One of my favorite places...cooking.  The more I cook, the more the waistline seems to grow.

That evening we all went to hear that Fish Fella from Put In Bay sing more fish songs.

Nancy had a good time...and so did Pete.

In all honesty, we've followed Pat Dailey since 1992 and enjoyed his shows.

Nancy and Pete left for Sarasota Sunday morning as we headed for church at St. Paul's.  We attended St. Paul's last year, for the first time.  Fr. Larry Hooper is an amazing minister and it was so good to be back in the pews.

In between visitors, we biked to the Dept. of Homeland Security. We just found out we each need a Small Vessel Reporting System (SVRS) card to come back into the US after going to the Bahamas...another newly enacted safety measure to protect the US borders. SO now we each have not only our passports and DTOPS (Decal and Transponder Online Procurement System) sticker, but a new plastic card with a number identifying each of us with the government. I'm glad we are protected, however it does seem only the innocent are under the microscope and the real threats are still passing back and forth freely like a virus in a crowd!

Good friends from Findlay flew into Key West February 17th.  Dave and Peggy Bell watched over our home the entire time we were gone.  Kim Carty and I have been friends for years.  We spent a lot of time at the pool recovering from multiple bar hopping episodes.  To top it off, Peggy cooked some very good meals.  We even got some running in.  Peggy is an avid bike rider and enjoyed using mine to get some mileage down while in the warm sunshine.

Paula Sue, Kim, Dave, Peg and Todd.

Dave and Peg enjoying Happy Hour at the Rum Barrel.  They looked more comfortable in summer attire than winter woolies.

We watched sunset at Mallory Square...

...and found more statues that we hadn't noticed the night before.

These were on the porch at the Old Customs House.

This huge statue is in front of the Old Custom's House.  The Old Post Office and Customs House currently serves as the Key West Museum of Art and History.  The building was was completed in 1891. It was built as a customs house in the early 1820s, when Key West was designated a US port of entry.  The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida met here from its completion until 1932, when the building was transferred to the United States Navy.

The current statue in front of the building is call 'celebration'.  It has a much different look from the first one we saw there.

Some time after our first visit in 1994 this statue appeard in front of the museum.  Appearantly it was too somber and gave US immigration a negative impression.

It was important to take Dave, Peggy and Kim to all the photo op points in Key West.  First up was the 'Mile 0' sign.  It marks the end of US 1.  U.S. 1 is the eastern most of the main north–south U.S. Highways.  It runs 2,377 miles (3,825 km) from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West.

Next up was the Southernmost Point marker.  The Southernmost point was originally just marked with a sign, which was often stolen. In response to this, the city of Key West erected the now famous concrete buoy in 1983.  Actually, Florida's official southernmost point is Ballast Key, a privately owned island just south and west of Key West.   Additionally, the marker isn't even the southernmost point on the island of Key West. Land on the Truman Annex property just west-southwest of the buoy is the true southernmost point on the island, but it is U.S. Navy land and cannot be entered by civilian tourists. Also, the private yards directly to the southeast of the buoy and the beach areas of Truman Annex and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park all lie farther south than the buoy.  SO the Southernmost Point marker is the farthest south the average tourist can venture!

The claim on the buoy stating "90 miles to Cuba" is a rounded number, since Cuba, at its closest point is 94 statute (81 nautical) miles due south.



After all that walking, we worked up a mighty thirst.  The Green Parrot was on the route back so we stopped in for a cold pint.

Six blocks later, we were still thirsty.  The Bull was right in front of us...so another pint was consumed.

By this time, the wallet was beginning to feel a little light!

There was just enough cash left for a 'good night' pint at Capt. Tony's Saloon, actually the first Sloppy Joe's Bar.  It was established in 1851.  In May 1938, a dispute errupted with the landlord over a $4 rent increase and a clause in the lease stating that all the fixtures must stay if he ended the lease.  The owner decided to moved the entire bar in the middle of the night, (including the light fixtures) a half a block away, to it's third and final location on the corner of Duval and Greene.

The bar then went through several iterations until 1958, when Captain Tony Tarracino, a local charter boat captain, purchased the bar and named it Captain Tony's Saloon. And yes, those are signned bras...and no, Peg, Kim and I did not leave anything behind on the 'hanging tree'.  It's actually a tree that has grown through the roof, although it is hard to see in this picture!

While the Bells and Kim were visiting, I learned a new card game...bid euchre.  I'm not much of a euchre player but this game was fun.  I actually won a hand or two.

It was tough to bid farwell to our friends Tuesday, February 22nd.  We had celebrated my birthday the day before.  We had such a good time during their stay.

The very next day was Todd's birthday.  Stephanie and Dave Ryder drove down from Summerland Key to spend the day with us.  They brought along a couple they have known for quite sometime.  We had a marvelous evening making the old man feel a little older.

At this point, Todd and I had a bit of a break between visitors.  I managed to come down with an odd virus that started with laryngitis, advanced to a sore throat and finished off with an inflamed esophagus.  We picked up some sight seeing once the sore throat phase disappeared.

We enjoyed watching sunsets from OB's bridge...

...drinking red wine and munching on cheese, crackers and summer sausage.

Sunday, February 27th, found us on our usual schedule going for breakfast at Pepe's and walking to St. Paul's for church afterward.  Next on the agenda was a tour of Fort Zachary Taylor.  Fort Zachary Taylor had a Civil War Reenactment scheduled for the weekend of February 26th.  We were not disappointed and learned so much about the fort.

The west wall of the fort.  Each door went into a room where the cannon balls were kept.

The parade grounds in the middle of the fort.

The chapel.

The sleeping quarters.  All of the living quarters were located on the south side of the fort.

The gun room.

This sculpture was on the north side of the fort between the moat and the ocean.  I've looked everywhere for an explaination but have yet to find one.

Looking from the top of the north wall across the Navy Yard at the Key West Shipping Channel and the Westin.

On top of the north wall looking south at the fort living quarters pictured above.

Fort Taylor, Florida was one of the most important fortresses of its time. Originally positioned 1200 feet off shore from Key West, it was built as part of the Third System of fortifications to defend Key West Harbor. Construction of the fort began in 1845. The structure was named for President Zachary Taylor.  This National Historic Landmark was on active duty status from 1861 to 1947.  During the American Civil War,  Key West succeeded from the Union.  Still Fort Taylor was held by Federal forces and assisted the Federal Navy with the Blockade of Southern Ports.  The three-tiered fort was remodeled in 1898 and was decommissioned in 1947 following the abolishment of the Coast Artillery Corps. The U.S. Navy used the property as a scrap metal yard until 1970. The Navy then transferred the property to the Department of the Interior. Fort Taylor was placed on the Federal National Historic Places Registry in 1971 and in 1973 was declared a National Historic Landmark. The Florida Park Service acquired Fort Taylor from the Department of the Interior in 1976. Today, Fort Taylor is now landlocked and is a state park, managed by the Florida Park Service. The fort opened as a Florida State Park in 1985.

Fort Zach also has a beautiful beach that is open to the public. We looked it over and decided it would be fun to come back on another day.

On the way back to Old Town from Ft. Zach, we passed a barber shop that had an open chair.  Todd sat down!  When the barber got done, Todd was very happy with his shorter hair.

After the hair cut, we walked down Whitehead Street to scan the art on display in the Annual Art Show.  This year's exhibit was so big it extended down Caroline Street.  It is a gated street in the Truman Annex because the Truman Little White House sits at it's junction with Front Street.

History has left its mark on the Truman Little White House since 1890 when it initially served as the command headquarters of the naval station during the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. In 1946 the historic building first served as the winter White House of President Harry S. Truman and a site for the Cold War response by later presidents. Today, the Truman Little White House is a public, living museum as well as a retreat and place of government business by our nation's leaders.

Todd and I toured the Little White House during our first visit to Key West in 1994.  We were very impressed with what we saw and learned.

On our way back, a crowd had gathered at the City Docks.  The fishing charters had come in with a mighty fine catch!

On Monday (February 28th), a cruise ship came into Key West with many of the present and past football greats from Ohio State.  This was the third year for the charter.  It is spear headed by Chris Speilman and supports research for breast cancer at Ohio State.  It honors his wife who succumed to the disease last year.  Todd was able to get this picture of me with John (the Crusher...WWE) and James Laurinaitis.  These were some BIG fellows!  And very nice fellows, too.

Tuesday, Sharon and Tom Snyder gathered Rich and Noreen Hahn (friends from Put in Bay), Rich's brother and sister-in-law as well as Todd and I for lunch at the Carriage Trade.  This is a cute little restaurant nestled in the back yard of one of the older homes in Key West.

The surroundings were beautiful and unique.  Lunch was a five course meal prepared by one of the owners.  It is definitely a well kept secret!

Coming into our last weekend in Key West, David (our son) came for a visit.  It was also birthday weekend for Pat Dailey.

Pat's birthday was Friday, March 4th.  We knew a big crowd would gather at Sloppy Joe's that night so we went early to get a table.  The band before Pat's show was the Doerfel Family, a group of 5 very talented young red-headed brothers and a sister.

Pat's birthday show is always fun.  His good friend B.O. (Buddy Owens) always shows up.  Buddy has put on a birthday party for Pat at his Fish Wagon for the last 10 years.  Ever since we moved the Fish Wagon from Duval Street to it's current location, this celebration of the move and the coincidence of Pat's birthday has become a festive party!

Our last Sunday in Key West was begun with our normal routine, breakfast at Pepe's followed by services at St. Paul's.

We arrived early enough to enjoy a little quiet time in the beautiful prayer garden behind St. Paul's.

The columbarium is also in the prayer garden.  What a beautiful place to be inurned.

After services, we went to B.O.'s Fish Wagon to celebrate Pat Dailey's 70th birthday.  Noreen and Rich Hahn were already there, as well as many other great folks we had met over the years.

Barry Cuda jammed some mighty fine jazz on his moving piano while we waited for the birthday boy to show up.

Pat wore a gown and mortar board having graduated to his 70th year of life.

David, Todd and I finished off our last evening together in Key West at the Turtle Kraal.  A day later David was on his way back to Maryland and we were preparing OB to begin our trek north.

Key West remains one of our favorite places to spend time.  We look forward to visiting again and again and again.