3/8 - 3/14 - Marathon, Florida

Our neighbors, Pat Haws and . . .

Charlie Haws, aboard for a four hour tour of Marathon.

Chef George at the Seafood Festival.

Breaking out another box of fish and another pitcher of beer.

Pat working the night shift breading fish.

George's new drinking buddies.

Sunday at the Seafood Festival
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On Monday Charlie and Pat joined us on "Reflection" for a 4 hour tour of the Gulf, Boot Key Harbor, and some of the canals off of Sisters' Creek. On our trip we passed some beautiful homes and we also traveled into a little -known large lagoon immediately behind the club house of the Sombrero Country Club. The guys had found it the day before on their dinghy ride, and with its deep water and abundant anchoring space, it would make a great hurricane hole. We were just surprised that there were no boats there!

Later that evening we all had cocktails aboard followed by dinner at "Cabana Breezes". Charlie and Pat are a terrific couple, and we had many laughs as they both recounted stories of his being a "Paintball" champion, and their years living in Texas and Pennsylvania. They also love the Florida Keys as we do, and we wouldn't be surprised if they joined us here next year either on a boat of their own, or in a condo. The Haws' left on Tuesday afternoon, and we were glad to have had such a good time together with these wonderful neighbors.

We spent the next few days catching up on boat chores, laundry, shopping and in preparation for "Marathon Original Seafood Festival" which was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. It is the largest festival held in the Keys, and is second only to "Fantasy Fest" which is held in October in Key West. It is run by the Organized Fishermen of Florida and the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce as a fund-raiser for various local charities and for school scholarships. The expected attendance was 20,000 people.

Besides all kinds of fresh seafood (stone crab, lobster, shrimp, golden crab, raw bar, and mahi-mahi), burger, hot dogs, etc., there were a multitude of vendors, artists, and organizations who had rented booths. In addition, there were lots of rides for the kids, 8 musical groups scheduled for both days, and a Coast Guard military tribute and Naval Jet fly-over on Sunday. Running an event of this size requires an extremely large crew of people working behind the scenes, and when they advertised for volunteers to help work at the Festival, George and I decided that this might be fun. Our assignment was to help out at the Seafood tent from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday night.

We arrived at the Festival seafood stand just before 5 p.m. looking for our assignment. The man in-charge asked us if we would like to help bread fish. "Sure", we said, "just show us what to do." We were taken to a tent behind the scenes where we met several commercial fishermen who had been helping out breading fish since early morning. They gave us aprons and rubber gloves and then showed us the rapid fire way to bread fish. We each stood in front of three large pans: the first containing about 20 pounds of pieces of mahi-mahi in a water lime juice solution, the center pan filled with cracker meal with garlic powder and coarse black pepper mixed in, and the last pan holding the finished product.

The hand that picked up the fish was your wet hand, and the hand that breaded the fish was your dry hand, but you must not get them mixed up. So with your wet hand you picked up a piece of fish, shook off the excess water and dropped it into the cracker meal mix. Then with your dry hand you breaded the fish and placed it in the finished pan. Done correctly, the whole process should take no more than a few seconds per piece.

The fish began to fly. Within a couple of minutes the first pan was breaded and another was brought on. There were six of us working in teams of two, each standing across the table from his partner. By the time the Festival closed that night we must have breaded close to a thousand pieces of fish by ourselves!

Helping out had its benefits as we took short breaks every now and then, and while on break you could eat all the fried fish that you wanted and all the beer you could drink. The drinking part went on for some even while not on break! George took full advantage of these perks, and so did the rest of the fisherman working with us. By the end of the night George and the boys were doing shots of Captain Morgan, too! These guys could really put it away - all in the spirit of giving of course!

The next morning the Captain was moving a little slowly (and it wasn't just because of the change to Daylight Savings Time). Pat said she was fine, but that was until she got out of bed and got to feel her sore muscles. After breakfast we both decided that we needed a nap, however, by noon we both rallied and went back to the Festival - this time just to walk around and listen to the music. Neither one of us wanted to see another piece of fried fish, although George did manage to down a couple of beers. We returned early to the boat to continue our recuperation.

3/1 - 3/7/10 - Marathon, Florida

Pat's cousin, Steve . . .

his wife, Chris, and their daughter, Stephanie.


A subdued evening at Sloppy Joe's Bar.

Are we having fun yet?

Pat Dailey singing his greatest hits, including: "I Might Be Your Daddy", "Nymphomaniac", "Never Pass Up a Chance to Get Laid", and many, many more.

Our neighbor, Blossom

Blossom working on her tan.

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Steve, Chris, and Stephanie adjusted well to sleeping on the boat, and spent the morning getting some sun at the pool. We then took them out on "Reflection" for a 3 hour tour of the Gulf and Boot Key Harbor. The water levels were lower than normal due to the moon tides, and when we got to our turn-around point in front of Sombrero Dockside Lounge, we spotted a familiar-looking sailboat hard aground in the middle of the channel - it was "Flawless D", our British friends, Kathrine and Jim!

We hailed them on the boat radio to see if they needed any help, but they said that someone else had already tried to pull them off, but to no avail, so they would simply wait there till the tide rose, and then float off. George maneuvered our boat around them, which was tricky in the narrow channel, and we kicked up some sand ourselves in doing so. Our depth sounder displayed 4.1' to the bottom, and we draw 4', which was cutting it a little close, but "Flawless D" drew 5', so they had quite a wait ahead of them. At least they weren't far from the bar, both literally and figuratively speaking! That evening we went to "Cabana Breezes" for dinner, and the "girls" enjoyed dancing to the music of the Caribbean steel drum player.

Despite temperatures in the high 60s, Steve continued to work- out/swim at the pool each day, while Chris and Stephanie went shopping or just relaxed, and they also went on a walking tour of Crane Point Hammock. We had dinner at the Marathon Yacht Club on Tuesday, and at the Key Colony Inn on Wednesday and could always count on having interesting and often amusing conversations with 18 year old college girl, Stephanie, about her views on life, her career goals, and the "difficulties" of being young, beautiful, talented, and smart! She is truly a tribute to her wonderful, caring parents who have done a terrific job raising her.

On Thursday we decided that a trip to Key West would be a fitting finale to their visit with us here in the Keys. We also knew that Pat Dailey would still be performing at "Sloppy Joe's" that evening, and despite the fact that Stephanie spent her "Spring Break" here with her parents and relatives instead of her friends, we could all let our hair down a little as she was now old enough to enjoy observing the adult bar scene at "Sloppy Joe's" and to hear Pat's outrageous songs.

Though the show wasn't coming on until 7:30 p.m., George and Pat went to "Sloppy's" at 4:45 p.m. to procure seats because we knew that the place would be jammed. After making several quick table-hopping moves while enjoying the music of "Barry Cuda and the Sharks", we finally got two tables in close proximity to the stage, and our guests joined us after their shopping tour of Duval Street. We ate "dinner" at Sloppy Joes before the show began, and the "people watching" opportunities in the bar were also a show in themselves! Pat Dailey did his usual great job of entertaining, and the gals who danced while balancing full beer cups on their heads added to the ambiance. We were just smart to stay out of their way! It was a fun evening!

We said good-bye to Steve, Chris, and Stephanie on Friday morning after a truly enjoyable visit with them, and then later on our neighbors from home, Charlie and Pat Haws, came onboard. They had arrived yesterday at Banana Bay while we were in Key West, and they were staying here at the resort for several days. We had them over for cocktails that evening, followed by a Fish Fry Dinner at the Marathon Yacht Club.

Our canine next-boat neighbor, Blossom, joined us on the boat on Saturday while her owners, Ed and Susie, were away for a few hours. Blossom is a cute two-year old Westie with lots of energy, and we love dog-sitting for her and giving her treats.

On Sunday we decided to have a lobster and shrimp barbecue under the tiki huts at the marina with Charlie, Pat, and their friend, Bruce, who was also staying in Marathon and who had given the guys a dinghy tour of some lesser-known areas and coves earlier in the day. While George and Charlie went off to Keys Fisheries to purchase the seafood for dinner, Pat and Pat were on board the boat catching up on family and neighborhood news. Just then there was a knock on the door, and when Pat opened it she was greeted by Ken Farthing, an AGLCA member and hilarious speaker at our organization's Rendezvous last October.

Ken had contacted Pat a few weeks ago for marina suggestions in Marathon and had just arrived that day at Blackfin Resort, the marina next to us, so he had decided to look us up. He was accompanied by a friend who often cruises with him and is a fellow Gulfstream pilot, along with the owner of another boat doing the "Loop", "Splendido" from Canada. Ken and his wife are from Georgia, and she was flying home the next day to return to work for a few weeks while he minds the boat. He is the author of several humorous cookbooks: one about Pig Roasts (which Pat would like to get her hands on) and "The Manly Man's Guide to Cooking". Since they are staying in Marathon for the month, we are looking forward to getting together during our time here. George and Charlie were wonderful chefs that evening, as we all feasted on steaks, lobsters, shrimp, baked potatoes, and salad under the stars!

2/22 - 2/28 - Marathon, Florida

Sombrero Light off Marathon sits atop Sombrero Reef Wild Life Refuge - an excellent snorkel and dive spot.

Ernie and Casper relaxing aboard "Reflection"

Paddock and starting gate at the pig races.

The contenders

. . . and they're off

One of the losers. He was delicious.

After race dining in the "club house" - sort of.

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On Monday our friends and next-door neighbors, Ernie and Kay Giordano, along with our favorite dog, Casper, arrived for a visit. We had cocktails and dinner aboard that evening, and on Tuesday we took them out for a 4 hour tour on "Reflection" to Sombrero Light on the ocean side and around and through Boot Key Harbor. The waters' colors were magnificent with shades of blue and aquamarine that were almost surreal in their beauty.

On our return to the gulf side, we couldn't believe it, but a fog bank came in! Because we were used to foggy conditions from our years of boating experience on northern waters, it was not a big deal to us (though a bit unusual for Florida!), but when we returned to the marina, many of our boating neighbors expressed that they had been concerned about us and were awaiting our return. Though there have been a number of transient boats in our marina, there are also numerous boats who also have never moved since they arrived here. We are one of the few boats to make frequent day trips in and out.

That evening we went to "Cabana Breezes" on the ocean in Key Colony Beach for dinner. Even Casper joined us! Florida allows dogs to accompany restaurant patrons as long as they dine at an out-door venue. So, we all had a great time as we ate at a table beneath the tiki torches accompanied by the sound of the surf lapping only a few feet away.

On Wednesday the weather began to deteriorate as another cold front was forecast to come through with lots of wind and heavy rain. After lunch at "Burdine's" where we enjoyed terrific burgers and fries (yes, even Casper!), Ernie and Kay decided to beat the bad weather and returned to their winter residence in Naples before conditions went down-hill.

On Thursday while doing laundry, Pat met Kathrine and Jim aboard "Flawless 'D'", a Hunter 45 sailboat from the United Kingdom. They had arrived yesterday with engine problems, and had spent a horrible night at their dock near the marina entrance bouncing in the waves produced by the cold front that had come through. When Pat found out that they were also out of food and supplies, she volunteered to take them to the local supermarket, as their bike baskets were not nearly big enough to handle the amount of purchases they needed to make. When they returned from the store with a completely full car trunk and more, they invited us to come aboard later for cocktails, but since their boat was still rocking, Pat invited them to visit "Reflection" later on instead.

We had a hilarious evening with them, and found out that they were actually fairly new sailors who had taken some sailing lessons in Gibraltar, and then decided to buy a boat here in the U.S. She owns a jewelry enterprise in London, and he was a drummer and back-up singer for punk rock bands who is now an aspiring comedian. According to them, they are "bopping around" Florida and will stay here until the conditions calm down.

On Friday we attended the "Pig Races" at the "Stuffed Pig". In honor of "National Pig Day" on 2/28, this restaurant was hosting a week-end of activities and food to benefit the Grace Jones Day-Care Center in Marathon, that had been demolished in Hurricane Wilma in 2005.

They are in the process of re-building, and needed to raise money to obtain a grant to finish this endeavor. The races were held at an area with bleachers and a track set up behind the restaurant, and there were 3 heats for the races which were held several times each day. Bets were taken on your favorite pig in each heat: Baby Pigs (60 lbs.), Adult Pigs (250 lbs.), and Potbelly Pigs (300+ lbs.). We had loads of laughs, bet on the winning pig in the second heat, and enjoyed a great sparerib meal surrounded by everything "pig" - mascots, stuffed toys, T-shirts, etc. We even saw some human "pigs"!

After attending Sunday Mass at San Pablo Church where we had a conversation with the pastor, Father Gerry Morris, who is also a sailor and fellow member of the Marathon Yacht Club, about Pat's church music activities and her brother, Father Tony, we had breakfast for the second Sunday in a row at the Marathon American Legion Hall. Their members offer 6 platter selections that are not only delicious and generous in size, but are very reasonably priced, thus, it is always crowded with locals and boaters alike.

Today we also awaited the arrival from New Jersey of Pat's cousin, Steve, his wife, Chris, and their daughter, Stephanie. Though not boaters, they accepted our invitation to visit us aboard "Reflection" during our stay here in the Keys. This coming week is Stephanie's "Spring Break" from Villanova University, where she is a freshman, and a member of the school's Dance Team, so this was a perfect time for them to join us. We're anxious to see how they handle the "boating life"!

The cousins arrived in the early afternoon, and after lunch they unpacked, made themselves comfortable, and headed for the pool. They told us that all they want to do this week is to relax and to get some sun. Despite the cooler than normal temperatures, it always seems to be warm at the pool here, which is very sheltered, so they should get their wish. Later on, after cocktails aboard, we headed to "Sparky's" in Key Colony Beach for dinner and then back to the boat for their first night aboard.

2/14 - 2/21 - Marathon, Florida

Valentine's Day aboard "Reflection"
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After a lovely Valentine's Dinner at the Key Colony Inn on Sunday evening, we spent most of this week preparing for the American Great Loop Cruisers Association "Sunset Celebration" that we had organized and were hosting at the beach pavilion here at Banana Bay. Through radio announcements on the "Marathon Cruiser's Net" and postings on our association's daily digest on the internet we received responses from 25 boats in the Marathon area that their owners and some guests would be attending this event!

We did take time out on Thursday to drive down to "Sloppy Joe's" bar in Key West to see one of our all-time favorite Keys performers, Pat Dailey. We hadn't seen him in about 20 years, but we own several of his tapes and know many of his raucous songs. Pat is well known in the Great Lakes area, and especially in Put-In Bay, Ohio on Lake Erie. He sings up north in the summer months and for several weeks in the winter in Key West, so we were delighted to get the chance to see him. To say the least, his show was everything we remembered, and the place was jammed with his fans, who know all of his songs by heart, and who interact with him throughout. We had a fabulous time laughing and singing and George even got hugged by a gigantic drunk guy from Texas while Pat got kissed during the patriotic finale by a young G.I. who had just returned from Iraq!

On Friday evening, despite temperatures in the low 60s and a 15 knot northeast wind, 61 people were in attendance at our "Sunset Celebration". Everyone was asked to bring an appetizer to share, and their own beverage of choice, but mixed drinks were also available at the tiki bar at the pool area. We brought hot dogs cooked by George on our boat grill which we moved to the pavilion for the evening. They were a huge hit, and there was lots of great food contributed by everyone. It was great to see some people with whom we had already traveled on our "Loop" adventure, as well as to have the opportunity to meet and make some new AGLCA acquaintances. Attendees at our get-together were on boats from New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Nebraska, and Ontario, Canada. It was a terrific evening!