[Rhodes22-list] Keys Trip

[Bob Keller]

Bill & Others,
Thank you for your post.  I had already decided that Coconut Grove was the 
ideal launching point and your information about the public launch area, 
slips and restaurant sounds great and clinches it.

The trip from Miami to Key West and back is an idea that I have had for a 
while but have never done it before so really don't know any details.  I've 
gone to the west coast of Florida a couple times, but this trip would be 
much longer.  I do know what it's like to trailer the boat 600 miles each 
way.

The best time to make this cruise is supposed to be Jan-April (according to 
Papy's crusing guide) so I am thinking two of the first three weeks in 
March, but February would work too.  When are you going?  It might help to 
go with someone who is familiar with the area, but if not, we can wing it.  
Do you think two weeks is long enough for this trip?  It seems to me to be 
borderline when you include two days (minimum) of trailering.  Also it looks 
like to trip from Marathon to Key West should be taken on the ocean side in 
either direction - is that your experience?

In any case, it would be fun to get a group of Rhodies to do this next Feb 
or March.

Rumster - thanks for bringing this up!
Bob K
s/v Yankee Clipper



>From: "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com>
>Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Keys Trip
>Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2003 06:22:41 -0500
>
>Rummy,
>
>I've been thinking about the same trip.  Planning for February.
>
>There is a nice city owned marina in Coconut Grove.  They have both a ramp 
>and a crane; and a lot of transient slips.  The last time I checked you 
>could rent a slip for around $20 a day.  There is a funky dockside joint 
>next door where the down and dirty boating crowd hangs out.  Good cheap 
>food.  Nice view.  During the week you can hang out all day.  If you look, 
>you will see manatees.
>
>Biscayne Bay is beautiful.  If they haven't torn it down, there used to be 
>something called "Stilt City" where people built shacks (and in some cases 
>mansions) in the middle of the bay on stilts.
>
>There are a number of exclusive islands off Miami, and many communities 
>with canals that suggest ways to live quite different from the way most of 
>us live.  I understand that the Coast Guard is extremely active around 
>Miami, and that there are places you are no longer allowed to be.
>
>John Pennekamp State Park is a great site for snorkling.  I think you are 
>allowed to go there by private boat.  It's off Marathon.
>
>The little Keys along the way were still like another country the last time 
>I went through them.
>
>There are some major resorts you can get to only by boat.  Some will let 
>you sleep on your boat while enjoying the resort facilities.  Most charge 
>by the foot, and are thinking of boats substantially longer than ours.
>
>The last time I was in Key West, it was dominated by the (not Mt.) Gay 
>lifestyle, and something of a disappointment.  It was hard to find the 
>"conchs" who had defined the tone of the place in the past, and you 
>couldn't avoid the overbuilt, over-priced resorts and restaurants.  We got 
>out of there as fast as we could.
>
>If we take the trip this year, it will be at a leisurely pace without 
>structured goals.  If we like where we are, we will just hang around until 
>we tire of it.  But if a group of Rhodies is floating through, we'll 
>certainly hook up at some point.
>
>Keep us all posted,
>
>Bill
>__________________________________________________
>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list

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