Marathon, Florida Keys is never boring.

If you get bored in the keys its because you brought bored with you. The Captain and The Kid have been waiting out the weather in Marathon, about the half way point on the Overseas Highway that stretches from Key Largo to Key West.
We were crossing U.S. 1 on our way back to our sloop anchored out in Boot Key Harbor just out from the City Marina, when a car rushed by nearly missing The Kid. A quick look revealed Charlie Daniels and Spike from Herbie's, and Loose Lips from Captain Tony's stuffed into a Kia heading north. The whole mystery about our missing pirate friend just became more intriguing. What were these three doing together? Did they just meet? Is it coincidence they are together, and was it by chance we had encountered them at different places different days? No way we could rush away, but with the weather clearing and the sea coming down we were ready to head up to Sarasota. Maybe where it all began on Siesta Key is where we will learn more to solve this mystery and hopefully find our friend.
This Captain and The Kid do not do bored. Too many places to go and too many opportunities to escape even when you cannot go other places. Back on our sloop we watched a small power boat head out through Sister Creek. It was a 25 footer with a walk-around cabin. Nice vessel. Behind it was a ketch that was all of 35' heading out the Creek. It is no problem for the power boat to use this short cut out of Boot Key Harbor, but a sailing vessel? The Creek is maybe 4' and at that changing with time and weather.
"She'll never make it out." A voice called out to anyone who was watching the Ketch.
"Hey Frenchy." I responded to the voice.
Frenchy is from somewhere off the Carolina coast. He is not French. He does not speak French and has never been to France. Frenchy likes French wine and French cheese and French pastries, but he is not French.
"Do you think they'll make Whiskey Creek?" I called to Frenchy.
"I doubt it. She must be drawing 6' if its a foot."
"You wanna help if she gets stuck?"
"We'll see. She looks like the type who'll call towing to me."
We watched, busied ourselves with some getting ready to getaway chores, watched some more, and then went below for some reading material.
When you have people to watch and things to read you cannot be bored. We wondered how far the Ketch made it up the twisting outlet of Sister Creek. I was sure she would not make even Whiskey Creek. When, not if, you get stuck on a sand bar, there a many ways to get yourself off. Kedging is recommended. Calling Boat U.S. is an option but if you can kedge your way off, why waste a call. Someone on another boat will throw you a line and pull you off, but be careful about this method. If everyone knows what they are doing, then go for it, but if its more good intention than good experience, go back to kedging or make the call to the pros.
We heard later the Ketch went aground. The stories about how she got off were mixed. The good news, she got off and made it back into the Harbor.
"What've you got?" The Kid asked about my book.
"Tales of a Sea Gypsy. You?"
"On the Spanish Main."
We settled into our books out on deck. The Kid opened a Red Stripe. This Captain opted for rum.
Don't bring bored with you, ever, but especially when you are visiting other places, or trying to escape. Stuck at Marathon is an expression about waitin' on the weather, or doin' repairs, or replenishing your kitty, but bored? Nothing about escape, the Keys, or Marathon are boring.
Keys to not being bored include this short list:
1--People watch and discuss what you saw, what you think you saw and what you would like to think about what you saw and watch that.
2--Meet characters. Characters are kind of like people except better. Characters seem to have a better view of life than people do and they never mind sharing that view.
3--Read books. Actually, reading isn't the best way to read a book. Being in a book is how to really enjoy them. No matter the style, narrative, or subject inject yourself into the story. Some books have a hard time letting someone in who wasn't written in by the author, while others welcome you to join in. Get in there, introduce yourself around, change your name if you want to, and get involved.
4--Eating, Eat fantastic. Cook it yourself, or spice it up yourself if eating on board. Food is secondary to the eating. Whatever food is decided upon, add escape to it. Maybe a dash, but better to make it heaping portions. If eating out look for places you cannot see. You see the Golden Arches, or the Red Lobster, but you don't easily, lazily, see Pink Gold off the Highway, or hard to beat Key Lime Pie at MM 50.5 Bayside. Look for and experience tasting other places and escapes.
5--stop trying to not be bored, or make lists to not be bored. Getaway. Escape.

If Webster is right, the seas will be down in the morning. We will go out the way we came in and then sail under the Seven Mile Bridge, head up the coast to Sarasota. The Kid wonders why we are not going back to Key Largo and set free the African Queen being held hostage at Holiday Inn. We will get there another time. It's possible Charlie Daniels and the gang are also heading to Siesta Key, so we gotta go.

The Captain and The Kid

Marathon, Keys Fisheries

Its a hard thing to leave The Keys. The Kid wanted to eat at Keys Fisheries in Marathon, but that's just this Captain's excuse to hang out in The Keys a little longer.
You come in through the west channel entrance to Boot Key Harbor. The bridge opens on demand 7 to 7, 7 days. The harbor opens wider after the bridge as you get into the city mooring field. Around Marker 1A is the city Marina canal with a dinghy dock. This Captain thinks this is more of a dinghy breeding grounds, than just the place to tie up. We tied our inflatable and headed out across the highway and down 35th St Gulf to Keys Fisheries. Its at the end of the street. I'm pretty sure it has an address, but I'm pretty sure I don't know what it is and I'm certain I don't care. Addresses, in the conventional sense, are touristy markers and The Captain and The Kid don't do tourist.
At Keys Fisheries you order at the window and sit out by the water. Don't give your name for the pick-up at the window call. They will want your favorite song, or singer, or something else to call you by when the food's ready. Just an opinion, but it's pretty tough to find better seafood than here. We talked to Gary about this. He didn't act surprised because he hears it so much, but when The Kid told him that the pinks were gold, he hesitated.
Key West Pinks are the Key West shrimp. Peel and eat. No one does shrimp like this. No one. So, The Kid says, "These are Gold. It's a treasure find."
Gary liked that and now you can get them as Pink Gold. You can get full meals, sandwiches, chowders, etc.
If you really want to escape you have to eat here around sunset. The food, the sun, and the water will take you to faraway places, and when during the times you are visiting other places geographically, you will be able to visit here during an escape.
I watched the Sun begin sink, flatten out and sizzle into the Gulf. As it did I went with it to days and one memorable night at sea. Next time about that night. Right now, back to the Marina and the dinghy breeding grounds. We had tied up next to something that looked like a wooden Catspaw. Just the two of us, easy access in and out. After walking back from Keys Fisheries the breeding had spawned a litter of assorted dinghies. Escape at this point is literal. How do you untie, retie, tie-off, and not cast-off someones tender?
Step one: relax. Step two: who is tied to who? Step three: escape during the untangle. Step three makes for the enjoyment and takes you away from the frustration. Think about it. These dinghies are from all over other places. Each one has its story and adventure. Let yourself getaway as you are freeing up your inflatable and enjoy where you are and where this can take you.
As I was carefully re-tying painters The Kid said that it looked like we were in for some weather.
For good or bad depending on who you are and where you want to get to, we may be hanging out in Boot Key Harbor for a few days more than we thought.

The Captain and The Kid

Leaving Key West

That's it! Went to the Turtle Kraals and nothing! Nothing kind of describes the Kraals too. Not only were we disappointed there was no sign of our pirate friend, but there was no wooden baker, and the Turtle Kraals was really a bust.
There is some history with the museum, but mostly its a lousy story about catching, cooking and canning turtles until they became endangered and the work was banned. There are behind the scenes, real stories, but its pretty unlikely you'll hear these unless you can talk to an old salt. He can tell you about fishing and the turtle industry from a perspective yet untold by the museum. That way you get it straight from someone who has been out to sea to learn by experience and not by someone who's been to college to learn by reading.
So, that's it. We will not be chasing off to another place looking for our friend. If more tips come in we will follow any lead, but for now we are heading off the Keys. Maybe one stop in Marathon. The Kid wants to eat at the Keys Fisheries.
As we purposely shunned the Turtle Kraals restaurant, we saw loose lips from Captain Tony's. The Kid wanted to grill him about the wooden baker story, but when he caught sight of us he ducked inside the place and since I figure he was just some nut case and I refuse to go into Kraals, we let it go.
"But it is 1 Land's End." The Kid tried to persuade me. "And what about the figure outside of Captain Tony's?"
I did agree to a cold one at Captain Tony's before we left. We only go to Sloppy Joe's to remind ourselves we never want to be tourists. When you are after an adventure, want to escape, or are gaining experience in life, don't be a tourist.
At Captain Tony's this Captain ordered a draft, it was too early for rum.
"This is for you." The bartender said as he handed me an envelop he had been using for notes.
"When did you get this?"
"Yesterday. Forgot about it when you were here."
"Who is it from?"
"Dunno. Was Stuck in the door when I got here."
Captain Tony's is all about escape and it never fails to live up to that reputation. Just when you begin to worry that the routine of day in and day out is about to claim you as one of its victims, the legend, the lore, and the mystery of this place hands you escape.
Inside the envelop was a simple message: "Sarasota. MNP Marina. Jack Clark"
I pushed aside my draft and tapped the glass to get the bartender's attention, "Rum."


The Captain and The Kid

The Florida Keys, Clues, and Cues

It is raining in Marathon in the Florida Keys. This Captain and The Kid are staying dry (from the weather). We found our way over to Herbie's. However, what we have not found are any additional clues about our Pirate friend. Key Largo is at MM106 and about mid-way down to MM0 is Marathon. Either we have not understood the telegram, or it was a bogus reported sighting.
We did stop in Key Largo to look at the African Queen. We stopped, not as tourists, but just to escape down the Ulanga for awhile with Kate and Bogey. She is tied up like a hostage. It is not certain if the Holiday Inn is to blame. We know that it was a movie boat, and not a true story adventure, but it seems to this Captain she needs to be cut loose and get back on the water. If that does happen in the near future, please do not contact this blog, this Captain, or The Kid. We will not recall anything that may happen on that night.
Back on Marathon, in Herbie's, we shared a couple of beers with Charlie Daniels. He said he wasn't but why would he tell us that? We didn't want him to sing, we just wanted to have a beer with him. We were concerned that Spike, who was riding shotgun for Charlie didn't understand the concept of escapism because he kept saying to Charlie that they had to leave to get to Key West before midnight. Spike and Charlie looked like two guys who knew how to getaway, but that lack of patience and clock watching was disappointing.
"Why before midnight?" The Kid asked.
"What about midnight?" Spike responded.
"You said you had to to get to Key West before midnight."
"He never said that." Charlie interrupted.
Spike shifted in his chair, Charlie shifted his eyes, The Kid shifted bar stools, and this Captain was shifting into rum mode.
"Closing time at the Cafe?" The Kid asked.
Spike clutched the bar and shifted again.
"Think you'll ever pass this way again?" The Kid continued.
Spike clutched and shifted. Shifted and clutched. He clutched and shifted so much it was more like being at the Sprint Cup Series, than at Marathon.
Charlie winked and said, "Maybe when the midnight moon is shinning."
After they left and we headed back to the marina, The Kid filled me in about the lyrics.
Escapes and getaways are always fascinating like that. Everyone does it a bit differently and yet its the same. Charlie and Spike were on their own getaway to other places and it took a little persuasive playfulness by The Kid to get them to join us in our escape for the night. So, if there is a point, it is this: Everybody is somewhere. Sometimes you can join them in some places, but don't push it. Even if you have to run parallel for a distance, go for it. If they join you, fine, if they don't, that's OK too.
We may continue down to Key West. All the talk about midnight reminded me about our search for our friend the wooden pirate from Midnight Pass.

The Captain and The Kid