The bus appeared almost on schedule and we boarded. There was another couple aboard who were cruisers from North Carolina on a mooring ball over in Boot Key Harbor. So we chatted about sailing and living aboard.
Leaving Marathon we crossed over the 7 mile bridge. The longest span over water in the Keys. It is also one of only 2 bridges with openings high enough for most sailboats at 65'. The other is Channel 5 that we came through last weekend. Above is a picture of the old bridge that was part of the original railroad bridge built by Henry Flagler when trains running to Key West was the primary transportation. During a hurricane in the 30's part of the 7 mile bridge was destroyed when the railroad was bankrupt so the state took it over and built the Overseas Highway to replace the Overseas Railroad.The highway crosses a series of bridges and islands before making its way to Key West.
One of the many islets on the way. The bus was a mix of locals and tourists all heading west for one reason or another.
We rolled into Key West right about noon and made our way to the terminus by Duval and Caroline Street.
Being hungry from the long ride we headed to Schooner's Wharf which is of course right on the dock by all the touristy schooners but is the place the marina rats like us like to hang out. So we grabbed a table on the roof in the sun and ordered up some beer and oysters for starters.
Aqui es mi esposa Linda with some of the ships in the background. The place was packed with people off a cruise ship when we got there. Fortunately they were leaving to get back to there ship.
We wandered around to famous Mallory Square. We avoided going there at sunset when all the tourists are there. We see enough sunsets. Although some of the folks here saw the green flash last night. We missed it.
Of course we had to see the iconic:
And the legendary:
But since we don't usually do tourist places we needed to get serious and we found the Rum Bar. The Rum Bar is our kind of place. Small, quaint and packed with 300 kinds of rum. The bartender Bahama Bob
http://bahamabobsrumstyles.blogspot.com/ is a real rum aficionado and international rum judge. He makes his drinks with real stuff, not mixes like most bars. Linda enjoyed a Pusser's Painkiller just like I make them and Bob offered me 2 very good rums. The first one was Don Pancho but I don't recall the second one which was really good. I just asked Bob to surprise me. I didn't want to drink something I had at home.
After a great time at the Rum Bar, a place we will definitely visit again, we went by Willy T's for dinner. There were lots of tables available because all the tourists were at Mallory Square photographing the sunset over the water. As we were finishing the place filed up. Most of the restaurants and bars have live entertainment so there's always a party going on someplace.
We found our way to the bus stop only to find that the keeper of the schedule misread it and was looking at AM times. Since there was no bus when we thought we went to Margaritaville to sit at the bar and watch the Miami Heat game. The Band started just as we were getting ready to leave. No JB tonight. Ironically it was just last Friday that we were there at the Heat game talking about here.
Well we managed to get the bus back and stumbled into the boat tired and worn from our day at Mile 0. I think next time we take the 5 PM bus to KW and the 6 AM bus back. Nothing starts until 9 and it all goes until 0400.
Today was more boat chores and I got up and did a run first thing. Tomorrow, our friends from Chicago will be here and I'm making painkillers. Yumm!
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