We said good bye to our friends and Marathon. We will definitely try to make it back to Safe Harbor Marathon next year. We did not get to enjoy all there was to offer there due to time limitations.
We arrived in Loreli Bay and before we even dropped the anchor we were hailed on the radio by Illuminate. They were calling to compliment our boat and offer any help with the Keys since they have been down here for four months. Most boaters are so nice.
As soon as we were settled we put the dinghy in the water to explore. The water is unbelievably clear. We could basically see our anchor. We followed some little channels into other bays. We passed Library Beach where there were people grilling, swimming, and kids on the swings. There were several dinghies there so we knew it was ok to get off. We also rode passed Lorelei's Restaurant and then around a bend to see the marina there. Chris and Mary saw signs listing boat slips for sale for $240,000. 😳 It was a beautiful area but I wouldn't want a slip there.
We went back to the boat and had a quiet evening. There were many dinghies that went past us because there were several boats moored there. Several were derelict boats or abandoned. There were a few that were near the mangroves that were half sunk. Unfortunately this happens to be a common sight in Florida.
On Saturday Hal and I took another exploratory dinghy ride. This time we beached the boat at Library beach and took a walk. We stopped into a little gift shop and Hal bought a SPF shirt. We wondered how they were able to stay open with so few customers. It had many nice things but was devoid of customers. We then walked passed the library, hence the name Library beach, and went to a little grocery store. We were able to pick up milk and bread. They had everything there, meats, cold cuts, produce and more.
After going back to the boat, I was so hot I jumped in the water. It was cool enough to be refreshing but not too cold. I was careful to watch for any jellyfish. The harbor was busy with many center consoles zipping back and forth and people fishing. Since it is not designated as an anchorage it is not a "No Wake Zone", although most boats didn't have much of a wake to speak of.
Saturday early evening we met Chris, Mary and Skipper at Lorelei's for dinner and drinks. There was live music so we got there by 4:00 pm to get seats at a table near the bar. It gets really crowded there especially around sunset. People come and sit by the docks to watch the glorious sunset.
We were originally going to stay here for 4 nights, however, we are always checking the weather and it was going to be extremely windy and we would not be protected. We called John Pennekamp which is where we were going the next stop and they were able to accommodate us early. We left Sunday morning to get to the marina, and although we had a very arduous ride it was worth it. More on that ride next post.