Key West - Dry Tortugas Tour?

Rosalie B. wrote:
Kurt Ullman wrote:

In article ,
Rosalie B. wrote:

There's not too terribly much to see in Marathon except for a small
museum and Pigeon Key. And fishing, boating and eating of course.
Their "national chain restraunts" are McD, Quiznos, and Pizza Hut.
They have the only Kmart between Key Largo and Key West. The Hurricane
bar is the only place with live music past about 9:00 at night. In
otherwords, laid back to the max. Great place to visit for extended
periods and veg out.

Right

Actually in addition to McD, Quiznos and Pizza Hut there's also Burger
King, Subway, Miami Subs, Papa Johns, I-HOP, KFC/Taco Bell and Wendys.
Although I don't know if Miami Subs is national.

We like staying in Marathon too - obviously. Although I've never been
quite sure about the dolphin research center and have never been.
There's always been plenty for ME to do, but I'm easily amused and it
isn't the kind of place that I would think would make a good cruise
ship excursion location. There would not be enough time to just relax
and enjoy the ambience. And all the active things that one can do
there (fishing, swimming, snorkeling, SCUBA, kayaking, sailing etc) or
taking a bi-plane ride can just as easily be done in Key West.

Also when we are on a boat, we have to walk or bike to everything, so
when I said there was not much to do IN Marathon, I meant within
walking or biking distance from the marina. I could get to Pigeon
Key or to the turtle hospital, but even going to Sombrero Beach or to
see them feeding the fish at Captain Hooks was a bit of an excursion.
Bahia Honda is about halfway to Key West so we could only go when we
rented a car.

If you were staying in the Keys and had a car, there's lots to do
between Marathon and Key West. In addition to Bahia Honda, there's
Big Pine with the Key Deer Refuge and the weekend Flea Market, and
just east of Key West is Stock Island which has the Botanical Garden.

Going the other direction in Islamorada there's Indian Key Historic
State Park M.M. 78.5 on the ocean side and Lignumvitae Key which is a
Botanical State Park on the Bay side (both accessible only by boat),
and San Pedro Archeological Preserve State Park which is an underwater
park (the San Pedro was a ship).


I have friends who stay in Big Pine and really like it, but again I'm
only in KW for a day. So I am thinking float plane trip and henna tatoo
if I can fit that in too! lol......

Jeff

John & Lola wrote:
"Jeff" wrote in message
news:swJzj.11098$1_.5255@trnddc02...
John & Lola wrote:
Thanks Brian -- I think the catamaran is a bit too long of a day for me,
and I like float planes! Very fun and scenic. So I think I'm going
with that option. I have been to Key West many a time.....it's not what
it used to be I agree. Oh well. It does have good architecture though!
My other option (or post tour) is I want to get a henna tatoo going down
from my head (which is shaved!) wrapping around my body a bit, which I
can get there on Duval for sure, lol. I can player "biker" all week on
the cruise ship, lol....

Jeff


I'll definitely want to see a picture of that Jeff!!

Lola in Hamilton
You know I'd post 'em Lola!!! So if I get the henna tatoo I'll devote an
entire web site to it, lol lol lol....

Jeff

I'll be looking forward to those pics!!!!

Lola in Hamilton



I'm thinking a dragon, with the dragon head on my head and the tail
wrapping down around me maybe? And then I can rent a Harley, lol lol
lol.....

Jeff

I prefer Islamorada....Islamorada Fish Co, and Zane Grey Lounge,the Hungry
Tarpon and Robbie's Fish Shack, boat tours to Indian Key and Lignumvitae
Key....
The Keys are not what they once were, but still love em!
"Rosalie B." wrote in message
news
Jeff wrote:

sheree wrote:
it was porky's in marathon. i think we ate at the island fish co too
but i
don't recall the fried key lime pie there. i was on a mission, had to
get my
daily fix. i can make it very well but there's something about key lime
pie
in the keys!
sheree
hey chrissie, here i go, talking about food again!!

"Kurt Ullman" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Rosalie B. wrote:

And I actually had them in Marathon
Ah yes.. The Island Fish Company

I've also had fried cheese cake.
I've had a fried twinkie, so there (g).
They have an unofficial competition at the Indiana State Fair
every year to decide who can take a bad thing nutritionally and make
worse by frying. Thus you get fried twinkies and snickers bars, etc.

Where is Marathon?????

It is the town on Vaca Key about 50 miles from Key West. It was named
by the railroad workers who were rushing to finish the railroad to Key
West while Flagler was still alive. They were working 10 hour days 7
days a week, and one of them called it 'a marathon'. There's no
Marathon Key.

Vaca Key is betwen Knights Key and Pigeon Key to the west, Sombrero
Key, Boot Key and Boot Key Harbor to the south, and Key Colony Beach
and Fat Deer Key to the east. There's nothing close by to the north
except Florida Bay.

It's not something you could go to from a cruise ship very easily -
you'd have to rent a car or some vehicle. Although it isn't much more
than an hour's drive, it's too risky IMHO because if the highway gets
shut down for some reason it can be blocked for several hours.

When we were there on our boat we rented a car once or twice a month
and went down to Key West and took some excursions around during that
week.

There's not too terribly much to see in Marathon except for a small
museum and Pigeon Key. And fishing, boating and eating of course.

In article rC1Aj.11330$C1.2586@trnddc07,
Jeff wrote:

I have friends who stay in Big Pine and really like it, but again I'm
only in KW for a day. So I am thinking float plane trip and henna tatoo
if I can fit that in too! lol......

Jeff

We like to stand in front of the webcam outside of the Hog's Breath,
call home, tell people to go to the website and then wave at them.
Especially fun if you live up north this time of year...

In article ,
"clint" wrote:

I prefer Islamorada....Islamorada Fish Co, and Zane Grey Lounge,the Hungry
Tarpon and Robbie's Fish Shack, boat tours to Indian Key and Lignumvitae
Key....
The Keys are not what they once were, but still love em!

In Islamorada you HAVE to go Movada Bay. Eat on the beach and
the food is GREAT. First north of the Worldwide Sports store. Kinda hard
to find the first time, but worth it.

In article
,
Kurt Ullman wrote:

In article ,
"clint" wrote:

I prefer Islamorada....Islamorada Fish Co, and Zane Grey Lounge,the Hungry
Tarpon and Robbie's Fish Shack, boat tours to Indian Key and Lignumvitae
Key....
The Keys are not what they once were, but still love em!

In Islamorada you HAVE to go Movada Bay. Eat on the beach and
the food is GREAT. First north of the Worldwide Sports store. Kinda hard
to find the first time, but worth it.

I probably should have added restaurant after Bay for clarity. (g.

they have great drinks too!
Clint mentioned Hungry Tarpon. That place is great for breakfast, love
sitting out watching the fish.
movado bay the food was great. we had horrible service and the mgmt wound up
comping us.
sheree

"Kurt Ullman" wrote in message
...
In article
,
Kurt Ullman wrote:

In article ,
"clint" wrote:

I prefer Islamorada....Islamorada Fish Co, and Zane Grey Lounge,the
Hungry
Tarpon and Robbie's Fish Shack, boat tours to Indian Key and
Lignumvitae
Key....
The Keys are not what they once were, but still love em!

In Islamorada you HAVE to go Movada Bay. Eat on the beach and
the food is GREAT. First north of the Worldwide Sports store. Kinda hard
to find the first time, but worth it.

I probably should have added restaurant after Bay for clarity. (g.

Jeff wrote:
Thumper wrote:
On Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:22:13 GMT, Jeff
wrote:

Brian K wrote:

I'd go with the high-speed catamaran. It's less money, in the
morning a brunch is included. On the return, there's a champagne
toast. I forget if this is on the Fury or another boat. Ft.
Jefferson has no Starbucks, Kwick Mart, or snack bars. Regardless
if you motor, or fly be sure to bring a cooler with some drinks and
whatever you might need along with your mask and fins. That includes
band aids.

Key West is undergoing major gentrification. Jabor's Trailer Park,
home of a local artist is now a high rise condo. The Schooner Wharf
Bar, may be next to go. It's one of the best outdoor bars with free
music on the island. Bo's Fish Wagon may or may not be there. If
it's still there, go. Great seafood, friendly locals. Captain
Runaground it's the Bight in "New town" where the locals keep their
boats. It's a floating sports bar and restaurant. They are one of
the few places that will clean your catch and prepare it for you
without charging an arm and a leg.

If you want a t-shirt that isn't tacky, the T-shirt Factory is the
place to go. It's on Simonton Street, near Casa Antiqua.
(Hemingway's first crib). They sell hand silk screened t-shirts,
caps, and sweat shirts designed by local artisans.

Brian K
Thanks Brian -- I think the catamaran is a bit too long of a day for
me, and I like float planes! Very fun and scenic. So I think I'm
going with that option. I have been to Key West many a time.....it's
not what it used to be I agree. Oh well. It does have good
architecture though! My other option (or post tour) is I want to get
a henna tatoo going down from my head (which is shaved!) wrapping
around my body a bit, which I can get there on Duval for sure, lol.
I can player "biker" all week on the cruise ship, lol....

Jeff

We went by Catamaran a couple of years ago. There were 5 foot waves
the day we went and it was during one of those 2 day Florida cold
spells. They gave us the choice to cancel but most of us went anyway
and half got sea sick. At the fort there is no shelter from the heat
or cold so we were pretty miserable. If I go again it'll be by
seaplane.
Thumper


I love the seaplanes. I have done that in Alaska a number of times and
it's just thrilling. So scenic too and I love landing on the water.
It's amazing. I was INCREDIBLY scared the first time but loved it
ultimately. So let's try it in a warmer climate right??

Jeff


Pick up Jimmy Buffett's book, "A Pirate Looks at 50". As I recall
there's several sections of the book dealing with seaplanes. He's
toured the Caribbean plus several Latin American countries in his
Hemisphere Dancer. It's big enough to hold his band, family members and
all their instruments, comfortably. Jimmy's licensed for all manner of
seaplanes. I enjoyed it, plus learned a lot about what not to do during
take on the sea. Jimmy flipped one of his smaller planes by tacking
into waves in the wrong direction. Well.. you can read about the rest
in his book.

Brian K

Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article rC1Aj.11330$C1.2586@trnddc07,
Jeff wrote:

I have friends who stay in Big Pine and really like it, but again I'm
only in KW for a day. So I am thinking float plane trip and henna tatoo
if I can fit that in too! lol......

Jeff

We like to stand in front of the webcam outside of the Hog's Breath,
call home, tell people to go to the website and then wave at them.
Especially fun if you live up north this time of year...


My family hates me already for how much I travel now, lol....

Jeff

[Default] Thus spake "sheree" :

jeff,
when we were in the keys 3 yrs ago we took the ferry to the dry tortugas.
supposed to be incredible snorkeling etc.
the fort was nice the ferry was nice, but lousy snorkeling!! it was after a
hurricane so i'm sure that had a lot to do with it. but the overall place
was very nice.
have some key lime for me!!
sheree

We did a five day liveaboard to the Tortugas a few years back. Good
diving, once you get out far enough.

Yes, there have been a few hurricanes over the last dozen years that
have made a real mess of the shallower areas.


"Jeff" wrote in message
news:n0Tyj.13811$e_.353@trnddc03...
Hey...anyone here ever take the Dry Tortugas float plane tour? Looks like
a beautiful remote place, but kind of pricey.... Here is the link:

http://www.keywesttravelguide.com/se...-tortugas.html

Have been thinking about it as my big adventure this next cruise.

Jeff