Location: Key West
We woke up early this morning, went under the seven mile bridge, over the sand flats of Florida Bay, and into Blackfin Marina. At one point traveling over the flats the bottom was a mere four inches below the keel. You might think that it was risky for us to even try to sail in Florida Bay but just yesterday a sailor told us he was taking his boat down to Key West inside and that his draft is four feet but the average depth of the bay is five so quote on quote "no worries." The marina was a tight fit as well. We were forced to K-turn into the slip because the canal was so narrow. Dad took the wheel at that point, it's nothing like driving a car just so you know. Once we were situated it wasn't a bad spot at all. An hour later we were on a two dollar bus ride down route 1, bound for Key West. Route 1 in the Keys was previously an old railway, built by Henry Flagler when the only access to the keys was by boat. Route 1 is the closest thing to a highway around here. It splits almost every Key in half leaving a trail of strip malls and sprawl in its wake. It is essentially the only road that goes anywhere here and it's a shame that it wasn't kept as a railway. Key West was a different story. The scenery here was not unlike Newport or Block Island, plenty of sandals on the sidewalks. If there are no young people in the Upper Keys it's because they all moved down here. Dad and I bar hopped during the day and then caught the show at sunset. On the pier in Malory Square a number of street performers set up their acts just before sunset. We saw a man eat fire, a Rastafarian who played the steel drum, a pair of acrobats, a kissing parrot, and a juggler with his dancing pig. We had been told by more than a few people that Key West had tons of these 'characters' because it was an 'end of the world' kind of place. I think you might describe them as people who don't feel at home in our mundane society so they go on a nomadic search for a place with people more like themselves. They get further away from the office, then further away from the city, then further away from the suburbs, and the very bravest of them go further away from everything until they reach the end of the world. Key West is a common final destination, many compare it to Provincetown, I would compare it to Oz.
Dad and I got confused by the bus schedule and almost missed the last one out of town. We had a great time but we were definitely ready for some sleep. Unfortunately the bus ride back was a different route that took much longer to get out of town. Luckily for us we had a ortraveling band abroad to pass the time. A group of five teenagers got on the bus after us with their skateboards and one guitar. They were about fifteen but knew all the words to 'What I Got' by Sublime. It was the perfect way to pass the time. We got back to the dock in Marathon safe and sound feeling that our next time in Key West we'll have to join a band.
We woke up early this morning, went under the seven mile bridge, over the sand flats of Florida Bay, and into Blackfin Marina. At one point traveling over the flats the bottom was a mere four inches below the keel. You might think that it was risky for us to even try to sail in Florida Bay but just yesterday a sailor told us he was taking his boat down to Key West inside and that his draft is four feet but the average depth of the bay is five so quote on quote "no worries." The marina was a tight fit as well. We were forced to K-turn into the slip because the canal was so narrow. Dad took the wheel at that point, it's nothing like driving a car just so you know. Once we were situated it wasn't a bad spot at all. An hour later we were on a two dollar bus ride down route 1, bound for Key West. Route 1 in the Keys was previously an old railway, built by Henry Flagler when the only access to the keys was by boat. Route 1 is the closest thing to a highway around here. It splits almost every Key in half leaving a trail of strip malls and sprawl in its wake. It is essentially the only road that goes anywhere here and it's a shame that it wasn't kept as a railway. Key West was a different story. The scenery here was not unlike Newport or Block Island, plenty of sandals on the sidewalks. If there are no young people in the Upper Keys it's because they all moved down here. Dad and I bar hopped during the day and then caught the show at sunset. On the pier in Malory Square a number of street performers set up their acts just before sunset. We saw a man eat fire, a Rastafarian who played the steel drum, a pair of acrobats, a kissing parrot, and a juggler with his dancing pig. We had been told by more than a few people that Key West had tons of these 'characters' because it was an 'end of the world' kind of place. I think you might describe them as people who don't feel at home in our mundane society so they go on a nomadic search for a place with people more like themselves. They get further away from the office, then further away from the city, then further away from the suburbs, and the very bravest of them go further away from everything until they reach the end of the world. Key West is a common final destination, many compare it to Provincetown, I would compare it to Oz.
Dad and I got confused by the bus schedule and almost missed the last one out of town. We had a great time but we were definitely ready for some sleep. Unfortunately the bus ride back was a different route that took much longer to get out of town. Luckily for us we had a ortraveling band abroad to pass the time. A group of five teenagers got on the bus after us with their skateboards and one guitar. They were about fifteen but knew all the words to 'What I Got' by Sublime. It was the perfect way to pass the time. We got back to the dock in Marathon safe and sound feeling that our next time in Key West we'll have to join a band.
What we ate: 50 cent oysters
"They get further away from the office, then further away from the city, then further away from the suburbs, and the very bravest of them go further away from everything until they reach the end of the world. Key West is a common final destination, many compare it to Provincetown, I would compare it to Oz." I may end up in Oz.
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