A

bout ...Florida

We came to Florida for a short stop to drop off our daughter and couldn't seem to get away!  Our friends on "Blue Sky" said " Be careful or you'll get stuck in the Keys."  Florida has been a good/bad experience.  Bad because we were here thru the 2005 hurricane season.  However, we have met some great people and seen some beautiful places...and that's why we are out here.  We finally left Florida in April 2006 and are back out on the waterways .... 

CRUISER'S NET  

In Marathon they have a cruiser's net at 9:00 am on VHF channel 68.

RE-ENTRY INTO THE US 

Customs:  800-432-1216.  We called the number and were told to take all our fruits & vegetables to the custom's office.  We packed up all our Mexican produce and carried it over to them.  Filled out a little paperwork and that was it.  Easy as pie.  We do have a custom's number that we applied for, I assume everyone has that now, but if not, it's $25.00 a year, you get the number and it seems to make checking in easier.   

CHARTS & GUIDES WE FOUND HELPFUL

Cruising Guide to the Northern Gulf Coast: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana (Cruising Guide to the Northern Gulf Coast)

MARINAS

• Garrison Bight Mooring Field, Key West:  We stayed in the mooring field for months & it's not bad.  We couldn't even begin to think about a marina in Key West.  We paid $262.50 per month for the mooring field which included the mooring, dinghy dock, shower & laundry facilities.
• Sunset Marina:  We are currently at this marina (07/07) as it looked to us to provide the most protection from hurricanes.  It's a nice marina.  Running us $995 per month for our 31' boat as a liveaboard.  Not cheap, but hey, it beats being on the hook during bad weather.

KEY WEST 

It is very easy to sail/motor into Key West.  The channels are well marked even for a night entry.  We have anchored by both Christmas Tree Island and Fleming Key.  The view from the anchorages is great.  Tall ships cruising by in the sunset, cruise ships coming and going, there is always something to see.  We found that the holding is not that great and it is very bumpy and rolly due to currents, winds, and non-stop boat traffic.  I spent many a day sitting in the cockpit during storms watching to make sure we were not dragging and that the boats that were dragging were not going to hit me.  You can purchase showers from the dock master at Key West Bight Marina & dinghy dockage at the seaport is about $5.00 a day or $75.00 a month.   

To increase our comfort level, and make showering, laundry, & dinghy dockage easier, we opted to move into the Garrison Bight Mooring Field.  Cost is $261.50 per month and includes showers, laundry, & dinghy dockage.  We checked into getting a slip here (this is the City Marina) and they wanted $975 for our 31' boat.  The facilities are not very nice, certainly not for the prices, but they have begun working on fixing the place up.  If you moor close to the front of the mooring fields, you can pick up wireless internet from NAS for $21.95 a month. 

As for the amenities that cruiser's need, there is a West Marine and a Boater's World.  There is a Publix, Winn Dixie and Albertsons on the shopping side of town.  As well as a Sears and K-Mart (although both Sears and K-Mart were flooded during H. Wilma and are just now repairing their stores so they have a very limited selection right now).  Prices are high here.  Even the K-Mart is about 20% more expensive than other K-Marts.  In Old Key West there is a WaterFront Marketplace and a Faustos.  Both are very expensive, but offer some unique and upscale items. 

The Historic Seaport is a very enjoyable place to stroll around.  The schooners Appledore and Western Union work out of the seaport.  We went on the Western Union and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise.  Favorite stops for us by the Seaport:

• Schooner's Wharf Bar:  It's right in the thick of things and usually has live entertainment, moderately priced.
• Harpoon Harry's:  No entertainment, but if you go at happy hour they always have something to eat set out ...dinner type food... so you can get dinner with your drinks, moderately priced (cheap if you consider you got dinner too).

Of course everyone must visit Duvall Street.  Fun to just walk up and down the street and watch the people.  Favorite stops for us include:

• Irish Kevin's:  very funny, good, unclean entertainment with $7.00 wine (expensive drinks). 
• Bear Bottom Beach Club:  very funny, good, unclean entertainment with reasonable drinks. 

We don't eat out much here as our budget can't take Key West prices, but we have eaten at the following places:

• El Siboney:  Cuban food, moderately priced.  The stuffed shrimp is excellent and the Cuban mix sandwich the best on the island.
• Kyushu:  Japanese, sushi, ungodly expensive.  Sooo good.  If you are going to splurge and want sushi, this is the place to do it.
• Big John's Pizza:  2 slices of cheese pizza and a drink for $4.00.  Good pizza, can't beat the price.
• Hogfish:  Not a tourist spot as it's over on Stock Island.  Just a bus ride and about a 1 mile walk.  Worth it.  Great fried shrimp & fish.  Basket with fries and cole slaw were $9.95 for fish & $10.95 for shrimp.  They have a hogfish sandwich that is supposed to be great...unfortunately they haven't been able to get hogfish.  Good!
• Blue Heaven:  Had our first Mojitos.  Yumm..I put the recipe on the galley page (expensive though $8.00 ea).  We went for lunch and they have a small selection of sandwiches, but they were good.  $9.95 for the fish sandwich, $8.95 for the jerk chicken w/potato salad.  Fish was much better than chicken.  Good atmosphere.  Fun to watch the chickens begging for food!

We were in Key West for FantasyFest 2005 (it was moved to December, usually Halloween weekend ...that's very appropriate... due to the hurricanes).  It was a lot of fun.  Very decadent and shocking for a Texas gal, but worth seeing at least one time.  We have pictures .... beware rated "R".

Take a photo tour of Florida:  Heart of Gold's Florida Adventure (including FantasyFest 2005)

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