Boot Key
26 April 2016 | Florida Boot Key, Marathon
Elizabeth
Over the years we've heard some pretty negative tales about Marathon and Boot Key. After our experience here, we can't figure out why. The water is clean enough to make water (though I typically refrain from swimming in crowded mooring fields), the dinghy ride to the marina and facilities easy and quick, dinghy docks abundant, low and not concrete, extremely dog-friendly with an active cruising community and lively cruiser's net each morning, the pump-out boat comes by once a week regardless of whether you're on the boat or not, the laundry room is by far the best I've ever used ($3.00 per load washing and drying, 30 minutes to wash and 45 to dry, good heat but not overly so, multiple machines and folding tables and everything in working order...what's not to love about that?), the staff friendly and helpful and the library for swapping books is huge. There are two tv's that are pre-set to news channels with movie theatre-type chairs for viewing, several large enclosed areas for do-it-yourself projects, a communal garden (shown in photo) and a community park just around the corner. The iguanas are bright green and don't move when you walk by and this is Luna's favorite part. The mooring balls are $22/night or about $10/night for a monthly stay which we think is reasonable. Although we've enjoyed our brief stay here mostly we've taken care of business in preparation for our ongoing journey northbound. Today I did 2 loads of laundry, washed a few things by hand, made Ed a BLT for lunch and salad for myself, then made tuna salad for sandwiches for our passage, cleaned the boat and am tending to the blog. Ed changed the oil in Big Red, jugged diesel from the fuel dock, topped off our water tanks from water at the docks, switched our propane tank so we don't run out while underway (it's getting close to switching time) and later we'll make a recycling run, dump garbage, buy ice and turn in our key cards. Yesterday we walked about a mile to Home Depot to buy oil and on the way back stopped at a wonderful produce stand, buying all sorts of goodies to last a few days. We're out of deli meat for sandwiches and dinner meats, poultry or fish but there's plenty of food onboard. We leave in the morning bright and early for a two day offshore passage to Ft. Pierce. Our Spot tracker will be on!