January in Islamorada

Santa brought us crab traps

With high hopes and a love of crab with just a touch of melted butter... We got five traps..

The day we placed them in the water a friend asked us to check his traps and if there was any crab to help ourselves.. He had four keepers.. We offered him the crab yet declined... Lucky us... They were delicious !!!  And HUGE!!! 

Life is wonderful!

My dock garden is growing! What the wind doesn't blow into the water.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Buster was happy to get the CHRISTMAS spirit!!

I bought this basket of greenery at Winn-Dixie and added the shells.

Then I bought these flowers and added them too.

Decorations were here and there.

We went to Faro Blanco Marina to visit friends when we saw Santa and his helper come aboard a boat near by.

It's good to know Santa visits us at marinas.

Homes near by decorate Keys style.

Lunch out at Lane Grays looked festive.

Many boats were also decorated .. Christmas night had a full moon

 Santa took advantage of the light of the moon.

Getting settled at PYH

We were in the last slip on the L dock and what a view!! Looks like a dolphin in the clouds. 

This marina is beautiful.. It's got so much to offer!

They got a new play ground while we were away!! 

We met some new folks when were invited to join the Wedsnday night "flotilla" for drinks/snacks and 

Fellowship ... And.....

AMAZING SUNSETS!!

We just love it here!

There seems to be countless reasons to return.

Thanks to friends thinking of us out on the L.. We were offered a slip on the bulkhead.. Much less rockin and Rollin here ...&...What a view!  Thanks Renee and Glen.. And Lisa, Derek, Tom and Mark.. 

It was time to rent a car, drive to Orlando and get our truck and run about boat!! And a BONUS.. It's at our daughters house... So we got to spend a few days with her, our son--in-law and three of our grandsons!!! Always fun and we had an early Christmas celebration!!!

Back to the Keys for more fun!

Cape Sable to Islamorada

December 8,2015

Tuesday 

Miles traveled 40

Total miles traveled-1678

Day 88

Sorry folks, I'm almost a month behind in blogging.. We arrived in the Keys on December 8th.. We are so excited to be here and see the friends we left behind down here.. 

The day we left Cape Sanle was over cast and raining on again off again. No dinghy ride in the morning for Buster.. We were anxious to get to the Keys..Buster has his tickle turf but still won't use it..

The waters were calm.. And the crab traps abundant ..

Before turning off the ICW into the marina we were greeted by a dolphin.. More smiles

We were prepared to anchor out from the marina if the rain was heavy and the winds tricky... But there was a slight window of easy docking.. 

We got tied up .. When it began to rain again.. We are so Jazzed to Make it to PYH   Back with our "tribe"

Marco Island to Cape Sable (anchorage)

December 7,2015

Monday

Miles travel-42

Total miles traveled-1638

Day 86

We never lost sight of land but we did loose sight of civilization. We got a little rain but the seas were calm. We dropped anchor, then took Buster ashore!

Very peaceful and loaded with shells.

I gathered a few shells as keepsake.

Sunset was beautiful. 

On this day, we honor those at Pearl Harbor, but also my Dad. His ashes were scattered to the winds while George Burns sang "Old Bones" Mack Davis sang"Hard to be Humble " ukulele played "Amazing Grace " and "I'll get by"

Dads flower trail

ashes... Love you Dad...

Ft Myers (Salty Sam's) to Marco Island (Rose Marina)

December 3,2015

Thursday 

Miles traveled-42

Total miles traveled-1596

Also December 4,5,6

Days 82,83,84,85

I'm behind on this blog by a couple of weeks so I need to think back and share. As I recall it was overcast or raining much of the time in Marco. But we timed it just right to walk to the store and explore around our area.

It's a nice area and many little upscale shops. And it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. With a Nautical twist.

Cute shops and marina at Espenadas. Also one of the places they said would be packed to watch the boat parade.

We opted to stay at the marina and see what we could see.

We had front row viewing.. 

We ended up staying an extra day or two before heading south into the Mangroves.there would be no marinas or places to stop other than to anchor out before reaching the Keys.

Island life.. Here we come!