Second Wind on the Great Loop and Beyond

Monday, February 22
On Sunday the sky was blue and the temps were warm, so we hopped into our dinghys for a joy ride. The first photo shows Larry and Marge in front of several Looper boats as we headed out for lunch at Lazy Days, near the entrance to Boot Key Harbor. Because we had only recently stuffed ourselves at Louis's pancake breakfast, the Rosses and Staggs took a detour into the outer harbor. When we spotted an abandoned boat, we followed Larry and Marge into a shallow channel marked by sticks and plastic pipes.

Soon after entering the mangroves, the channel narrowed and deepened. Abandoned boats and machinery, litter, and dilapidated crab shacks told us we were in quite a different world. This could be the setting for any number of crime novels I've read. I stopped taking pictures, not wanting to alarm any inhabitants in hiding. We saw the hull of a home-made, half-submerged yellow submarine, with fans blowing in air. What the heck was that?!! Down another turn we saw some fishermen unloading a catch. I was relieved that they gave us a not-unfriendly wave. Of course I had on my brightest smile to show that we were just friendly people out for a Sunday ride. La la la la la! A dog started barking furiously, as two rough-looking guys spotted us and STOPPED opening the door to a shack. Whew, we finally turned around, and I was mighty glad to get out of there. All of this is, of course, woven into the colorful fabric that makes up the Florida Keys. Later, having survived our adventure into Deliverance-land, our Lobster Reuben lunch was even more delicious. In retrospect, those very fishermen could have caught the lobster we so relished for lunch. What a prima donna I am!