A month in Marathon

The weather was something else during Christmas, the Keys continued to break all time records for cold.  It took its toll on the marine life as well.  During our visit to the turtle hospital they told us about having to rescue several hundred turtles because they were in shock due to the cold water, which approached the temperature of Lake Superior during the warmest days in history (about 70F).  The turtle hospital is an old hotel, and they actually brought the cold turtles into the rooms to get them warm. 

We had dinner at the restaurant Christmas eve, which was excellent. The girls were ecstatic about their gifts! They each got a net book to write their books and to surf.  I got a new set of sailing gloves, the last set I bought for Key West race week in 1991.  We had a traditional Christmas Day dinner on the boat, and Santa even made it.

New years eve we had a “Hunger Games” night, we cooked lamb stew with dried plums, and wild rice, just like a seen from the book.  We then tried to play the game, but none of use could figure it out, so we donated it to the “stuff” exchange here ant the marina.  It's been taken and re-donated several times so far.  Not a great game.

Hannah turned into a teenager the next day.  We had chocolate cake and ate at the restaurant again.

We have been preparing for the Bahamas trip, and doing a few little things here and there   We spent a day at the beach and did some more fishing.  Each of the girls went with one day, and Emily caught a hammerhead shark.  In the excitement of catching a shark in a rubber boat we did not get a picture, but it was about 2.5 feet long.  

Emily and I also rented a scooter in Key West, I think we road every street in Key West, twice.

We got our sticker and local boater registration for the Bahamas, and I installed an internet wifi booster on the boat so that we can be connected to the internet at times.  We will not be in touch as much over the next couple of months.  We have a rough outline of the first month.  It is;

Rodriguez Key (Key Largo), next weather window- maybe Monday

Bimini and or Cat Cay

Berry islands (Chub Cay)

Nassau

Exumas

Exuma land and Sea park

Allan’s Cay

Staniel Cay

Little Farmers cay

Georgetown ..February