Sights in Key West

Key West is an interesting city.

It appears you can get anything you desire--and even some things you don't. Just walk along Duval Street at night after 10PM to see what I mean.

Sitting at lunch near Duval Street on sunny afternoon I spied this sight and really didn't know what to make of it--especially being right under the museum. Trust me--in this area of Key west there are no beaches or places to swim in the immediate vicinity.

But it was a funny sight and we truly enjoyed getting a good laugh--and of course I was quick enough with the camera to record it.

Maybe an escaped mermaid from the Mel Fisher Museum from the wreck of the Atocha.

Manatees, bugs, and wildlife

Exploring the area around Cocoa Beach yesterday we traveled to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to enjoy the scenery and view some animals in the wild (rather than wild animals in the condo!).

Seeing Manatees in the wild was the highlight of the day. They are really big--and also really hard to get any kind of a decent photo of. But they were fun to watch. The move very slowly and almost gracefully in the water. Possibly the mermaids of the deep.

We enjoyed a great picnic lunch in the park surrounded by the abundant animal life--OK so we had ants everywhere. It was still fun. Even with the smell of bug spray to ward off the locals.

The walking tour near the visitor center provided a nice overview of the area and the geography to include plants and some animals. We did see some fish in the nearby pond.

A great day to remember, all within sight of the massive vehicle assembly building at the Kennedy Space Center.

It Took Me a While to Get Them All Positioned

I am just learning the joys of underwater photography. It is fun and at the same time frustrating. Fishes really move around, so when I was able to snap this picture of some fishes posing for me, I was happy.

This was my second dive on Friday, July 24th at an unnamed reef after completing my Vandenberg dive. I had lots of time to tool around and enjoy the fishes and the scenery under the water. The reef was only about 20 feet deep and the water was pretty clear--visibility near 40 feet.

I really enjoyed getting all of these fishes grouped together.

Jupiter Island Beach Saving Wildlife

If you've never seen seagulls drive a school of small fish up onto a beach, it is a sight to see--especially if you are with Chris whoc firmly believes every animal is worth saving. So here the family is on Wednesday Jylu 29th tossing small fish back into the ocean to be eaten another day.

OK, I probably shouldn't say that.

She has a big heart and passes that on to everyone around her.

We chased the gulls off and started the rescue effort. I can say that all some hundred of the small fish were returned to the ocean. The gulls--were not amused. They went further down the beach and did it again to the school--which was huge. Chris didn't seem to notice this transgression however.

We drove to Jupiter to do some snorkeling. Note to self--according to the dive shop I visited, there is no snorkeling or diving in the waters off Cocoa Beach. The visibility is just too bad.

So off to Jupiter we went to snorkel in familiar waters. Although the visibility wasn't that good, we did get in some quality snorkeling.

Jupiter is always good for the small fishes that love ot hang out in the rocks off shore. Usually there is a big predator hanging around--barracuda, nurse shark, or tarpon--but today and probably because of the low visability we didn't see any.

But let's face, a bad day snorkeling or diving is still better than a day at work! Hey, and this is still vacation.

Vacation Pictures 1

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I love the ocean and the waves pounding against the sand.

Cocoa Beach, July 28, 2009 found the waves especially fun to watch and wade out into.

I snapped this picture to remind me of the waves, and the sound of the ocean as the waves roll in.

Yeah--it probably isn't anythigng to write home about or will it win any awards--but I was there and I remember the day, and the sun, and the white foam.

If this is Tuesday, it must be Beach Day

Staying in a place withing mere feet of the ocean is unbeatable. Long walks on the beach at night, or during the day, or even playing on the beach becomes easy--and almost something taken for granted.

It is easy and fun.

The beach is so close it takes almost no planning, because if you forget something--it is a short walk to retrieve it.

And if you like the animal life at the sea shore--well you can get there early enough to enjoy that, too.

It is so nice to get out to the beach while it is still fairly devoid of other humans, because the animals are still in the area.

The beaches at Cocoa Beach have a lot more people on them than the ones in Jupiter do. We had gotten used to having entire beaches to ourselves, so the thought of sharing the beach with hundreds of our closest friends is something a bit foreign to us.

But, hey, it's all good.

Sun, fun, beach, and the ubiquitous sand.

What's the Captain Doing?

OK--so one of the unique experiences about sailing is that someone always needs to be at the helm.

Not for the scary question of the day--if the captain is on the bow, who has the helm?

OMG we are outta control!

But it all worked out OK. I held the ship steady and until the captain could resume his rightful place.

And our three hour tour didn't end like that of the Minnow. And it was longer than three hours, too.

Hart & McGarry 2005 Merlot - Review

This Napa Valley wine was recommended to me by my favorite wine person at the ABC Liquor Store in Jupiter, Florida because I was looking for a good Merlot.

I know--merlot's are passe, right? Not true.

This merlot is well worth seeking out. It is very smooth and has a very inviting bouquet which immediately invites you deep into the rich color of the wine for a special experience. The smells of dark berries begins the experience. Once in the mouth there is the pleasing taste of black current and cherries which start forward and then continue across the palette for a smooth and lingering finish.

This is a complete smooth and pleasing wine. I highly recommend it--especially if you are looking for a red that is different from the usual run cabernet sauvingnion or shiraz that are so popular. I know merlot is unpopular right now--but try this one.

Recommendation: Try it. At $15 per bottle it is a great wine for the value.

Monday Musings - July 27, 2009

1. Vacations in new places are an awesome way to explore the country and find new places to think about returning to.

2. OK--I learned something about Key West--I always thought I would like to live there, but now I know I'd like to live there.

3. How crazy is it to love heading miles out into the ocean in a small boat just to jump off it and slip below the surface? Kinda like jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft. But swimming with the fishes is great.

4. Getting away from work and the demands of everyday life is the recipe to rejuvenate the thought processes.

5. Ever notice in a society that there are always those people hanging around who just want to tear down without offering a constructive solution? Think about the emails you get on a regular basis from people who are trying to destroy rather than build up? What's up with that?

6. The sound of waves against a beach is one of the most relaxing sounds I can think of.

7. I wish I was better with a camera so I could capture more of what my mind sees rather than what is really there.

8. Wanna get away?

9. Blue water, good friends, a boat under full sail--what could be better than that?

Cocoa Beach Day 1 - July 26

A day near the beach is awesome.

Today was, therefore, awesome.

after arriving yesterday we could never have imagined the fun we would have today on the beach with "da boys!"

The waves here are something--not huge but very regular and some are big. The beach is broad and wide with very fine sand. It is great for playing and walking on.

We are a short walk from the beach--actually the condo complex is right on the beach. We can see the beach from the windows of the condo and watch the weather come in over the ocean or from over the land.

Well--it is a vacation and someone has to do it.