20220221 Monday Key West
We've been here several times in the past but we'll enjoy it again. The Navy sent O here in 1958 to attend the Sonar School (long gone) and again in 1962-63. We intend to do the glass-bottom boat to look at corals, eat at old favorite "Blue Heaven" and have a couple of drinks in old haunts like the Green Parrot.
The picture to the right is of the KW Sub Base about 1960 with submarines at the piers along the base waterfront.
We woke up as the ship was coming abreast of the Fort Taylor beach, so we watched the rest of the approach - the mole, the old submarine base lagoon, and finally the Mallory Square pier. The locals handled the lines and we were secured to the pier.
We waited for CBP (Customs & Border Patrol) to let us go ashore, then went to the place on the dock where Fury was to depart. We were called aboard at 0845 but the boat didn't leave until 1000. But it scurried out to the reef edge, about 7 miles where he slid along the reef at a knot or less. We saw lots of bottom, thousands of little fish, many rocks, a turtle and a barracuda. The photos don't do justice to the views we saw.
Time expired so we had to start back in. We got some pictures. O refreshed his memory of the KW approach channels - we had gone out the KW Main Ship Channel to the reef. There is a shallow channel called Southwest Approach that starts on the reef at the Sand Key lighthouse tower - only for small craft.
We followed the buoys of the main ship channel back to the pier at the top of Duval Street.
When our turn came we entered and were shown to a table at the far end away from the bluegrass band (darn). Paul came over and gave us the info of the day. D selected a lobster grilled cheese sandwich, O had a real breakfast of eggs, potatoes, sausage, and pineapple pancakes. We enjoyed eating in the "courtyard" under a tent and watching the wildlife.
During the meal, a mommy chicken wandered around the premises with her twelve little chicks. Cute. Mommy took off after a male chicken who got too close and chased him away to a corner.
We resumed our walk and got 50 meters before O remembered his hat, left on the table.
So O renewed his association with the place and the buildings around it while talking about the changes that have taken place.
We continued the walk in the general direction of the ship. A few little goodies were found and purchased. We passed more tourist watering holes including the Hog's Breath Saloon (a hogs breath is better than none) and Sloppy Joe's.
After we staggered up the gangway, and gone to the cabin, we found we'd walked about four miles, pretty good for persons of advanced middle age.
After we recovered, we played general bar trivia. We wound up with 15/20 and won!! Then came American pop music where I won't even mention our score.
We went off to eat in the Dining Room. Very good as usual. We enjoyed it and Sultan's service.
Then to the show, "Let's Dance" with all the entertainers, followed by a love song show by Lisa. Amanda the cruise director put on a mini-show enticing us to return for another cruise.
Then we had a nightcap in the bar with Jim & Karen from South River ON. Picked up some useful information from her - she's a travel agent. They said they were hoping they would come down with covid so they wouldn't have to go back to the below-zero temperatures so soon.
We finished packing and went to bed.