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#239690 11/14/2020 07:55 AM
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Annapolis to Key West October 24 - November 2, 2020


In my previous report I wrote about our 9 day passage. If weather conditions and everything else had been perfect we could have arrived on Friday...but fortunately everyone's personal schedules were flexible, so the extra 2 days on the water didn't matter too much. 3 crew had scheduled Sunday afternoon flights home, one would make his flight, one would miss his flight by 5 minutes, one would wisely change her flight to Monday, and two of us had no travel related stress approaching our slip at 1415 hrs Sunday, that was a good thing.
I could see my wife waving at a distance as we approached the marina on Stock Island, beautiful sight!

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Once secured my wife handed everyone an ice cold beer, thank you my pot of gold!...ahhhhh! At this point I sat on the bow and realized my batteries were drained, I was completely exhausted as were the rest of the crew, my friend told my wife he's never been so exhausted in his life. My wife climbed aboard after 1 crew member sprinted to an UBER (he missed his flight). There was lots of cleaning to be done. My wife rented a car so we soon took my buddy to his hotel, then checked into our townhouse in the Truman Annex, beautiful! Near sunset we returned to Ganesha to retrieve our last crew member who would spend the night with us. We drank, told stories and eventually we were sleeping sitting up with our eyes open. I slept 8 hours straight, I don't do that at home! When we found out our friend missed his flight we said he should have stayed with us, he said he found a hotel and slept for 15 hours haha!!


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In the morning we walked down to Blue Heaven for a big breakfast and bloody mary's! I texted my buddy and he was already there, joined us for a morning drink before he rushed off to the airport. While walking there on vacant streets I was reminded that there were no cruise ships out there. Actually while we were there a local vote passed that will limit the number of daily cruise ship passengers to 1500 and limits the size of the ships that can actually stop there. As a visitor that's a good thing, as a small business owner I'm sure it probably stings a bit.


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After breakfast all we wanted to do was walk and stretch our legs! We walked all over then we continued walking some more! A couple cold drinks here and there of course! The weather was nice even though the forecast called for rain all week, sometimes clouds, often blue skies and the rain held off!


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Everybody was respectful of social distancing and masks were very popular even outdoors in Key West. Of course we removed them when we were away from people or at a table or bar stool, the bartenders, restaurant staff and store employees always had a mask on. With the limited amount of people we could easily avoid big crowds. We drove our last crew member to the airport then we were alone, alone at last!! Let's get a drink!! Donna wanted to show me where she stayed the first night, the Perry Hotel at Stock Island Marina. She really liked it and I could see why, nice place....boats!


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Later we would take advantage of the beautiful townhouse she found, grilled up the last of the Mahi Mahi I caught!


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Still early, caught my second wind! Let's find some music...Captain Tony's Saloon had an open corner at the bar and live music! First guy was good if you were drunk, but then came Wynn Taylor, a former Cavalry Scout turned musician, this guy was great! It was a long night at the bar, my wife said I was "pingponging" all the way home, I said was I "high stepp'in?" she said no, then it must have been boat rock, ha!



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Good night, to be continued......

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Rick, great photos and story. Did you come into the new yacht club on Stock Island? Nice place, and upstairs bar view. Tacky drive back to US1. love

did you see some of that wonderful tile on the floor of the Southernmost house? Family lore says my father-in-law was a helper to Mr. Ward who laid that tile.

The Lopez and Ramos family also owned the Lopez wholesale beer and wine distributorship in Key West. Warehouse was on Duval St btwn Green and Eaton, just before Sloppy Joe’s. They were the Bud distributor before the Bush family pulled it from them in the 80s. drinking

Interesting to see some street performers at Mallory Square. Surprised the city allowing. Yeah, crazy that they passed that anti cruise ship deal last week. City that depends on tourists, don’t want tourists. NIMBY, last person in close the gate syndrome.

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This is on the wall on our pool deck
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Yea, the vote was interesting but 1500 cruise ship passengers is still a good day for a couple streets of shops, not including land tourists. I’ll bet your father in law had some stories! We talked about going into a couple historic sites like Truman White House snd Hemingways house....but never did. So you like Blue Heaven too, it has a good vibe with the live music thrown in. We actually listened to blue grass across the street one night, I think that small space is affiliated with a Blue Heaven.

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Santiago's Bodega | Key West, 207 Petronia St #101, Key West, FL 33040

Is another great place just two blocks from Blue Heaven. Beer and wine, great sangria and tapas.

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I remember seeing Santiago's Bodega, we are planning going back after Christmas with our daughter, we'll try it!

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Beerman,

Life is crazy right now in my world, but I sure am enjoying the stories and trip report.
I feel almost like a lurker. Have not had time to play the where in the world game or truly enjoy your wonderful reports.
All entries have been skimmed and pictures have been enjoyed. Please keep them coming.
Promise to go back and re-read slowly and dream I was onboard during the transit... well at least on the days that the weather was not bad.

Last edited by TomB; 11/16/2020 08:43 AM.

“Every time I open a bottle of wine, it is an amazing trip somewhere!” José Andrés

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