Playing in the Rain
06 February 2012 | Key West, FL
Beth / overcast but no rain, no wind
We're still in Key West, but the weather has changed.
The wind blew and blew and blew just like that bad old wolf but it couldn't blow our little house down, or over, or backward. Madcap sat tight on her anchor chain during days of 20-25 knot winds here in the harbour. The only thing we had to complain about was the routine drenching in salt water every time we went ashore. I finally learned to take a change of clothes with me while Jim dug out his heavy foul weather pants and wore them.
On Sunday, it all changed. The wind dropped to less than 10 knots and the rain started. And, oh my, it rained and rained and rained. We had put up the cockpit enclosure a couple of nights ago to allow us to use the cockpit comfortably in the evenings, and I'm sure glad it was there once the skies opened. I don't have an official count of the amount of water but Jim bailed many inches out of the dinghy several times during the day.
The rain didn't stop us from having a new adventure though. Along with Steve and Sandra, we caught a bus to Stock Island at noon (Blue and Green buses run on Sun, and the bus stop is at the corner of Caroline and Grinnell - 4 minutes from the dinghy dock) to pay a return visit to the Hogfish Grill. We were lucky that it was raining lightly on the way so we didn't get totally soaked as we dinghied in and then walked the last few blocks to the Grill, but we hadn't been there long before the skies really opened. Charlotte and Terry (Zephyr) joined us there so we had a fine opportunity to meet new friends over great food and wild weather. They gave us a ride home, including stops at the fish market and the grocery store - establishing their place in our hearts as not only new friends but grrreat friends! This cat was trying to stay dry on the wall at Hogfish.
We've spent the last few days wandering about town, visiting and revisiting watering holes. Sloppy Joe's was a great stop one afternoon and Hog's Breath another, both with good music along with the general Conch Republic ambiance.
It looks like we might be able to leave later this morning, if you can believe it. I hesitate to say such a thing, but I really think it will happen! There are some squalls in the area now but they're supposed to drift NE and out of our way by afternoon.
ETD noon today. ETA Thurs.