February 13th to March 09th, 2010 - BAHIA HONDA KEY, KEY WEST STORM & DRY TORTUGAS KEYS, FL, USA

We had a great stopover in Titusville, FL again, with super visit from SIL Cathy and BIL Barry. Did major engine servicing, including new raw water pump and had the sails reconditioned. Another highlight was the Shuttle launch. The marina is just across the river from Cape Canaveral. It took off at 4:15 am. I woke up thinking we had run aground the boat was shaking so hard. No pictures of this stop as we covered it in our May 2009 posting.

Bahia Honda Key, one of our favorite anchorages in the Keys. The railway was wiped out by a hurricane in the 1930s and never rebuilt. The bridges were used by the highway that followed. We had our first 80 F degree day and enjoyed it on the beach. Sunset on the old bridge.

Key West, calm before the storm, there she blows, late arrival trying to get into his boat from his dingy. He finally made it.

Full moon rising over Key West, FL.

Fort Jefferson at the Dry Tortugas Keys. What can do with 16,000,000 bricks in the middle of nowhere? Build a fort on a 10 acre island. It is the largest brick structure in North America. Obsoleted by technological advances in warfare, before it could be completed, it was used primarily as a prison. Now a very cool National Park.

The most famous prisoner was Dr. Mudd. He was tried for treating the killer of Abraham Lincoln. Later pardoned for his work with the soldiers and prisoners during a yellow fever epidemic.

Boat used by 15 Cubans to escape from Cuba, 90 miles away across the Straights of Florida. They are now all US citizens.

Portuguese Man of War (jelly fish, with poisonous tentacles) "sails" up the Hawk Channel. We saw hundreds of them. Fan Coral on the beach. Bird on the beach.

"Art shot" of Portuguese Man of War in the sunlight.