I'm back from sailing the Keys on Cap'n Jimbo's boat, safe & sound. What a blast--perfect weather for a week, great company, sunny, breezy days filled with adventure and strenuous activity. Some of my friends will be heartened, but shouldn't get too hopeful, that I worked on the long-neglected (since college) leg of the hidden tri athlete in me, swimming.
I took to visiting the fleet in the mornings, swimming to the other two boats and begging a cup of coffee at each one while I rested up on board for the next swimming segment. Some swims involved about half a mile. I think the great salinity of the shallow waters on the inside part of the Florida Keys helped my buoyancy, but still, when you're a quarter mile off a boat in open water with nothing closer, there's nothing to do but keep going whether you'd like to quit or not. I perfected a back-floating flutter kick to cover the distances.
Mooring at Indian Key, going ashore on the kayak beach at the Lorelei, taking the Cowpens Cut, snorkeling at Hens & Chickens Reef, dropping anchor at Cheecha Rocks, running the trails on Lignumvitae Key, holding up an ambulance while we cleared the raised bridge at Snake Creek at 3 MPH (whoops! sorry), floating off with the tide after running hard aground in the Atlantic Ocean at mean low tide off Treasure Harbor, seeing a shark (a 3-footer) while snorkeling off Shell Key, going under the high arch bridge at Channel Five, it was a spectacular week. Hail to Cap'n Jimbo, Cap'n R and Cap'n Todd for providing an eventful but safe passage for the 14 of us.
I'll post more later but I'm not back from vacation yet, as I volunteered to be bumped from my flight out of Ft. Lauderdale this afternoon. So now I am 200 feet off of I-95 at the Holiday Inn in Hollywood, FL, miles away from anything worthwhile (I can barely see the tall buildings by the shore in the far away distance) while I await a 7 am flight. I am getting a free domestic flight for my troubles; perhaps I'll use it for next year's Bucket Trip. Already there's talk afoot of hiking a 14,000 foot peak and rafting in Colorado.
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11 comments:
A free flight!! What a great reward!
Congratulations on knowing how to vacation.
sounds awesome! and topped off by a free flight!
and you sound triathlon ready. there's one in bethesda next month. perfect!
Sounds like you had a great time. I can't wait to see pictures.
Yay for sailing! Sounds great! Good job with your "swims".
what an awesome trip - so far! don't think jimmy buffet could have put it better :D
So you do know how to swim after all -- that's great! I need to revisit the Keys & Caribbean someday now that I know how to. I once tried to go diving with my husband but couldn't pass the swim test :-(
YAY for the free flight!
Sounds like a fabulous trip and I love the free bucket trip idea. We all need those in our lives.
Hanging out with the sharks these days, ehh?
Sounds like a great trip - lucky lucky you!
I can't believe you even had time to post sounds like you are having a blast.
I have always wanted to give up my flight so I can get a free one...hasn't happened yet.
Great company, great weather, exercise and free flight...can't beat that.
Sounds like you had a fabulous trip, Peter. I'm pretty envious of the sailing, but not of snorkeling with a shark. Yikes!
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