Boot Key Harbor of Marathon, Florida

On January 31^st we finally arrived in Boot Key Harbor of Marathon, Florida.

Bob on s/v Windygo took these photos of us coming in.

As usual, there was a waiting list to get on a ball. Jimi added us to the list and from there we just waited. Jimi didn’t want to tear into the diesel engine until we were safely secured to a ball just in case we got a strong blow. However, after visiting with Bob a while, he suggested Jimi check the elbow exhaust. Jimi did just that and found that the elbow was literally completely clogged. With a chisel and several other tools, he cleared the elbow. What was once a small hole the size of a pencil is now a whopping two-inch circumference in the exhaust elbow. The diesel can breathe again.

 It’s not 100% confirmed this is the problem, but we do know that she has more power than she had before. We confident this will solve most of the issues we have been having with the engine.

We’ve been in Marathon for two weeks. We’ve eaten out with Bob a few times, gone for ice cream, to the grocery store, and on long walks. It’s nice to have a boat buddy. We recently hooked up with a couple we had met three years ago in St. Petersburg too, Duane and Jenn on s/v Proper Tease. We even enjoyed the Wednesday night free movies at the library and enrolled in a free short story writing class, which I’m sad to say we will miss out on.

 This is the mooring field.

 There are a lot of boats here.

 We're going to shore. Bob usually picks us up.

 This is the tiki hut on the left and then the long building is the marina office and day room .

 Since the old dinghy dock was destroyed from hurricane Irma, the boat dock area is now being used to dock dinghies.

 This is the only boat docking section left for use.

 This dinghy dock survived the hurricane, except I guess it was piled high with destroyed boats that had to be hauled off.

 This is the library. It's just a ten-minute walk from the marina. We watched the movies Pleasantville and The Purple Rose of Cairo on free movie nights.

 This is Bob on s/v Windygo.

 On our way out... this boat's sails are all ripped up.

 They call this the bridge to nowhere.

 Jimi says this is a good boat, it just needs some work.

 This is the fuel dock and restaurant upstairs known at Burdines. Their food is the best around.

 This sailboat caught my eye - it's pretty.

 Another fuel dock.

And we're off...

It took us half our season to get here. Half our season to be able to truly enjoy it – that time is now. We are back on island time and with only two and a half months left, we intend to make the most of it.

 Since the diesel is fixed, there was no need to get a ball and no need to stay longer. We decided to leave Marathon on the 15^th for the next adventure.

We’re headed off the radar to Cape Sable for five days.