A Breath of Fresh (Salty) Air

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” ~Walt Disney

The fabulous Florida Keys...100 miles of island bliss

How great is it to go for a ride in a brand new place…uncharted territory.  It is exciting, adventurous, enlightening, sometimes illegal, and (almost) always a good experience.  There are times in life when the planets line up.  For me it was a combination of planning, housing opportunity, urban fatigue, strong desire for change…and frankly a little good ‘ole fashioned luck.  But at the end of the day, I did something I have contemplated but not dared to dream possible for the past 15 years.  I packed up everything I owned, gathered a handful of generous friends, and hit the Florida Turnpike South-bound…and moved to the enchantingly beautiful boating mecca that is the tropical Florida Keys!

As a resident of the Miami area for the past 13 years, the Keys had long been merely a dreamy day or weekend trip.  As a 100 mile long chain of islands, stretching deep into the Caribbean Sea and connected by several dozen bridges, it was quite easy to trailer the skis down and play in the warm turquoise waters for the weekend.  But to live there?  How in the world would I afford that?  Or make a living?  That question loomed in the back of my mind for years…over a decade.  But my day in the sun finally came.

New Seadoo parking space

And with this exciting new revelation comes the enticing fact that I now have hundreds of new places to go wander to.  Islands galore, waterfront restaurants, sugary sandbars that are weekend social hubs or weekday retreats.  The Keys were once only connected to mainland Florida by Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad.  Modern roads have long since replaced the rails, but many of the old railroad bridges still remain alongside the new bridges.  They provide a peek back into area history that is second to none.  The most famous of these is the 7 Mile Bridge, that connects Marathon to Ohio Key.  The well-known engineering marvel is often a poster child of the Keys.  They hold an annual run on the 7 Mile Bridge.  And it can be the traveler’s biggest nightmare if there is an accident on it, because there aren’t exactly detour alternatives.

Remnants of the original railroad bridge

Life on a small island is drastically different than the urban crush of Miami and its million-plus occupants.  I opted to live in a somewhat remote area, in a nature preserve.  To me it is heaven.  For less than the 1 bedroom apartment I moved from, I have an entire house, and 100’ of my own private dock.  A quick cruise down the scenic canal leads me to open water…and gateway to what will undoubtedly be endless new adventures.

I took my inaugural local ski tour this past weekend…and it was fantastic!  I have ridden in the Keys many times, but there is so danged much to see, that it will never be the same ride twice.  The locals are unbelievably friendly and welcoming.  The chatter in the aisles of the local supermarket is centered around great dive spots, lobster holes, epic fishing, and planned on-water gatherings.  I just know that I will find a way to secure a scuba tank to my ski in due time…

7 Mile Bridge...the old and the new, with Pigeon Key in the middle

I am beyond excited about my new home.  I set a goal, and I finally achieved it.  It is important to do that in all aspects of life.  And the fact that I will be joining a neighborhood bocce league this fall (where I hear there is more drinking than bocce) and that a bar in town hosts Ukulele Night every Wednesday…leaves no trace of doubt in my mind that this was a good move, and way more suited to my lifestyle than a metropolis would ever be!  So stay tuned for a nice fresh crop of Keys riding adventures, as well as all the other important aspects of PWC life.  Life is good…living the dream. :)

My new evening routine