Yes, We're Still Cruising

Our sign Heather painted to add to the post at
the City Marina

The grounds of the City Marina in Marathon Key, FL

Only one of the many dinghy docks! Over 300 boats are
moored and anchored here.

It's a dog's cruising life!

My boat garden - thyme, rosemary, basil and
parsley

And in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, Florida! We arrived on Monday, February 21 and thought at first we'd be only here a few days - four weeks later we're still here and having fun. Several things have led us to remain. Our original plan was to continue on to Key West, but we've driven down instead and will be staying there awhile next year on our way to Mexico. Russ came with us on our boat but after a week home, returned again for almost 2 weeks, so we've spent some fun times with him. And we've met a number of old friends and made a bunch of new ones.

From left, Barbara (Russ' sister), her daughter Abbey and
husband Alan, Russ and Scott on board for lunch

Scott on Russ' boat in front of their Duck Key home

Benia and Ed from "Sea Angel" with Russ and Scott at
the Duck Key home

This is a major destination for cruisers. Many come and stay for the whole season either at anchor, on the City Marina moorings (there are over 250 of them), or at the many marinas. Boot Key Harbor is very protected and feels enclosed, but there are two main channels and considerable water flow, so the water is reasonably clear. Pods of dolphins frolic in the morning particularly and manatees are everywhere. Pelicans, herons, hawks, sea gulls, cormorants and egrets all fish and wheel in the sky.
We stayed at Russ' home on Duck Key off and on too. It is a lovely place right on the ocean with his power boat on the lift at the dock. His sister Barbara, her daughter Abbey, and husband Alan came down and we visited with them frequently.
Russ cousin Don also arrived

Captain Russ on his motor yacht

for a visit and came over to the boat for dinner.
Our buddy boats and friends Ed and Benia on Sea Angel arrived for a short stay. They are now on their way around the Great Circle trip up the East Coast, Hudson River, the canal system to the Great Lakes, through several rivers and canal down to the Gulf and eventually back to Boot Key Harbor! We had them over for dinner at Duck Key to celebrate the night before their departure. This cruise will take about a year!

Jim and Kerron on Mustang II took this picture one morning
right near our boat. We don't need to go to the Aquarium show