Kingston Rovers: Happy Spring

We are leaving Marathon and heading back to Titusville via the east coast of Florida. This will be new ground for us so I hope to see new things and meet new people.

What can I tell you about our stay in Marathon?

Google map link to our marina location in marathon fl

Well, first of all we had a scare in the night (3am) about 4 days ago. We were sleeping soundly in the starboard cabin when Mia starts meowing at the top of her lungs. Crikey, I thought, she is having a heart attack (so was I !!!). I got up (she's my cat!!) went into the living area and what am I looking at despite my bleary eyes? It was a lovely ginger cat with a red collar. You hussy, I said to Mia who by the way was still yowling with all her fur stood on end. The cat had fallen through one of the sky lights bringing the screen down with it onto Mia's bed. I had her bed placed under the skylight to give her some air during the night. I tried talking to the newcomer who wanted nothing to do with me and tried to get out of the boat through a skylight at the back of the boat. The screen stopped him (it is easier to push the screen down into the boat than push the screen up out of the boat). So this poor terrified cat jumps up several times, bangs his head on the screen but cannot get out. The only way out is through the same skylight he dropped through. Finally, it clicked (he was a male cat so it took him a while) and he jumped up and out of the boat. I calmed Mia and went back to my sleeping husband. All's well that ends well. Not quite. The cat in his fear sprayed my furniture so now I have this male cat smell in the main cabin. I managed to wash the furniture x 2 and get rid of most of the unpleasant smell by airing it outside of the boat. Gary, unfortunately got the sniffles afterwards (he is allergic to cats) but is OK now.

We have met many nice people on Marathon and I say a big thank-you to them, if they should read my blog. Tom and Elinor were especially kind to us. We went to the "Symphony" with them as well as Key West. Another couple joined us, Mary and Walter. We all had a lovely time as the weather was perfect. We had lunch together and an ice cream later on in the afternoon then Gary and I went our own way whilst the others drove back home. I stayed behind because I wanted to see sunset (Key West is know for it's sunsets).

Gary and I toured The Little White House which was a very lovely home where President Trueman stayed many times during his presidency and afterwards. Gary is from Trueman's home town of Independence, Missouri so this house was of interest to both of us. I had toured the Trueman House in Independence which was quite modest and not at all palatial. The house in Key West was part of a Naval Base so was secured safely enough for a president to visit. The house was very nicely furnished, had a veranda all the way around and felt warm and comforting inside. We had a very good guide who made it even more interesting.

The harbour at Key West was so clear you could see parrot fish with their big lips and tarpon. Tarpon are big fish that are not good to eat but make for good fishing. Apparently, they put up a good fight for the fishermen. I would too if someone stuck a hook in me!!

We went to Mallory (yes, Chris) Square for sunset which was not the most spectacular but was still fairly pretty. I took some photos and then found out that my camera had deleted all the photos I had took that day. Blasted thing, boy was I miffed. So much so, I think I am going to look for a new camera. I love photography and want to take photos on our Big Loop Trip. I am thinking of a Canon or a Nikon. I have a Pentax at the moment ( my third one) and have had other problems with them in the past. Dear Gary is trying to retrieve my photos for me so keep your fingers crossed. Otherwise, I do not have many photos to show you. Unfortunately, Gary could only recover a few of the photos and the photos of sunset are too small for me to do anything with. I am disappointed as a couple of them were quite nice. Luckily, Gary had a camera with him and took a few photos of the sunset.

Whilst in Marathon, we went for a dinghy ride around the marina and into the mangroves. We saw some lovely homes, a boat from Alaska (it must have come overland otherwise it would have had to have come through the Panama Canal), another Endevour (this one was a sail boat though ours is a power cat), lots and lots of anchored boats and a bird that could not read!! We also saw a very strange looking houseboat which looked as though the owner had built another deck on top.

One of the other highlights of the Keys happened whilst we were moored at Caplain Key. Caplain Key

The water was 78 degrees so we decided to go swimming. Being a wimp I let Gary go in first to tell me how cold it was (not that he tells me the truth!!). Whilst he was in the water we had a visit from a pelican who came very close to both Gary and the boat. Well, you know me and nature, I was in my element ready with my camera. I decided to feed the pelican bread because I had no fish. I got a nice photo of him with beak open trying to catch the piece of bread, which he did not like. He then flew onto the dinghy making him even closer to me. From there he flew and stood on the thin cables across the front of the boat followed by me, with camera, of course. He must have sat on the cable for at least five mins and then flew onto the ledge in front of the cockpit making him about 4 feet from me. I clicked away furiously and will show you some of my favorite photos.