Key West, FL to Punta Blanca Island, Fl

Total Miles Traveled 2033.9

We had a great time during our stay this year at Key West; we had several friends visit us and met several Looper friends staying at our marina, or at other marina’s in the Keys.

We rented a car to attend the 10^th annual Looper Sunset Celebration at Marathon.  It was fun to meet some of the people that we have met since starting the loop in 2015.

A few of the attendees anchored out in Florida Bay and arrived by dinghy.

We really enjoyed exploring the Keys in the dinghy; the only issue was timing the weather.  Although we only had one full day of rain during our 31 day stay, the wind was the problem.  We had to go out on the Atlantic side of the Keys to get to the Gulf side, so if it’s too windy the waves kept us inside.  We did manage to get out several times though.

Dinghy ride on the Gulf side to the Hurricane Hole Bar and Grill

John and Gina "Alysana"

I would hate to be the owner of this boat, used as a Pelican roost. No, that’s not white paint on those engines costing thousands of dollars.

On the way back on the Atlantic side, we explored a few canals along the waterway.

Kevin and Jill "Chasing 80"

Heading out on the Atlantic side, we have to stay in the channel, even in the dinghy or we run aground.

Dinghy ride on the Atlantic side to the sand bar at Boca Chica Key

Our friends Bob and Deb from Terre Haute, IN

Mike and Jan "Trust Me"

We took the shuttle almost every day to downtown Key West.  We would usually eat breakfast and lunch on the boat, then go into town somewhere for dinner during happy hour.  There are several restaurants that offer happy hour meals and drinks, usually starting at 3 or 4 p.m.  A couple of our favorites is Santiago Bodega $9 meat balls and pasta, or Two Friends peel and eat shrimp $11 / lb.  And then there is Taco Tuesday at Lucy’s $1 Tacos and $3 Corona’s.  Moni also made some great lunches on the boat!

These pictures were taken from the balcony at the Turtle Kraal’s Bar and Grill, guess what…happy hour. 

Dinghy Dock at Key West Bight and Marina.  There is a mooring field east of Fleming Key where most of the dinghy’s arrive from.

On our last night, we heard a knocking on the boat, it was our looper friends John and Gina from “Alysana” singing “See you in September”.  We met them at our home port at Green Turtle Bay in May last year.  They were starting their loop from there and we had planned to travel the rivers south together in October.  Little did we know at the time that we would be buying another boat and not leaving from Knoxville until November.  They will continue their loop and see us again when they cross there wake at Green Turtle Bay in September this year.

We were very lucky with the weather forecast as our reservation at Stock Island Village Marina ended March 1^st, and we had a 3 day forecast of calm weather for a Gulf crossing to the Intracoastal Waterway at Ft Myers Beach.  Every time we have left here, the wind was blowing out of the northeast causing the Gulf to be too rough.  We have always traveled on the Atlantic side to and from Key West.  This year, we were able to cross on the Gulf side from Stock Island around Key West to an anchorage at Little Shark River.

This is a view that most visitors don’t get to see.  This is the Southernmost Point concrete buoy in Key West Florida, marking the southernmost point in the Continental United States, the lowest latitude land of contiguous North American States.  It is 18 feet above sea level.

Cruise ship docked at Mallory Square

Sailing ship anchored off of Key West.

Crossing to Little Shark River…no land in sight and no cell phone service.  We saw several large sea turtles but I couldn’t get a good picture.  It’s amazing how fast they can dive.

Sea Turtle

This helicopter was flying low and directly at us………was he practicing locking on to a target?

One of our worst fears occurred just before arriving at the entrance of the Little Shark River….we managed to hook a crab pot line.  This can be a major issue if the line gets wrapped around the prop shaft stalling the engine and requiring someone to dive down and cut the line from the shaft.  This is something I absolutely do not want to do…..it’s called Little Shark River for a reason and I don’t care if they are little sharks or big sharks they are sharks!

We stopped and I grabbed a boat hook, hoping I could snag the line and maneuver it away from the boat, just as I leaned over the swim platform a big shark came up at me….just kidding.  Really, when I leaned over the swim platform the floating marker popped up and the line was free.  Evidentially, the line must have hooked on the port rudder and when we stopped and started to drift, the float popped up freeing the line.  Whew!  I really didn't want to see Moni get down in that water.

We traveled from Little Shark River to an anchorage at Marco Island, and then traveled 15 miles to an anchorage at Naples Florida.

This is a picture of Naples on our way to Ft Myers Beach, March 4^th, we’re about 3 miles out in 23 feet of water.

We arrived at one of our favorite anchorages, Punta Blanca Island, located just across from Cayo Costa State Park, between Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor.  We plan to anchor here for about a week, catching up on a few “things to do list” and enjoying the marine and wild life here.  We’re also close to another favorite dinghy ride to Cabbage Key.

Just after setting the hook, we had a small shower, just enough rain to wash some of the salt spray off of the boat.  I kept watching for the rainbow as soon as the sun popped out, and sure enough caught this view just before it disappeared.

Sunset last night, and blew on the conch shell to celebrate the safe crossing and the end of another great day on the water!