Pre-cruise Marina Check: Ray called around and found a slip in Islamorada -- Bayside Marina, at World Wide Sportsman (Bass Pro Shop). We stopped here on our drive to Key West earlier and noted the tall, fixed dock and absence of finger pier (more on that later). Leaving the dock, we enjoyed watching the pelicans “sing” for scraps at the charter fisherman’s cleaning table.
Weather Delay: We had decided to leave Key Largo Feb 1st, but several days of strong winds delayed our departure by a few days.
Winds were still a little high when we departed Key Largo but were forecasted to subside, with a small ‘window’ of calm, by the time we arrived in Islamorada.
The approach across Little Basin to the marina averages 3-4 feet at low tide!
Although it was sunny, it was also cold & breezy. I did, however, brave the cold to capture a dolphin video!
The best thing about clear blue water, in my opinion, is that dolphins can be spotted from quite a distance out.
The first video shows the 1, 2, 3, then 4 dolphins playing in our bow wake. The 4th dolphin must have been in charge, because all of them disappeared as soon as he came into view.
The next video will test your dolphin-spotting skills. See how quickly you spot the dolphin in the blue water.
US Coast Guard Pan-Pan: We heard an unusual announcement – an “airplane down in the Everglades” near Cape Sable. (This is one of the places we anchored last year on our cruise from Key West to Fort Myers). Click the file below to hear the Coast Guard audio.
PAN-PAN - (pronounced pahn-pahn) is used to signal urgent information, like when someone has fallen overboard, or a boat is drifting into shore or a busy shipping channel causing a hazard to navigation. If your emergency isn't immediately life threatening, you preface your announcement with Pan-Pan instead of Mayday (for real emergencies), for example if you have a controllable leak, and you want help standing by in case it gets worse.
Docked in Islamorada: We arrived near high-tide, as planned (by the Captain).
Project - Dock Steps: After checking in with the dockmaster and having an “all-secure” beverage at the Islamorada Fish Company (overlooking the marina), Ray got to work crafting some dock steps. Good job Ray! A hand-rail too?!
We wanted something we could break down into smaller units to store for the next time we need them. (While we had the rental car for the trip to Key West, we stopped at Home Depot and purchased supplies on our way back to Key Largo.)
While we have only a 1-foot tidal range, the fixed dock is pretty high, so our top step can be anywhere from 6-15 inches below the dock.
The view from our new slip is gorgeous!
Family Visit: We got to Islamorada the day before my family arrived for a visit. We tasted a lot of Islamorada in just a few days!
First up, dinner and a “Clemson sunset” (purple & orange) at Islamorada Fish Company (here at the marina).
The blue lagoon is where tourists usually find huge tarpon.
Lunch on the Atlantic beach at Lazy Days was excellent! Now, a favorite stop for all of us. We highly recommend the hogfish (sandwich).
Dinner and sunset on the bayside beach at Lorelei’s.
We missed the last sunset; we were in the Florida Keys Brewing beer garden for tacos (food truck) and live music.
It was a short visit, but we managed to shop, sight-see or relax a little each day – between meals!
See Daddy’s foot-rest? That is the closest we got to our kayaks on this visit. 😊
The Dreaded Laundry Day: NOT!! 😊 We discovered the laundromat is right across the street from Islamorada Brewery and Distillery. Great beer and cocktail selection, and great tuna nachos!
And on Sunday afternoons, Ray Jaworski’s live music is just the right background for chilling while the clothes are drying. (This is the first time – in a long time -- Ray has volunteered for laundry duty!)
Super Bowl on the Bow: The weather was perfect for watching the Super Bowl on the bow using our cheap Amazon projector. Our slip neighbor joined us from his bow.
Sunset and football!
Sunsets:
SCOUT is in the lower left of the drone panorama photo below!
What’s next? More exploring and sightseeing in Islamorada.