KOKOMO-PART ONE

We celebrated Our arrival in Key West at 4:00pm, Tuesday, January 14, 2019 with champagne and rum. 

Aruba, Jamaica, oh I want to take ya

Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama

Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go, Jamaica

Off the Florida Keys, there's a place called Kokomo

That's where you want to go to get away from it all

Way down in Kokomo. 

Although there are several places named Kokomo, including Kokomo, Indiana, Kokomo, Arkansas and Kokomo, Hawaii, the song describes a fictional Kokomo as a place "off the Florida Keys." The name was later used by resorts in Sandals Cay, Jamaica, and Grassy Key, Florida.

This isn’t Obsession, but this boat, Critical Path was Sailing so beautifully I had to snap her picture. The conditions were perfect for sailing to Key West on January 14, 2019.

This is one of our favorite songs  by The Beach Boys. David and I had traveled to all those places EXCEPT Key Largo and The Keys.   We have now made it to Key West, our original goal for this Dream Retirement Cruise. Along the way we toyed with  the idea of sailing to the Bahamas, Exumas and even Cuba, but as we got closer and closer to Key West we realized that this trip was really about traveling and experiencing the ICW and visiting the Keys and Key West. Once we hit Fort Lauderdale and Miami we knew we wanted to “Get here fast”  and then “take it slow.”  So I guess you could say this is our KOKOMO on our rented “ball” in Garrison Bight, Key West.  

We are quite a long way out in Garrison Bight, but we can move closer as balls come available. The north winds are keeping people from heading to the Bahamas. But soon that will change. 

Entering Key West you can’t help but notice the cruise ships. 

The trip from Fort Lauderdale was a fast one. We had Perrin with us, and along with a buddy boat, Our Log headed to No Name Harbor just south of Miami. The next day we continued to Rodriguez Key and then Marathon. We stayed there 2 days, took a road trip to Key West (to watch the Patriots win), arranged for a rental “ball” and the next day set sail to our southernmost destination. Key West. 

This is Cape Florida Light. I do not have this Lighthouse in my Danbury Mint Collection of lighthouses. Guess I’ll have to look for one. 

Sunset No Name Harbor just south of Miami

Leaving No Name Harbor headed for Rodriguez Key. It was cold!

The day improved though. It not only got warmer, but the water got bluer

Obsession at Sunrise, Rodriguez Key. 

This is the Seven Mile Bridge just outside of Marathon. The water is getting prettier and prettier. 

Sunset from Boot Key Channel just outside of Marathon

Sunrise Marathon. There are so many boats in this harbor. 

A sign that we are entering paradise. 



A piece of driftwood I’d love to have in my collection. It reminded me of the iguanas we are seeing everywhere!

The boaters garden in Marathon. When we return I’ll certainly check out some fresh herbs. 

We will stay a month in Key West resting, relaxing, and enjoying the sights and sounds of this famous and  beautiful tropical Island in the Sun.

A floating Tiki Bar in Key West.  Looking forward to having a tropical drink in my hand. 

The bluest waters I’ve seen so far. More to come I’m sure. 

This is not, however, the end of our journey. Our trip is only half over. When we leave here mid-February we will head back to Marathon for a week or so, and begin preparations for our trip north. We plan to find new places to visit, but will revisit some of our  favorite stops we found on the trip south. We hope to be back in Newport by the end of June.  

Everybody knows

a little place like Kokomo

Now if you want to go 

and get away from it all

Go down to Kokomo

⛵️🏝⛵️

 

ONE BRIDGE, TWO BRIDGE, RED BRIDGE, BLUE BRIDGE

Dr. Seuss’ book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish has always been one of my favorites. When we visit 41North in Newport there always seems to be a copy of it in our room. I really don’t know why, I’m sure it’s just a coincidence, but it’s always a welcome sight. 

So as we began to prepare for the day’s trek down the ICW from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale knowing we would have to navigate and time our way through 19 Bascule Bridges, this counting rhyme kept popping up. 

One bridge Two bridge Red bridge Blue bridge.

Number 2 Bridge, the Southern Blvd. Bascule Bridge is under construction. The bridge didn’t look as if it had raised up all the way to accommodate our 60’ mast. With fear and trepidation we passed under it with some clearance. 

The Lake Worth Avenue Bridge was an easy pass. No waiting, no hassles. Our day was going very well. This was bridge #4.

Bridge #13 seemed to be red. And was in the open position because it was under construction. 

This blue bridge is the George Bush Blvd Bridge. It was Bridge # 8.

Black bridge New bridge Old bridge New bridge.

A pretty blue bridge-Bridge #7 Woolbright ascuke Bridge. 

We didn’t have to wait for the published bridge opening time because the Barge has priority and we were able to slip through after. There was a lot of other traffic here too. A paddle boarder, a waterway vessel and dockside a M/V named Glaze that we see docked at Bannisters Wharf in Newport in the summer. 

This one  has a little iguana. And the next one  is named Lantana.

Look closely in the middle-the iguana blends in nicely with the tan bridge. 

We plan to anchor here in the spring and dinghy in to have dinner at The Old Key Lime House located at Lantana Bridge #5. 

Say! What a lot

Of bridges there are.

In two days we passed through 20 bridges. 

It was a memorable day, and a LONG day of timing and navigating bridges. We had Perrin with us so I was able to scurry around the boat, take pictures of the ICW and the bridges and keep track of the distance between each one. David and Perrin did all of the driving and navigating. The weather was perfect, and we found a beautiful anchor spot for the night just north of Fort Lauderdale. 

Sunset Lake Fort Worth. Million dollar homes all around us! 

The next day we finished our tour of the bridges and found a lovely place to anchor in Lake Sylvia. 

It has easy access to lots of amenities a Raw Bar (but they don’t deliver like in Cuttyhunk-we rode our dinghy over and tied up there for free if we ate there. Which we did!) The only problem was that you had to practically lay down in the dinghy to get under the small bridges over the canals. 

A view from “The Raw Bar” looking down one of the many canals. 

We met a fellow cruiser,  Bill Ouelette and his wife Tina on OUR LOG, a Beneteau 40 with a similar draft and mast height who offered to be a boat buddy to Miami and Marathon. 

Sunset in Lake Sylvia. The next day we would travel in the Atlantic Ocean to Miami. 

From there to here, from here to there, Funny things are everywhere. 

 

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

We have seen numerous rainbows on our Dream Retirement Cruise-this is just the latest from West Palm Beach. It was a nice way to begin one of our last days here, sipping away on our morning coffee and enjoying the view from our cockpit. As I sat there Kermit’s rendition of the song “The Rainbow Connection” kept running through my mind. When I googled the lyrics I was pleasantly surprised with how it reflected many thoughts and memories of our trip. 

Why are there so many songs about rainbows

And what's on the other side

Rainbows are visions

But only illusions

And rainbows have nothing to hide

What's so amazing

That keeps us stargazing

And what do we think we might see

Someday we'll find it

The rainbow connection

The lovers, the dreamers, and me

I wokeup the other morning to this beautiful sky. The moon, some stars and a beautiful cloud formation. I am an early riser but David likes to sit up on the deck at night gazing at the stars. Either way we enjoy watching the sky. 

Who said that every wish

Would be heard and answered

When wished on the morning star

Somebody thought of that

And someone believed it

And look what it's done so far

It looks like our wish to go to the Bahamas may not happen after all. Our initial plan to get to Key West by Christmas was seriously delayed, and we are now thinking we can enjoy the Keys and then take our time heading back home. Views and days like this are what we really are dreaming of. 

Have you been half asleep?

And have you heard voices?

I've heard them calling my name

Is this the sweet sound

That called the young (old) sailors?

The voice might be one and the same

I've heard it too many times to ignore it

It's something that I'm supposed to be

Someday we'll find it

The rainbow connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me

Happy 45th anniversary to us, December 29. The lovers and dreamers!