The Keys 12/13 - 12/21

On Monday the 13th we drove to the Keys and stayed at Sunset Key RV Resort. It is on a small key just South of Marathon Key. It is on mile marker 39, which means 39 miles from Key West. The RV parks in the keys are all very expensive, meaning over $50.00 per night (compared to $18.00 to $25.00 we have been paying) to park your RV. This park was one of the most reasonable, however, it was undergoing a face-lift and we were awaken at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning by construction vehicles working on the roads on both sides of us.

The sunset that night was beautiful. They have a dock where we were able to sit and enjoy watching the day fade into evening.

 


On Tuesday we decided we didn't want to stay in the construction zone so we decided to try to get into Bahia Honda State Park, which was just one Key South of us. We had called Monday morning and were told they were full, but when we checked on Tuesday, they had space for us. This proved to be an excellent move. It was quiet and the spaces are very private.

The campground is just above the sailboat and the swimming beach is to the right. This is the Gulf side of the island with the picture looking North.

On Wednesday we drove to Key West to see the sights. The picture above was taken at the old seaport area of city.


This is one of the parks in the city. The city grew in the 1800's due to the commerce provided by the salvagers who did nothing but salvage wrecks in the keys. This monument is dedicated to them. Business seemed to be good since the only way to get to the keys, and any other part of the world, was by sailing ship.

It wasn't until the early 1900's that a railroad was constructed joining the keys to the mainland.
We walked and drove around some more and then decided to head back to Bahia Honda. Key West is really just another over-crowded, over-priced tourist trap. It was crowded today and we cannot imagine what it would be like at the height of the tourist season.

A well used crab trap had broken loose and washed up on the Atlantic shore. The Atlantic beaches in the Keys have almost no shells, just a lot of sea grass, sponges and litter. Not a very inviting site. The Gulf side is much cleaner and has more shells. This seems very strange since the Atlantic and the Gulf meet at the Keys and the beaches may be within yards of each other.

 

The old Bahia Honda Bridge at sunset.



Do you recognize this??

 

Why it's a SAND ANGEL!!

What's the difference between a sand angel and a snow angel?

The temperature of the medium. Try making a snow angel dressed in a swim suit... Yuk, Yuk....

 

 

12/20 We drove to John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo. It is the only park that has an underwater coral reef that can be visited by scuba, snorkel or glass bottom boat. We chose the latter. This is the harbor as we departed from in the glass bottom catamaran.


View of the coral reef through the glass bottom on one side of the catamaran. Each side of the catamaran has the same configuration so approximately 90 people could view the coral at the same time.

Here Susan is sharing lunch with the local Ibis.