Weekend Number 1 - GREAT

It was a FANTASTIC weekend.
So many great things I just don't know where to start!
It was a long weekend and EVERYONE was out on the water.
Even so, in the Keys, you don't see the massive amount of crazy boaters you see in Miami, so it was great.
We did a lot of "exploration" and that was also great!
There are several places to go to do the type of boating we like: Anchor, paddle, swim, sleep over.
The marina is great too (I know I'm using the word GREAT a great number of times...that's the point of this great post)
So to summarize:
Saturday - go to the multiple locations, starting with the open ocean! - Too windy and too choppy to dive, but went to the site and will go back when weather is better.
Sunday - woke up at a well protected anchor (from windy night) and went to marina, did biking, then back to the boat, went to an island that we will be back in future trips (Bottle Key) to paddle, swim and overnight sleep.
Monday - MP was traveling, so we spent 1/2 at boat taking care of many little chores.
Here are the pics:

This is the entire weekend trip:

And the details -----

That's where the marina is at

Our new marina in the morning

Bringing the toys back into the boat!

Can't get over the beauty of these waters

Going out into the open ocean!! what a new thing for us!

Slept here!

Sunset!

Sunrise in the same place

From inside.. sunrise

Our marina is a happening place!

Moving to Key Largo

Glory Days has a new home: Key Largo!

The trip was FANTASTIC!!!!

We did Miami to Ocean Reef on Saturday afternoon.

Departed Key Biscayne at 4pm and arrived in Ocean Reef at 7:45pm.

PERFECT NIGHT sleep.

Another Mainship followed us there hoping we had some "local knowledge"...ha!

Key Largo is a VERY LONG island and the nicest surprise was that the water actually changes from clear green to a beautiful blue as soon as you reach the area closest to the marina.

Lots of little islands and clear blue waters with white sandy bottom: Paradise!

Here is a quick photo log of the trip:

Leaving Miami

Into the shallow green yonder!

That's US1 going into Key Largo

Under US1 - Arriving at Gilberts

Famous Gilberts!

Leaving Blackwater Sound - Passing our FURTHEST TRIP SOUTH

New record for MP and FP!!!

Local racers

Buttonwood Sound

Leaving Buttonwood Sound - See the water color change ahead??

Look at this!

Highway in the Ocean - The ICW

The water on our new sailing area!

Off to some exploration - windy but beautiful!

Hello my little friends!

Not fancy, but very nice people and very comfortable!

Glory's new home!

Manatee in the Marina

We hired Fettuccini (yes - that's his name) to scrape the barnacles off the bottom of the boat.  While he was in the water a young manatee came over to play.  The manatee let Fettuccini scratch his back. 

Return to Hoffman's Cay

We went back to Hoffman's on a calm day to anchor for a couple of days.  We had to go in on a rising tide. On our way there, we were 15 minutes early and got stuck momentarily. 

 

JR walked around to find the deeper water, using his body as a measurement tool.  Chest high was deep enough. 

 

 

Then he pushed the boat out of the sand towards the deeper water LIKE THE SUPERHERO HE IS!!!

 

 



  

 

 

Anchorage at Hoffman's Cay

 

Can you see the dolphin?

 



Dinner at Carriearl

There is one hotel here, the Carriearl.  A bunch of us had dinner and drinks there.  The setting is gorgeous!  www.carriearl.com  JR had the pizza, I had the fish.

Around the marina and island

The difference between low and high tide is 2 1/2 to 3 feet.  At low tide, it can be easier for us to climb on the flybridge from the dock rather than the deck, as JR demonstrates. 

 

Calm winds mean a beach day!  Here is John apricating.

 

 

This is the grocery store we ride our bikes to.

 

Which one is the plantain?