January 30th- Boot Key Harbor, Marathon FL

Life in Marathon moves at a different pace. Some of our neighbors have left for the Bahamas, others have just shown up. We’re still on the list for a mooring. No one had moved for a while due to the winter winds but they seem to have calmed down lately. The moorings are closer to the dinghy dock (and showers). We also plan on exploring some of the surrounding islands with Catalpa. We’ll be able to use the Boot Key mooring field as a home base once we actually get the mooring. I’m looking forward to some sailing. We’re at the top of the list now.

Some more exploration. The bridge crosses from Vaca Key to Boot Key but the center span was removed. Boot Key is abandoned. I believe the state owns it now.


The bridge to nowhere.


Dad, we’re not going to live on this bridge with the pirates?


The harbor entrance.


Marathon (from the bridge).


The harbor.


Catalpa is anchored in the middle of the shot.


I think it took me about a week to get used to this island. I pictured a tropical paradise but Marathon is much more “gritty”. It was really beat up by hurricane Irma. Of the 250 boats in the harbor, only 50 were left after the storm. The school was destroyed as was the hospital. Both are still housed in temporary structures. Many businesses are shuttered. I’ve been told (by the guy at the coffee shop) there is a labor shortage for those businesses that are left. Last year they lost 700 housing units, more the year before. Much of the land was purchased by resorts.

Tiki boat.


Most days I do a little boat maintenance. We’ll run a few errands if we need to. If the weather is good (it usually is), we do a little site seeing.

Beach day.


Ollie pursuing one of his favorite pastimes- chasing the ball. I need a new arm.


Lynne has volunteered her services at the marina community garden. We pick fresh herbs for meals.


Ollie and I doing some dinghy exploration. We ventured to the other end of the harbor and went up a canal.




Another restaurant to try. They have “All day happy hour” on Mondays and Tuesdays.



We walk a little further down route 1 each day. Oliver doesn’t really like the traffic but we need the exercise.


The Turtle Hospital. There are 7 species of Sea Turtles. They are all endangered. This was the first certified medical facility, for turtles, in the world.



Not much to report on down here in Boot Key Harbor. We’re living on island time. Last night we went out with family and friends to Keys Fisheries. They have “sunset happy hour.” The sun did not make an appearance but everyone was happy. We had drinks and local appetizers. Of course we had more peel and eat shrimp. We also indulged in copious amounts of mussels and stone crabs. It’s the first time I’ve had mussels or crab. Both were delicious.

Another sunset from Catalpa.




We don’t have any plans at this point. We’ll probably be here for most of February.

Note: While typing this post I got the call from the marina. We’re moving to a mooring. I hope the anchor isn’t stuck on a sunken boat or something!