s/vYOLO Swab's Log Blog Day 234 Entry 0043 Celebrate like a local! 4

s/vYOLO You Only Live Once Swab’s Log Blog

Posting Date:  Saturday, January 4,  2014  

Day 234 Entry 0043

Boot Key Harbor and Marina Mooring #W10 http://www.ci.marathon.fl.us/government/departments/marina-and-ports/

Marathon in the Middle of the Florida Keys

Actual Date:  December 31, 2013 Tuesday

Subject:  Celebrate like a local!  4

Not exactly perfect!  Well, Key West is approximately 50 miles from Marathon.  That’s a really long bike ride, even if it is mostly flat!  I knew about the bus between Marathon and Key West but it stops running at 6pm.  http://www.keywestcity.com/egov/docs/1340128616_843200.pdf

Salt Water Conchs said additional shuttles will run till 2am.   The regular fare is $4.00; and seniors $1.50 till 4pm.  After 4pm the fare is a flat $10.  The bus is still a bargain – 100 miles for $11.50 each – can’t beat it!  The bus stop is a block away from the marina in Marathon and stops right at Mallory Square, in Key West! http://www.sunsetcelebration.org/

 Getting better and better but not exactly PERFECT!!!!!

Five years ago we attended a 3 day convention for Parrot Heads http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrothead  known as ‘The Meeting of the Minds’  http://www.examiner.com/article/parrot-heads-flock-to-key-west-for-annual-meeting-of-the-minds-convention

with Captain Steve’s friend; Neil Knight, from Kenny, Pennsylvania.  YES, we are both card carrying members of Jimmy Buffet’s Parrot Heads.  And YES, they do have conventions!!    To be perfectly frank the word convention, used in conjunction with Parrot Heads and Key West just does not fit - I don’t think; kinda like an oxy moron.   After attending, I referred to the event as ‘Spring Break for Senior Citizens!’   I think that the term sums up the event and most of the attendees accurately and most appropriately!  I am confident that the majority of the attendees would be flattered by this lable!  So we were some what (OK I admit VERY) familiar with bars in the Mallory Square and Duval Street area!  We also knew Sloppy Joe’s Bar is located just a few blocks from Mallory Square! 

Captain Steve and I agreed to leave about 10am, enjoy the day in Key West and see if we could last till midnight! 

Now this is PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sea u later.  Party like a local! 5

s/vYOLO Swab's Log Blog Day 232 Entry 0041 Celebrate like a local! 2

s/vYOLO You Only Live Once Swab’s Log Blog

Posting Date:  Thursday, January 2, 2014  

Day 232 Entry 0041

Boot Key Harbor and Marina Mooring #W10 http://www.ci.marathon.fl.us/government/departments/marina-and-ports/

Marathon in the Middle of the Florida Keys

Actual Date:  December 31, 2013 New Year’s Eve, Tuesday

Subject:  Celebrate like a local!  2

It was my job to think of something to do to close out 2013, while Captain Steve cleaned the filters on the outboard motor, which is a Mercury four stroke 6.0 engine.    http://www.mercurymarine.com/engines/outboards/fourstrokes/4-6/  Boy oh boy does my Captain Steve love to clean filters!  Thankfully there was just a little gunk in this filter and no presents left on the salon table!

So what to do till midnight?  I thought of what we can’t do:  invite friends over – we don’t really know anyone here; can’t watch the ball drop in New York’s Time Square – we don’t have cable TV. http://www.timessquarenyc.org/events/new-years-eve/index.aspx

OK enough negativity – I have to look at what we can do!  Some of the local restaurants and tiki bar establishments, that are accessible by dinghy, were having parties.  The prices varied from $50 to $150 per person for dancing to live bands; none of which were familiar, unlimited food and open bar.    Paying that kind of money to be with very drunk strangers, is not my idea of the way I wanted to close out 2013, which was a very good for us!  We would have 2 drinks at the most!  You can not be drunk and get in and out of a dinghy, let alone start the outboard, navigate through unfamiliar territory, keep site of channel markers and locate your white boat amongst 200 others at night with only a hand held flash light to guide you! 

So where do people in the keys go to party?  Everyone goes to the Conch Republic - Key West!  http://www.conchrepublic.com/welcome.htm

Sea u later.  Subject Celebrating like a local. 3