First Stop in the Florida Keys–Curry Hammock

Monday November 2 and Tuesday November 3, 2015                    Most Recent Post:
Curry Hammock State Park                                                           St. Lucie Lock – A Good Thing or Not?
Marathon, Florida

 

 

MONDAY

Week-ends have less boat traffic on the canal than week days.  This is a fact since there were more boats that went by us in an hour while we were packing up this morning than in all of Saturday and Sunday combined.   Watching them made it hard to keep our minds on what we were supposed to be doing.  If we’d spent the day here, I might well have just sat on my patio and watched the parade.  But we have a 200+ mile drive today and it is down through the outer edges of Miami so we need to get to it.

They were coming west last night after dark and are coming east this morning  just as the sun is rising.

 

I guess they call the lock master and then move slowly forward while he gets the lock ready.  They were moving really really slowly which enable me to take lots of easy pictures right out my front door.

Is this a military ship Paul?

 

 

Captain on the bridge?  You can tell I’m an old salt can’t you?

 

 

We were advised by Karen Lueck, who has an RV lot in the Keys and loves it there, that we should make sure our windshield was totally clean so we could get pictures of the Overseas Highway.  It’s a good job to do and also watch the ships.

 

 

 

What in the world is this?

 

 

We do finally have to tear ourselves away from the boat traffic and head down the highway.  Nothing interesting about this drive either.  I-95 to the Florida Turnpike for about 130 miles and then Highway one into the Keys for about 70 more.  We hadn’t intended to take the Turnpike but we were advised by our friends Nancy and Bill who have been in Curry Hammock now for two weeks, that the route they took and we intended to take was so torn up with construction that they were actually going to take the Turnpike back.

 

Knowing how they hate interstates/freeways/turnpikes, we take that as fair warning and put another $30 on our Sun Pass.  Good thing we did since it took $21.38 of it to go one way the 115 miles of our trip that were on the turnpike.   No pictures of any of that.

We get off the Turnpike in Florida City and stop for gas at Raceway $2.099 anticipating that gas on the Keys will be at least 20 or 30 cents more at a minimum.

We drive down Rt 1 with the Everglades on our right.

 

 

And then here we are on this little strip of road between Florida Bay and the Atlantic Ocean known as the Overseas Highway.

 

 

We get checked into our site but don’t do much setting up.  It’s very hot outside.  We’ll wait until this evening when it cools off , if it does.

 

 

We do have a modest view of the water and are right next to the path to the beach which will be mighty handy.

 

 

I head down there to take a look.  On my way, I pass one of our neighbors.

 

It’s a small beach but very lovely with a tropical feel.  Or perhaps that’s all in my mind knowing that the Keys are just about 40 miles north of the official Tropical plant zone.  Don’t tell the tropical plants that are already here.

 

 

 

 

Later in the afternoon when the sun has moved over to the west, I come out with my chair to do a little reading and to wait for the sunset which now is not at 7:30 but 6:30 in the evening.  It’s stone dark by just after 7 now.  Those of you who are long time followers know that I almost always do a rant every single time they do this stupid time change thing.  This year I will spare you but just imagine when the sun will set by the time the Winter solstice comes.  If you also hate this changing constantly and wish they’d leave the time alone, PLEASE write to your congressmen and senators.  A real paper letter has much more effect than an email because it is so rare but an email or a phone call will at least bring the subject up.

 

 

 

I can just see the top of Winnona’s awning when I wade out into the water and look back.

The further out I wade the smaller she gets of course.

Not a self portrait, but another wader.

 

David joins me and gets these pictures so I can prove I was in the Atlantic on November the 2nd this year.  The water is so warm it feels like bath water.

 

He’s not dressed for swimming, but I return the favor.

 

 

And then the show begins.  We don’t see the sun actually set into the water, too many clouds for that but it makes a  beautiful sky throwing oranges and pinks all around.

 

 

 

And in the end only my little wader friend is left on the beach as the sky turns dark.

 

 

 

TUESDAY

I’m out in the morning to see what the sunrise will have to offer.  My new friend or his twin is still here or has returned.  I believe he’s a willet but I don’t have my shore bird feet under me just yet.  It seems like I’ve been gone a long time.

 

He’s brought some plovers along today.

 

 

This time I’m facing the other direction but again the clouds are interfering.  Nice colors begin to fill them as I can just see the face of the sun off to my right moving to the top of the bank of clouds on the horizon.

 

Moving in that direction the clouds above the sunrise are reflecting its orange glow.

 

 

Soon I can see it and move so that it will be shining straight toward me through the two mangrove islands that have grown just off shore.

 

 

Taking a shot right into the rising sun cuts all the light in the picture of course but I do love the path of light running across the water.   Another day has officially begun.

 

 

I know that the heat will begin in earnest now that the sun is up so I take this chance to walk the beach around to the day use area to see what’s there.

 

 

The swimming beach is larger over here of course.  And there are the usual picnic tables.  There is a lone fisherman this morning.

 

 

 

They also have two stands of kayaks for rent. Mostly doubles, but a few singles and two with a clear bottom window. Now that might be really neat if there was enough light to really see very far down.

 

 

 

 

There are also stands of coconut palms.  YUM.  I wouldn’t like to be under one when a coconut fell but I’d sure love to eat the meat if someone would crack it open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I turn back to return along the beach, I see this topless palm trunk being used for distance signs.  Perhaps we’ll visit some of these places while we’re here.  The sandbar for sure, the Bahamas probably not.  Long Key and Bahia are on the list.  Stay tuned……..

 

The heat has been turned on and turned up.  I wish I could stay out here with the beautiful blue skies and puffy white clouds but it is just too hot.

 

I turn around on the path back to the campsite.  Really love this view.

 

Hope it will cool off some to make it possible to spend more time enjoying it.

 

David hasn’t come out with me this morning. He’s not as much of a morning person and he has to get ready to go into Key West to meet with the doctor who will be administering his treatments while we are here. It’s a bit of a drive but without this he wouldn’t be able to be here at all. Knowing how these things go, they will probably make him come back tomorrow again to get the actual treatment.

While he is gone I enjoy the air conditioning and do some of those boring chores that must be done.  When the sunset is rained out I’m only a little disappointed  thinking that the rain will lower the temperatures.  A happy thought.  But apparently that doesn’t happen here in really south south Florida.   On the positive side, it sure isn’t too cold here!