Bryan with a big one

Me reeling in a hog grouper

We had this one for dinner also

Larry, Bryan, and Ted on Bryan's boat

Four foot eel with big teeth

I got the big one

Is this Paradise or what?

Another perfect end to another perfect day

What you do at sunset in the Keys

In the Keys it is a tradition to blow your shell horn at the exact time the sun disappears into the water. Well, it doesn't really, but it looks that way. Everyone gathers on the decks of their boats, and at the exact moment, the horns all sound off. It's pretty cool, but I guess you would have to be here to appreciate it.
Today we went to the Dockside Bar and Grill for their once a month pig roast with two other couples from the Marina. The pig was good and the company was great. After the pig roast we put Half Note in the water and checked out the harbor.
Tomorrow a few of us are going fishing. One of the guys came back with a bunch of snapper and promised to show us the hot spot tomorrow. Fish for dinner tomorrow night. (I hope)

September Song (off to the fishing hole tomorrow) out
Bob


A visitor to our slip

We pigged out on the pig roast

That will be me tomorrow

Some dress for the occasion

Our next door neighbor with an unusual shell horn

September Songs official conch horn blower

The end of another perfect day

Good morning from Vaca Key, City of Marathon

Good news! The camera started working again. Must have dried out after its night on Half Note.
We arrived at Vaca Key, City of Marathon yesterday afternoon which will be our base for the next month. Great marina, well protected, and close to everything. West Marine, Home Depot, Publix, and 40 some restaurants all within bike distance. The bus to Key West runs every hour and it is only a buck one way. I am sure we will be taking advantage of that a few times. At 09:00 each day they have what is called Cruisers Net on channel 68 on the VHF radio. He asks for new arrivals, (we gave them our names and boat name) events scheduled for the day and up and coming events, People looking for buddy boats for those headed for the Bahamas, weather report, buy sell trade and free to a good home, etc, etc, etc.
Today's weather is going to be in the low 80's and beautiful, so I think it is time to get out Bee and Bop (the fold up bikes) and check out the area.
I talked with my sister- in-law Rena this week (Ron was rolly bowly bowling, a Belgian game) and she told me about some of the family that were going to be in Florida, including them, over the next couple of months. I hope we can connect, it would be great to see them.
Time to get the bikes out. Don't want to waste a beautiful day.

September Song(peddling my ### around town) out
Bob


This was our sunset in our anchorage Christmas evening

September Song in her slip at Marathon Marina

Our view from the front deck of Seven Mile Bridge

Exploring on Christmas day

The camera is taking pictures but I can't use the view finder. I just point in the general direction and shoot.
We took Half Note out to the Mangrove Islands and tunnels. It was a good thing we have the new GPS or we would still be out there looking for a way out. The mangrove tunnels are way cool. In some of the areas they go on for a quarter mile or so with the mangroves covering the narrow but deep channel completely. We saw (and Cassie our fisherdog saw) tons of mullet, a small shark, perch, sea trout, and several other species I don't know the name of. After exploring we took the girls to a beach off one of the island to play in the water. Cassie was going nuts, she just knew some of the fish she saw in the channels between the islands were there waiting for her to catch them.
What a way to spend Christmas day! Sun shining, temps in the low 80's, light breezes, lots of places to explore on the water, play time on the beach, and Stephanie is on the back deck trying her hand at fishing. I guess I should go back and show her how, the great white fisherman I am. HA HA
OOPS, Stephanie just called me. She has one on. Gotta run!

September Song (loving life) out


Mangrove tunnels

Mangrove Island

Winding our way through the Mangrove Islands

Lots of wild life on these islands

The new GPS on half Note. without it we would get lost exploring

Cassie and Godiva playing on Christmas day

As usual, Cassies favorite past time, hunting fish

September Song at anchor

Christmas morning on September Song

It is a quiet morning in our anchorage. What a wonderful place to spend Christmas. It is a time for us on September Song to remember all those we love and what there morning brings. Rising early, checking to see what Santa has left under the tree, opening packages, Christmas breakfast, celebrating all those traditions we have formed over the years and creating new ones, and enjoying the day they have been looking forward to for weeks. We miss you all this day, but just know we are thinking of you.

September Song (Merry Christmas to all) out
Bob

merry christmas everyone!

Christmas Eve on the water

First of all I have to apologize for only one picture. My camera is not working. I changed out the batteries, but no luck. You will have to wait till we get to Marathon Friday and have it checked out or get a new one. (I hate that when that happens)
Today we moved to a new anchorage that has a beach for the girls to play on. (OK, us too) Tonight we are going to celebrate Christmas Eve with a soft shell crab dinner. (YUM) Cassie and Godiva wanted to know if Santa will be able to find us? I assured them that I will leave the anchor light on so he can see us.
The anchorage we are at is just off shore of Lignumvitae (lignumvity) Key. Lignumvitae is Latin for Tree of Life. The Lignumvitae tree is a hard wood tree that was used for ship building many years ago. It is protected now, and this is one of only a few Keys it is found. Christmas day we are going exploring around some of the small uninhabited Keys and grill steaks for dinner on the fly bridge.

From the four of us to all of you, Merry Christmas,
September Song (Christmas afloat) out

Bob and Stephanie

Godiva and Cassie


Are paws OK Dad?

Someone (?) left the camera on Half Note last night.  So no pictures today. Hope it doesn't blow away...

Cold front

Today the cold front that has had a grip on most of the US hit us here in the Keys. The high today was only 77 degrees. Tuesday and Wednesday's highs will be in the mid 70's with temps returning to the low 80's for Christmas. It isn't all good. We are on a mooring ball off Shell Key with winds 15 to 20 with gusts to 25. Because of the wind we didn't take any trips or do any exploring today. We decided it was time, and a good time, to clean September Song. She is so happy when she gets a good cleaning. (inside only) Poor Half Note is bouncing around like a cork in the waves behind the mother ship. September Song weighs 47 tons so the waves don't affect her as much as our poor little tender that weighs in at around 600 pounds. We will stay here through Christmas and leave Friday for Marathon.

September Song (hoping for calmer winds) out
Bob

HE DID IT!!! HE CAUGHT THE BIG ONE!!!

Islamorada, Fl

Today was another one of those so many days we have had. Great weather, great exploring, and [a little surprise here.] It will have to wait, Stephanie wants to blog about that. We decided to stay here for a few days and enjoy exploring Islamorada. Today Stephanie encouraged me to install a GPS on Half Note because we need to know where we are going. Lots of shallow water and you can get lost out here in the dozens of little Keys. The GPS is kind of like the one for cars, only for water. After installing the GPS we put Half Note in the water and headed for Islamorada. Cassie was going nuts watching the hundreds of huge fish we passed over. (remember, she loves to fish) We had lunch at Islamorada Fish Company where you can bring your pets. Cassie and Godiva thought that was cool. They even got their own bowl of water. After lunch we bought 2 lbs. of fresh stone crab claws for later. Stone crab and lobster season is open and the traps are everywhere. After lunch and a little exploring (a visit to the local bakery) we headed back to the boat. I tried my hand at fishing again, but you will have to read Stephanie's blog about that. The Day ended with cocktails, smoked fish spread, and a beautiful sunset on the front deck. Life is good! :-)

September Song (the big fisherman) out
Bob


The view of Shell Key at sunset

Our neighbors in the anchorage

The end to a great day in the tropics

A little Island music during lunch

Strange to see things in bloom

Islamorada is the Sport Fishing Capital of the World

Sunrise over Shell Key

Lunch in Islamorada

No need for windows and doors in the Keys

Things are a little different in the Keys. Your dogs can join you at the table

No fish for dinner tonight

Aquamarine waters of the Atlantic

Here fishy fishy fishy

Coming into Shell Key from the Atlantic

Today we wound our way through the mangrove islands on Angelfish Creek from the Bay side of the Keys to the beautiful aquamarine waters of the Atlantic. I tried my hand at trolling today while the Admiral was at the helm. Well, to make a long story short, the big one got away. OK, OK, the big one didn't even bite. You just wait, one day you will see a picture of the big one. This was just a practice run.
Tomorrow we may go further South and look for an anchorage with a beach for the girls to play on.

September Song (skunked) out
Bob