Lignumvitae Key To Marathon City Marina, Boot Key Harbor, Florida

 The wind picked up during the night due to a storm close by and we rocked a bit so we slept in. We called Marathon City Marina and they said they had four mooring balls available out of the close to three hundred so we headed that way. We got lucky with a ball at the end of the row near the mangroves and a short ride to the dinghy dock, showers, and laundromat. As the wind was shifting north like last night, no wonder folks just spend the cruising season in the keys down here so they don't have to find non-existent anchorages for all the wind directions. We went ashore and walked the mile to West Marine Store and found Paradise Cuban Restaurant which will be a future breakfast stop. We walked across the Overseas Highway to the waterfront bar, Gills Gone Wild where we found our Iguana Bait beer on draft and a great guitar player singing music we liked. The seafood market and restaurant next door were serving up great-looking seafood for a return visit. Also right across the street from the marina is the Stuffed Pig open for breakfast so we are in hog heaven,

The new floating dinghy dock at Marathon City Marina

Cruiser's free herb garden

Cruiser directions to home  ports

Shady captain's lounge

Upstairs bar with great entertainment

Fantastic local bar

Pelicans looking like they are on a surfboard

Marina with fishing charter boats

Back to the boat from the city park

On Monday morning, we headed ashore to the Stuffed Pig for breakfast outdoors under a huge chickee hut behind the restaurant. Glenn had the Little Piglet breakfast and I had the pumpkin swirl French toast with eggs and bacon that was scrumptious. We walked to the Turtle Hospital and had to make a later reservation for the education 90-minute tour so we booked it for Wednesday and instead stopped at Pigeon Key Visitor Center. We walked another mile to the old 7-mile bridge which just reopened as a pedestrian bridge over to Pigeon Key National Historic Site. We walked the two miles on the bridge and toured the grounds on our own. On the way back we stopped for gelato and sorbet which hit the spot. Back to the boat we grabbed a couple beers and did a dinghy tour further up Boot Key Harbour along the dock and condos.

Back on a mooring in Boot Key Harbor

The Stuffed Pig lived up to its name

Their bloody mary has bacon, sausage, and shrimp!

We  took Dot's Way under the bridge through Knight's Channel

Some Airstream camper folks took our picture 

Sea turtle under the bridge

Sea rays viewed from the bridge

The pedestrian bridge ends at Pigeon Key

The old railroad work camp now hosts educational groups

Ranger at the park entrance and new bridge in the background

A  prior dormitory

Mural on wall and floats on the ceiling

Beautiful aquarium

Bird posed offshore

The outdoor wet laboratory

Dock for tour boats

An old anchor on the wharf

Old 7-mile bridge

New 7-mile bridge

Last look at Pigeon Key from the bridge

On Tuesday morning we left the boat in the dark before sunrise to head to the dock to ride the Key West Transit bus from Marathon to Key West. The bus stop is right across the street from the marina on the  Overseas Highway. The bus was on time and there were plenty of seats for the two-hour ride to Key West. We enjoyed the view of Florida Bay on the way out and sat on the other side for the view of the Atlantic Ocean. We had a walking tour mapped out from suggested activities that were off the beaten path from Duval Street and were at no charge. We ended up at the Key West Bight and Historic Seaport and walked along the harbor walk to the Key West Waterfront Brewery for a beer and Baha nachos before we caught the bus back to Marathon City Marina.

There was a line a block long to take selfies and down the street was a replica

Lighthouse circa 1855

Southernmost House 

Casa Marina Historic Resort at Higgs Beach

West Martello Tower Civil War fort remains and Garden Club gardens

Fort remains

Carved art

Butterfly gardens

Pottery fountain

African carved art

Higgs Beach

Labyrinth for meditation stroll

All volunteers maintained grounds

Pergola shaded orchid patio

Rest stop at the fountain

African Burial Monument

African symbols and stories

AIDS Memorial at the head of Knight Pier

Knight Pier

Key West Wildlife Center and Indigenous Park

Egret at the turtle pond

Ibis roosting at the turtle pond

Many turtles were swimming and this one came ashore

Key West Cemetary is all above ground

Beautifully maintained homes and orchids galore

Gorgeous flowering tree

Beautiful blossoms

The Conch Republic flags out along with Stand with Ukraine banners

Flagler's Train Terminal and now Ferry Terminal

Ferry and now Conch Train tourist trolly terminals

Coast Guard Station across from the marina

Tarpons under the docks

Deep-sea fishing display

Finally at a local brew on an 84 feels like 91-degree day

Charter boats and private yachts

When your dinghy has more horsepower than your boat

On Wednesday in celebration of Captain Glenn's birthday, we headed ashore for breakfast at the Paradise Cuban Restaurant We followed that with our 9 am Turtle Hospital Tour and then topped in the Paradise Art Gallery. Back at the marina, we picked up loaner bikes and headed towards Publix for a Gatorade stop before bicycling out to Sombrero Beach. This is one of the few beautiful beaches with white sand but unfortunately seaweed today and beach pavilions. Back to the boat for a beer and a rest before we head out to Gills Gone Wild for a happy birthday dinner celebration, We have homemade key line birthday pie chilling on the boat.

Great 90-minute program

Feeding the turtles

Heads up

Turtle hospital tank

Turtle education center

Turtle exclusion net

Turtle Hospital even has an ambulance

Shady Palm Art Gallery

The dog tends the shop

Our marina loaner bikes

Picnic area at Sombrero Beach

Crowded with sunbathers at Sombrero Beach

Sombrero Light House

Thursday morning we took the loaner bikes to Paradise Cafe for another Cuban breakfast and then headed back the other way to the Hardware Store. Turns out they were not well stocked so we headed to Auto Zone and then Home Depot. Today was laundry day so we finished that up in time to take a sundowner dinghy cruise to the other end of the harbor.

Hitchhiker

Happy dog

Bridge to nowhere

Huge mooring field

We started out with a lazy morning on Friday and then went ashore. It was just over a mile walk to Crane Point Museum and Nature Center. We hiked the nature trails and visited the old Bahamian Adderly House and the Crane's waterfront home they built. The land was later turned into a nature preserve with the Marathon Wild Bird Center established there. It is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the city of Marathon Then we found our way to Isla Taco Grill and Tiki bar for tacos and cold beers. The dark clouds moved in and the temperature dropped but it looks like the rain is passing us by.

Preserve in the middle of the city of Marathon

Flagler's Key West train car is part of the exhibit

Butterflies being raised

Six species of butterflies are being hatched

Butterfly images everywhere

Original Bahamian Adderly house 

Glass bottle collection

View from the house out to the island

Gorgeous seating underneath the house

House living space on the second floor

Original owners of the property for which it is named

Tourist tree

Plantings by the house

Raised waterlily pond

Rescued owl

Rescued kestrel

Rescued hawk

Rescued osprey

Boardwalks along mangroves

Palm hammock

Blooms in the butterfly garden

Extensive shell displays

Garden sculpture

Fish display

Glad to see old Florida preserved

Isla Taco Grill Truck

Our favorite Iguana Bait beer

The truck next to Cheekee tiki bar

On Saturday we lucked out and got a loaner bike to head to Walgreens and then on to Marathon Garden Club Botanical Gardens. Their website mentioned they had limited hours and the gift shop and gardens were closed. Nearby was an exhibit called the Red Nun, like the floating red buoy. It had some interesting art inside. From there we pedaled back to our favorite waterfront bar, Gills Gone While. We had an Iguana Bait draft beer and their Seafood Market Lobster chowder and Stone Crab chowder. That made us hungry for Glenn's conch chowder. We pedaled down to West Marine and with this strong wind, you really noticed the headwind. It cooled down enough last night that we had our jackets on for happy hour

The Nun art space

Unusual art

University flower garden that the bees loved

Entrance to the closed Marathon Garden Club Botanical Gardens

Key West roosters at West Marine

Hen and her chicks

Cute boat, Island Girl, moored near us

On Sunday, we grabbed two bikes with a basket and headed towards the City Hall in Marathon. Oceanfront City Park has a large dog park, picnic pavilions, exercise stations, a boardwalk, and a kayak launch. The only thing it is missing is a beach! We had a beautiful view of the Sombrero Lighthouse. Unfortunately, Paradise Ice Cream Shop closed right before we stopped on our way back. We made a quick stop into Publix and even then ended up carrying a grocery bag on the handlebars.

A vegetable garden in their cockpit

The Knowledge Tree by the marina serves as the smoking area

Lighthouse replica on the boardwalk

Beautiful ocean view

Sombrero Lighthouse in the distance

Nautical chart

Kayak launch up the canal

On Monday, we caught the KW Transit bus across the 7-mile bridge to Bahia Honda State Park.  There was a line of cars at the entrance gate and we walked on up and paid our $5 entrance fee. Unfortunately, the beach and the campground at Sandspur Beach are still closed due to damage by hurricane Irma. We walked through the open campground and around to the marina. There is a nice basin with sidewall tie-ups with water and electricity and a pump-out station. There is a 3.5 controlling depth at the entrance and a nice anchorage out between the old and new bridges. There were plenty of sunburnt tourists at the swimming beach and we walked around and found a shady picnic bench for our picnic lunch overlooking the water. We took the trail up to the old bridge that is blocked off after a short distance. The camp store had lemon and raspberry sorbets which we enjoyed from our vantage spot overlooking the marina where we spotted several manatees. We had a shady bus stop for our short wait for the bus back to the marina. 

Bahia Honda State Park on the Atlantic Ocean

Beautiful sand dunes

Shady campsites except for waterfront sites

Loggerhead mural

The endangered Miami blue butterfly

Our wonderful private picnic table for lunch

The crowded swimming beach

Beach covered in seaweed

The sunset viewing spot

Knickernut seed pods of sea pearls

The narrow pedestrian bridge once the train overseas bridge

Diversity of plants

Manatee in the marina basin

The beach behind the docks

View from the marina to a waterfront campsite

Windswept tree

On Tuesday our propane tank went out making coffee so we headed to the Plumbing Company across the street from the marina that fills propane tanks. The funny thing is the young kid said he remembered Glenn from last time. I guess all greybeards look the same as this was our first time there. We came back and picked up the loaner bikes and stopped at a coffee shop for a second cup of coffee. We biked towards the 7-mile bridge with the wind and decided with the 20-knot headwind this was not the day to pedal the 2 miles to Pigeon Key. So instead we headed to the Sunset Grill at the foot of the bridge on the water and had their special beer and Cuban and Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. It was a tough pedal back against the wind. We still ended up doing a bit of boat scrubbing when we got back.

The park at the foot of the bridge

I literally slid back in the chair and had to be pulled out

Signs with all their specialty drinks

A manatee nestled in with the dinghies

On Wednesday, we headed to the bus stop to take the KW transit bus to Big Pine Key National Key Deer  Refuge Visitor Center. We watched the video and admired all the beautiful wildlife exhibits and then hiked the 3 miles to the Blue Hole. It started to rain and while Glenn took pictures of the only key deer we saw and I ran for cover. We ate our picnic lunch looking out on the blue hole. We stopped back by CVS hoping to find a good-looking ball cap with the local town name but did not see any. We ended up the day hiking close to 9 miles. A cold beer and peanuts hit the spot back at the boat.

A local cruiser said you could see deer at the Winn Dixie

Beautiful posters

Big Pine Key is home to the small key deer

Wish we had seen more deer but it was in the middle of the day

Blooms along the highway

Roosting anhinga

Great educational display at the Blue Hole

Alligator off the observation deck

The old quarry filled in to become the Blue Hole

Birdwatching and alligator watching from the covered deck

From our picnic bench, we saw another alligator swimming 

A mailbox with "mangrove" roots

Refuge billboard

Delicate blooms along the path

Glenn spotted key deer off the trail

Thursday was a day of running errands in preparation for departing on Friday. We grabbed the bikes for one last breakfast at Paradise Cafe followed by a bike ride to Publix. We finished up laundry and then took another walk to Publix for everything we forgot. Glenn made his conch chowder recipe using crab meat and it was excellent along with a loaf of Italian bread. It looks like a crowd of boats is departing as this has been a long-awaited weather window. 

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