Tavernier Creek to between Snake Creek and Cotton Key in Cotton Basin, Florida

 We pulled anchor and headed back to Plantation Yacht Harbour Marina for a pump out, water and fuel since they were such nice folks. Heading south, we anchored between Snake Creek and Cotton Key in Cotton Key Basin. We are right off the dinghy dock for Ocean View Inn and Pub. We went ashore for a cheeseburger in paradise and chicken sliders and fries. The pub is owned by an NFL has been and has a great key west flavor with a playground with cornhole toss and a swimming pool beside the bar. We walked down the Overseas Highway the mile to Publix for more Iguana Bait Florida Keys beer. The band was playing on our return as we headed back to the boat. It will be windy next couple of days and this is a great protected anchorage for the wind direction and a nice place to go ashore.

View of OV Pub from the anchorage

A walk through the mangroves from the dock to the pub

Fabulous tiki bar

Not inviting from the street so mainly locals and cruisers

Conch fountain for the Conch Republic of the Keys in front of Theater of the Seas

The wind is blowing 25 knots but we were able to dinghy into Snake Creek that is protected from the wakes and cut under the bridge and duck into Island Grill's dock for breakfast. We waited until lunchtime to go ashore to OV Pub for some spicy chicken wings and a beer. Then off we went walking down Overseas Highway to the Museum of Diving History. What an extremely thorough and comprehensive history with beautiful displays on diving. A quick stop at Publix on the return trip and we were ready to relax on the boat. The wind picked up even stronger up to 28 knots and this will continue another day. It was a nice sunny day and a great day for walking.

Dressed up marker to Snake Creek

Wide creek with canals with huge houses

Lined up

Leaving Island Grill

OV Pub dinghy dock and boardwalk across the mangroves

View of Dot's Way from the bar

The History of Diving Museum

Entryway stained glass door

Posing like a tourist

Extensive library and artifacts

Treasure chest with intricate locking mechanism

Silver ingot

Beautiful coral reef aquarium

Diving suits

Overseas Highway marker made from coral keystone

We had a breezy night and waited until afternoon lunch to dinghy into the dock and use the Freebee app to hail a ride from Ocean View Pub to Anne's Beach. This beach was destroyed by Hurricane Irma and has been rebuilt with a beautiful boardwalk and picnic pavilions. It is one of the few sandy beaches and is shallow a long way out. We enjoyed walking the beach and then headed back stopping at Habanos Cuban Cafe. We had the best meal of our trip there with authentic Cuban food. We walked several more miles stopping at Lobster Gone Wild seafood shack and continued along the bike path on old US1 and then hailed our ride back from Coral Bay Resort. The pub was crowded for steak night as we headed back to the boat.

Along the bike path

A series of unique mailboxes: Turtle

Manatee

Pelican

Evinrude engine

Stalking along the ocean front

Piles of lobster traps

Seafood markets along the canal

Cute alligator bench outside the restaurant

Surf kiter getting started

Fishing in the shalows

Picnic pavilion leading down to Anne's Beach

Great boardwalk along the beach

Hermit crab in shell

Lizards lounging

Shorebirds wading

Portuguese man of war beached

Pelicans afloat

Fiddler crabs

Shallow water extending from beah

Peaceful place

Butternut Key to near Tavernier Creek, Florida

 We headed south towards Upper Matecumbe Key and anchored near Tavernier Creek. Across the anchorage is Toilet Seat Cut, a shallow pass marked with Toilet Seats in typical Key West fashion,  It should be a pleasant anchorage with one huge Motoryacht and a local sailboat and houseboat pushed up in the mangroves.  The next morning, with a cup of coffee in hand, we headed up Tavernier Creek in the dinghy and under the bridge to the first canal to find Made 2 Order Cafe was not open for breakfast. We passed by Habanos on the Creek which was the Cuban Cafe opening for lunch. We were disappointed the websites are not reliable for businesses so we headed back to the boat for breakfast and a second cup of coffee. Then off to Toilet Seat pass for pictures. 

Marina near the entrance to the ocean

House on the canal with glittering ducks

End of the runway off the canal

Yard art

Park along the canal

Roosting until we came by

Toilet seats as memorials

Toilet seats with ambiance

Toilet seats with dark humor

Two lines of toilet seats mark the channel