Chillin' in Key West

[hmhigh]

Greetings from Key West where the plan was to "Go where it's warm". So far the plan is not working perfectly but at least we are where it is "warmer". Six months ago we started putting together a snowbird trip to south Florida settling in balmy Key West for January and the St Petersburg area for February. Well we are here in Key West now and in the grip of the longest cold snap (50's and 60"s) experienced in 20 years. They normally only last 2-3 days but this one looks like it will be 10-14 days. I know, I know - where ever you are reading this it is probably much colder - we check the Chesapeake weather every morning. But in spite of the "frigid" temperatures we're having fun anyway - our to-do list has many items beside soaking up rays at the beach.

We are staying on our 26X in the City Marina at Garrison Bight. We towed the boat down here from Chesapeake, VA, stopping at Admiral Brenda's sister's in Port St Lucie for a day. The trip went uneventfully and our launch and move to our slip was smooth even though there were high winds coming as usual from the wrong direction. Brenda and a fellow MacGregor sailor several slips down were able to drag me into the slip once I got close.

We've started a blog of our adventures which we will add to periodically to keep everyone up to date. You can view the first entry by going to http://go-where-its-warm.blogspot.com/ .

Chilli' in Key West - Woody and Brenda High

[Waterbear]

Woody/Brenda
Chillin is right! I had to dig out my only pair of long jeans and Backpacking long undies.
This north wind blowing up my shorts tends to put my Mojo in hibernation.

Another place to visit is the Botanical Garden on Stock Is..

[BK]

While in KW suggest a snorkling trip out to the Tower Reef, seeing Mel Fishers atocha treasure and Hemingways house. Near Marathon there is a Bass oulet store with the most interesting displays including a sister boat of hemingways that you can go on.

[DaveB]

I just did a 5 day sail with the WCTSS for our annual new years. We launched at various Marinas to meet at Picnic Island Dec. 29th, only 4 of the 11 boats showed up because of wind and cold.
We met at Picnic Island of St. James City, Pine Island, FL. and did a camp fire to keep warm. The 30th we sailed over to Ft. Myers Beach thru Matanza pass and picked up a Mooring bouy and dinged it in to the Matanza Inn dingy dock under the bridge.
We had lunch at Beach Whale upper deck and later dingy 1/2 mile back to Boat.
The 31st we sailed from Matanza pass to Gulf side of Sanibel Island to Redfish pass to Tween Water Inn.
We decided to stay as other boats in the cruise decided to leave very early friday morning to beat the cold front. We decided to stay and grit the 30-40 Knot winds with heavy rain and temps. going down to 44 degrees for the next 24 hrs.
From 11am friday until we left the anchorage 10 am Sat. it was like gale force winds with the wind but we were in a protected anchorage when wind blew water out of the channel and exposed sandbars and felt only the wind on rigging.
Rain force manage to find it's way thru fastners above deck to leak and follow the interior liner to the plastic plug and drip and yes it found it's way under cockpit plugs and soaked our well prepared sheet linen and down comforters were we sleep. We carry doubles plus have a camper pad we flipped over for a dry night sleep.
We sailed back to Cape Coral Yacht basin with wind slightly abaft and later abeam until we rounded up head to wind at St. James City.
We enjoyed but will get temps. probably lower than what we had for the weekend so snuggle up and brace for the wind that comes with the cold front.
Most of you Northerner's think temps. in uper 30's to 40's is a warm spell but for us Floridians is like a New England Winter Storm and we freeze our butts off.
Dave
PS: Forget Swimming!

Greetings from Key West where the plan was to "Go where it's warm". So far the plan is not working perfectly but at least we are where it is "warmer". Six months ago we started putting together a snowbird trip to south Florida settling in balmy Key West for January and the St Petersburg area for February. Well we are here in Key West now and in the grip of the longest cold snap (50's and 60"s) experienced in 20 years. They normally only last 2-3 days but this one looks like it will be 10-14 days. I know, I know - where ever you are reading this it is probably much colder - we check the Chesapeake weather every morning. But in spite of the "frigid" temperatures we're having fun anyway - our to-do list has many items beside soaking up rays at the beach.

We are staying on our 26X in the City Marina at Garrison Bight. We towed the boat down here from Chesapeake, VA, stopping at Admiral Brenda's sister's in Port St Lucie for a day. The trip went uneventfully and our launch and move to our slip was smooth even though there were high winds coming as usual from the wrong direction. Brenda and a fellow MacGregor sailor several slips down were able to drag me into the slip once I got close.

We've started a blog of our adventures which we will add to periodically to keep everyone up to date. You can view the first entry by going to http://go-where-its-warm.blogspot.com/ .

Chilli' in Key West - Woody and Brenda High

[Waterbear]

Woody/Brenda
Would ya check my boat "Waterbear" and inflatable for me. I've been trying to get to the Marina, but my bike
tires are frozen to the concrete. Ron

[hmhigh]

Waterbear and inflatable are fine. The only problem overnight is a lot of dirty foam generated by wave action against the pier. It's only external along the waterline - none got inside the dinghy.
We took your advice and went to the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum yesterday. It was very interesting. They have a 72 ounce gold bar in a plexiglass box with a hole in it .You can reach your hand through to hold/lift the bar. Brenda tried every which a way to get it out the hole until a guard came and told her to stop.

Woody

[Waterbear]

Thanks for checking, I also managed to get to the marina about noon.

At one time the treasure museum stated if you could get the Gold Bar out it was
yours. That might of stopped do to close calls. See ya Monday Ron A

[Kelly Hanson East]

Dremel tool.....

[Waterbear]

Dremel would not fit in. Thought of using blow torch hand held lighter.

[Québec 1]

Ponzy scheme works better............ if you need a few bucks!
Here are some examples,just cut me in for 17%:
http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Cri ... amples.htm
Q1

[Kelly Hanson East]

Dremel tool.....with the bit on a 24 inch flexible cord extension.......

[hmhigh]

Well the plan is working better this week. Temperatures in Key West are back up in the 70's. We have a new blog entry describing all the "cultural and "educational" activities we have experienced since last report. Find out about falling iguanas, pythons, free rum at the Key West Library, gold bars in our hands and more by clicking on http://go-where-its-warm.blogspot.com/ . Click on the pictures for full size versions. Finally we are.....

Thawing in Key West - Woody and Brenda