Sunset Cruise

Classic schooner sunset cruise out of Key West on board America 2.0. Beautiful evening with 8 to 10 knots of wind, temps in low 70's, smooth sailing and cocktails!

Anniversary!

Celebrating our 49th by doing something special each day this week...

Kim and Kate

Both retired from the US NPS Park Rangers, Kate and Kim camped their Airstream close by at Geiger Key Marina this last weekend. We had the pleasure of making their acquaintance on the Cajun Country Caravan last spring and it was a special treat to catch up with them again!

The Perfect Campsite!

It's called the backside of paradise with good reason! A unique spot in the Florida Keys overlooking the Florida Straits, Cuba some 60 miles away, temperature in the 70's, great ocean breeze, manageable humidity.... just have to handle the US Navy F-18 Hornets operating out of Boca Chica NAS from 8 am to 6 pm!

Airstreamers Catching Up!

We met Paul and Brenda on the South West Adventure caravan back in the fall of 2016 and we have been catching up over lunch every year in the Keys! Airstreamers leave winter behind in Tennessee and head for their usual snowbird haunt of the Jolly Roger in Marathon. We had fish camp lunch of grilled or blackened grouper- always a delight!

Key West Orchids

Just walking around town you come across houses with the most beautiful sidewalk gardens....

Coolish in Key West

It may be an unseasonable 64F In Key West but it's still the warmest place in the US!

Key West Specials

We did the KW house tour with our visiting Airstream buddies Joe and Ronnie we met on the Cajun caravan and subsequently in Cannes last summer. We found the perfect Toad (as in towed vehicle) for their Airstream Interstate... complete with coconuts in the roof rack... we finished our two mile tramp around the KW historic houses and off to Lola for splendid Branzino fish followed by pistachio ice cream, flourless chocolate and espresso martini for dessert at Roostica!

Theater night!

We usually check all the goings on in KW for our month in paradise and reserved front row seating for a 90 minute non stop one act 2 actor romantic comedy piece called Talley's Folly. A bonus pleasant touch was the small dinette table shared by seat pairs, a glass of Chardonnay and a Glenlivet to sip during the performance....

KW favorites!

Almost an annual ritual getting together with Leigh and Debbie our Tappahannock RV buddies at Louie's Backyard to watch the sunset at 5:50 pm and having a splendid fresh fish dinner on the outside terrace. Even had our same waiter JR from previous celebratory occasions here! Life is good in KW!

Key West Historical Society

Professor Bramson, who is America's single most-published Florida history book author, has written five histories of and about America's most exciting railroad THE FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY. Seth will regale us on that incredible railway line's history, the life of it's founder and builder, Henry M. Flagler, and, of course, the story of the Key West Extension. Seth is the only person in the country who bears the official title of Company Historian with an American railroad.

Key West Farmers Market

Interesting collection of exotic fruits on sale..

Yoga time

Great location under the Tiki hut for an hour of yoga this morning....

Our cruise ship again!

The infamous Viking Sky showed up in Key West today.... this is the ship from our Greece and Israel Med cruise in the fall of 2018, also subject of emergency evacuations by helicopter in Norway when it lost all its engines. Our traveling companions are scheduled to board this summer in Iceland... undoubtedly a beautifully designed and elegant cruise liner with around 1,000 passengers.

Reached the end of US Rt 1 road....

Finally reached the end of US Route 1 in the Keys and pulled into to Geiger Key. Backed up to the water's edge.... after the mangroves it's the Atlantic Ocean till you reach Africa...

No swimming today....

I think I'm alligaphobic! Last thing I'd do is go swimming in the lake in Florida!

Quick stop in Titusville

Catching up with David and Diana Spahn at their splendid home in the The Great Outdoor where every house has a 13 ft clearance garage! Made a speedy propane hose repair and on our way south after a splendid big green egg smoked pork dinner and a Vermont bacon breakfast!

Oops! 4,200 Hyundai and Kia

The Golden Ray had a little ballast management issue in the St Simeon Sound next to Jekyll Island and rolled 90 degrees to port last September. The salvage plan will take a couple of years and involve removing the ship in pieces. The cargo and ship are a total write off. Adds interest to our daily beach walk!

A few night pix from Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island has gone all out on its illuminated Christmas driving tour. A slow two mile crawl around the village and historic district is quite a sight....

Jekyll Island erosion

Heading south from Virginia we take a break half way down the east coast at Jekylll Island State Park in Georgia. Originally a private member only club, the island was acquired by the state and developed as a high quality resort with old millionaire homes restored and franchised out to top resort hoteliers. The east coast of the island has eroded considerably and trees that were once inland are now offshore and have died but mostly remain standing creating an eerie dead forest...

Quebec photo gallery

Link to our Airstream summer trip to Quebec and the Maritimes....

http://db26.net/nikon/2019-quebec/

Salem

We're adding presidential libraries to our plans whenever we can, so we booked the closest campsite we could find to Boston for a visit to the Kennedy Library. Look what we found! Winter Island Park overlooks a busy harbor with Marblehead on the other side. With a beach, boat launch site, and campsites of all sizes, it's busy during the weekend, but the gates close at night and calm is restored. Just the right final stop on this two- month trip!

Airstream friends in Maine

A very slight deviation on our trip south let us spend a night with David and Diana. Their home, a converted camp on a lake, has every element needed for the quintessential Maine summer: pontoon boat, kayaks and paddle board, room for their Airstream and ours, windows to let in the views and breeze. Diana's sewing projects are created in the English basement and David has converted the garage for wood turning and carving. That big green egg and these talented chefs produced a stunning dinner. So many travel memories to share!

New River Beach Provincial Park NB

Last stop in Canada! We got the last available spot for these two nights, and it reminded us why commercial sites should always be our last option. Nestled in the woods, cliff and beach walks available, neighbors beyond the trees, all made for a peaceful stay and good grilling and exercise. Even the laundry was cheaper and very close.

Welcome Aboard

Welcome Aboard spelled out in semaphore flags to the Theresa E Connor in Lunenberg at the Museum of the Maritimes. The last of the saltbank schooners fishing for cod on the Grand Banks off Newfoundland.

The flight that never made it...

Swissair Flight 111 crashed 5 miles out within sight of land off Halifax and salvage operations were initially handled by local fishermen in Peggy's Cove. All 229 souls on board perished in the crash caused by a cockpit fire in the wiring of the MD-11 Tri-jet.

Peggy’s Cove

Rather iconic and overcrowded Peggy's Cove near Halifax reminds me how mass tourism takes away from your travel experiences. Not to be selfish and want every spectacular view to yourself but it just reminds you that you have to careful when to visit these locations! Suggest crack of dawn before those ten tour buses arrive from the city!

GoT sandcastle competition

This was the best and most creative sandcastle in probably 50 entries on the beach today.... you can see the break in the wall and the White Walkers pouring through the gap and out the other side....