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This post starts with the Florida Keys. Go to Previous posts to see the journey before the Keys.
The first picture shows us heading into the Florida Keys. Highway 1 goes all the way to Key West, bridging from one island to the next. Mile Marker 0 is at the end of Highway 1 in Key West. We spent a month here at the Sunshine Key RV Resort at mile marker 39. Ronnie, Carmen and Alexander joined us on October 4th for a week. So glad they made it here. We were worried about Hurricane Matthew and were ready to pack up and go back to the Mainland at a moments notice. The Hurricane turned north and didn't affect us at all except for 1 day of rain. It went up the coast starting by Miami and ended in North Carolina before heading out to sea.
The old train track, runs parallel to highway 1. The story is it was ruined by hurricanes so not used anymore.(?) You'll see portions of it in some of the pictures.
Made it to our park that we were at for a month - Sunshine Key RV Resort
The RV park office. Notice the roof on the porch. They have a lot of these roofs in the keys. They are made with palm leaves and from what we hear, they are pretty water proof if done right.
At our site from September 23 - October 14th. We moved to a site by the Boat Docks and Fishing Docks on October 14th as the Tides were getting very high and water was coming onto the lot. The moon was huge and caused the higher tides. We were only 1 foot above sea level. Glad we moved near the docks as enjoyed seeing the Manatees, fish, small sharks, jelly fish, and barracudas right outside our door.
This is the RV park we are in. The back of our coach can be seen just to the right of the tallest palm tree.
There were iguana's around the park. I guess someone had dumped pet iguanas some time ago and they multiplied. They don't harm anyone. They just wander around and are in various sizes. This is one of the bigger ones. Kind of a shock the first time you see one.
Our first tour on Key West. We visited Fort Taylor at the very end of Key West.
This was on Duval Street in old Key West
The back porch of the oldest house
This was the cook house (kitchen) out back
Read about this restaurant/pub so had to go scout it out. One of the oldest pubs. See the dollar bills hanging from the walls and ceiling
Ronnie, Carmen and Alexander arrived on October 4th and we headed right to the beach.
This was taken just down the road from us in Bahia Honda State Park. You can see Highway 1 that links all the keys (islands) together.
The old railroad
Then onto the next beach in Marathon Key, just across the 7-mile bridge from our park - Sombrero Beach
Alexander would spend hours playing in the sand. Loves to swim, but if sand is around, that is where he is.!
Dennis and Ronnie
The Gulf side behind the coach - relaxation and Father-Son time
Not sure where this was taken but loved the picture of Alexander
Everyone that comes here has to go to the Southern most Point of the Continental US. At this point we are 90 miles from Cuba.
Then on to Mallory Square in Old Key West
May be the worlds largest sandal?
Ronnie treated us to lunch at Sloppy Joe's
Sunset from Mallory Square
SIDE NOTE:
Hurricane Matthew was roaring up the east coast while the kids were here. They flew into Miami and then to Key West. It was south of Cuba when they got here on the 4th of October but they predicted it would go up the coast line, which it did. We were a bit fearful it would change coarse and head towards us. We were only 1 foot above sea level so it wouldn't have been good. We were prepared to run for the mainland if it did change coarse. All we got was 1 day of rain from it. Thank Heavens it missed the Florida Keys. By the time they left, it was headed east out into the Atlantic. At one point they thought it was going to loop back around and possibly hit the coast or actually hit the keys but it headed east instead. Made us a little uncomfortable to say the least. Felt so bad for all the people that lost their homes and those that lost their lives from the flooding. Our prayers are with all.
Back In Key West
One of the surprising things were these chickens running all over the Keys, especially Key West.Some sacred thing going on with them.
Toured the Key West Aquarium. Dennis and I went back to the park as water was running underneath coach. (Maintenance guy called us). He shut the water off but we wanted to go check it out and make sure there was no damage. All was OK Thank Heavens! So I don't have pictures of the rest of the Aquarium.
We went on a Dinner and Sunset Cruise on a Catamaran. What a nice day for that.
Waiting around until its time to get on the boat
Finally we're on the boat and soon heading out
Free drinks as well as wine and sodas.
Entertainment for the ride.
Cruise ship that was headed out
Dinner on the boat. The slow eaters. haha
Back up on top for the rest of the cruise
A passing sail boat
The ride back after the sunset
END OF THE CRUISE
Ronnie, Carmen and Alexander flew back to San Antonio on October 11. Would have been great if they could have stayed longer. We were in withdrawal for a few days missing them. Had a great time and hope they did too.
We made a few more trips into Key West. I kept missing Mile Marker 0 to take a picture. Finally got it.
MILE MARKER 0 for Highway 1 in Key West
Dennis and I went to the ECO-Discovery Center that we tried to go to before they left but was closed due to the hurricane way up north. Wish they could have gone. Alexander would have loved the 3-D underwater video. Also showed how the keys were made with ancient coral reefs (upper keys) and sand bars (lower keys) that flourished during a period of higher sea levels approximately 125,000 years ago. During the last ice age, 100,000 years ago, sea levels dropped, exposing ancient coral reefs and sand bars which became fossilized over time to form the rock that makes up the island chain today. I guess Al Gore missed this. hehe.
Florida Keys were built from an ancient coral reef that is 125,000 years old. All was completely underwater. 100,000 years ago the ocean receded and the Keys were born. This is the 3rd largest reef in the world.
These were the paths of hurricanes by the Keys
A 3-D underwater display of colorful fish on the reef. you had to be there with your 3-D glasses.
This Fort is now a National Park. It is about 70 miles west of Key West. You can take a Catamaran out to the Fort and snorkel, have lunch, etc. Didn't make it out there. Maybe sometime in the future.
Back at the campground. The rocks are clumps of dead coral and several of them have plants growing out of them. From what I hear, the whole shelf is one big coral shelf.
This was behind our coach one day. The grass cannot be removed out of the water as keeps erosion down and also provides food for birds, etc. Some days there is hardly any sea grass, other days, there is lots. Go figure
Dennis fishing off the pier at the RV Park
Taken at the RV park
A few pictures of house boats in Key West - these are wooden houses built on a boat
Fogartys Restaurant on Duvall Street in Old Key West. We ate here a couple of times. This is the patio area. It is connected to one of the older 2-story homes that they converted to a Restaurant. Forgot to take a picture of it.
Our last tour on the Keys. We went to see the Shipwreck Treasures Museum. Lots of wrecks would happen when they ran into the reefs from storms or just running into it. There is still lots of cargo, silver and coins out in the water. Sometimes after hurricanes or storms, coins will come up to shore. So get your diving gear together! The water around the Keys is pretty shallow for the most part except at the edge of the ancient coral reef. This massive coral reef was all underwater 125,000 years ago. about 100,000 years ago the oceans receded enough to show what is today the Florida Keys.
In 1856, 2,800 people lived in Key West. They were the richest people in the world because of the treasure from ships that sunk. They had lookouts watching for ships caught in storms and sinking. Whoever got there first got to claim the treasure.
Look-out tower and warehouse where the auctioning of the claimed cargo was done. Today it is the Shipwreck Museum that we went through. We both actually went all the way to the top. Dennis had to stop a few times and rest. Well, maybe I did too. haha
This was one of the bars of silver they found. It weighs 80 lbs.
They say the 80 pound silver bar is Cursed as any ship they put it on, the ship would sink.
This is a model of ship that started the treasure hunting at Key West.
Below are just a few of the treasures found
Key West in 1856
Map of all the wrecks off the reef. They are listed around the edge of the chart
Next, on the original Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville! However, I had coffee, Dennis had tea. Hmmmmm??
One of the houses with beautiful porches
Below are some pictures of the docks near where we were parked for the last week
