A Trip to the Keys

 September 14 2020

Jim and I took a five day trip ( which turned into 4 days because of Isaias) to Tavernier, FL.  It is part of Key Largo area of the Keys.  We were there last year but this year we brought the boat with us.  We stayed at the same place as last year because we were able to dock the boat at the marina that was part of the resort.

 

This is the sign on the entrance road to the resort

 

 Once we were settled we decided to try a new restaurant, Marker 88.  It was located on the Gulf side of the island which provided a nice sunset as well as great food. It is located at mile marker 88. I would highly recommend this restaurant but suggest getting there early to get a table to see the sunset.

 

 

                       

My entree was spiral zucchini with shrimp

Jim enjoying the restaurant

On Friday we decided to ride south on A1A.  We first took a warmup ride to the local park before heading towards Islamorada.  

 

 

 

We turned around at Bud and Mary's and stopped for a break.

 

 

These are tarpon fish swimming in the water at the dock at Bud and Mary's

I thought this bird as well as the one below were fake until they moved their heads

We cycled back to the resort and after lunch decided to take the boat out in the Atlantic. 

This is a photo of our resort hotel from the boat

We headed towards the cut through to the Gulf side and were surprised to encounter the following in the channel

Can you guess what these photos are showing?  The photos are showing toilet seats decorated and lining the channel.  If you are able to zoom in you will see various decorations on the toilet seats.  The last photo.....and the best.....is a skeleton sitting on a toilet seat.  You have to see it to believe it!

 

For dinner that evening we dined at Lazy Day's..... a favorite of Jim's.  There is a deck overlooking the Atlantic.  The food was good but the service needed improvement for sure.

 

We shared a seafood combo of scallops, shrimp and lobster.   Yum.  Jim had a hogfish dinner.  I had never heard of that fish before so he shared some of his dinner with me.  Hogfish is a mild fish.  It was great to try it but I don't think it would be my first choice for a future dinner.

 

On Friday  we decided to relax and walk instead of cycle.  We walked almost four miles and enjoyed looking at "key styled homes along the walking route.

 We decided to go out to a light lunch at Loreli restaurant on the gulf side.  I had a margarita and Jim has some specialty rum drink.   We shared a tuna appetizer that came with seaweed salad and  another appetizer that I can't remember.  It was a lot to eat and we ended up eating a light dinner in that evening.

On Saturday we decided to go north on the bikes.  We again did a warmup on the side road going to Harry Harris Park before heading on A1A north.  There was a shoulder/sidewalk for the first part of the ride but we ran out of both and ended up riding in the slow lane with the cars.  It was pretty scary.  We turned around at John Pennycamp State Pak.  There was plenty of sidewalk on the shoulder and sidewalk to get us back to the turn off of A1A heading back to the resort.   Days later we realized there was a sidewalk in the grassy part int he middle of the roadway between the north and southbound traffic that we could have used to avoid the dangerous part of road.  We will know for next time.   

On Saturday we decided to walk before taking the boat out in the Atlantic.  Once on the water we anchored on a sandbar and spent some time swimming in the Atlantic.  We had plenty of company with other boats.....some with load Latin music and others with toys....waverunners, etc attached to the back of the boat.....so that they would maximize their fun.

This is the view from the water when we were swimming on the sandbar.  

 

For dinner we went to the local fish store and bought some spiny tailed lobster which is a lobster specific to the Key waters.  Jim added some grouper and we had another delicious seafood dinner.....this time back home at the condo.

Here are some other photos of  Jim's boat.  It was fun to have to boat with us this trip but it is a lot of work.  Jim loves to do it so he did most of the work!

It was a great trip.  We hope to go back again next year.