Ohio Key

This spot is a mile south of the Seven Mile Bridge, close to the enormous flagpole hovering over the Ohio Key  RV park. There are no signs but I remembered this spot from the good old days when Cheyenne was active. 

I don't know if my pictures do the seawater justice, but the colors are amazing. Even for Rusty the dog that doesn't swim. 

The old Flagler Bridge is closed to bikes and pedestrians until it's refurbished. Underneath, it looks good. We wriggled ANS slid and got passed the water pipe and under the new road bridge. 

Outside it was hot and sunny. An iPhone panoramic shot: 

Rusty was in heaven, chasing his tail and wearing himself out. He fell into a deep, snoring sleep on the couch that evening. 

And I played with the iPhone camera to please myself. I hope you enjoy them. 

PS Regular gas at Ohio Key was $2:07. What weird times we live in, gas is cheaper than water. 

The Edge Of Key West

It's time for a few seascapes and luckily I have some I took recently. The Key West harbor looking west from Truman Waterfront. It was dawn actually even though the sky was pink in the west.

The Coast Guard Cutter museum is still here, well worth a visit: Ingham Link on my blog.

In this picture taken a little later the direction of the sunlight from behind me is much clearer on the clouds. on the horizon there are a number of mangrove islands which offer protected shallow water boating and kayaking. These guys have a good reputation though I've never been out with them: Danger Charters Link.

Further north I check out Mallory Square and there was a cruise ship approaching, led by the pilot boat. Pilots are used to guide ships safely into harbors, a specialized job that has been around as long as there have been large ships. If you want to know more: Harbor Pilots Link.

My sidekick is getting much better at walking around town and enjoying the experience. Rusty is much less jumpy as you'd expect after two months living with me and walking everywhere. He is a great dog.

The master of his domain: this time Mallory Square:

It was a morning worth taking pictures:

You can watch the sunset here and order drinks and everything. You won't find Rusty at Sunset Pier as we aren't guests at Ocean Key Resort but we took a quick peak. Might have to bring my wife before a play or something.

Slowly slowly the cruise ship approaches.

And life on the Key West waterfront carries on regardless.

Gone fishing.

 

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Spring In Bahama Village

Key West is settling into that time of year which defines Spring in the land of endless summer.  This is the time of year between Winter, when people flock here to escape profound cold Up North and Summer when people lock here with their families for waterfront vacations in the sun. Autumn is the other quiet time when the Summer folk leave to go back to daily lives of routine, yet it's before the Winter hordes come rushing back after the first snowfalls. 

So for anyone who imagines the four seasons in Key West look like they do in more temperate climes, I hope I have disabused you. No lingering ice patches here, no bravely thrusting daffodils, no lambs gamboling in fields, no gradually longer days promising summer twilight. Well, it's true that nightfall comes later now, around eight o'clock, but that's thanks to the imposition of summer time (daylight savings) as the sun doesn't move that much north and south of the Equator at these latitudes. 

Spring time sees cool nights and gradually warming days, fewer cars, and more space. Crowds are thinning though there are still plenty of people in town. Walking down Fleming and turning onto Thomas behind the courthouse (The "Freeman Justice Center") I was alone with my phone camera. I recommend long night time walks in Key West, they give you a whole new view of the city and you can stand around and take in the details of anything that catches your eye.

We live in fear filled times  so I have to justify my pleasure as an eccentricity but I find many small pleasures are sacrificed in the name of "safety." While it's true crime is everywhere I have never found myself confronted or accosted or even bothered by anyone on my night time rambles. Perhaps like Ghengis Khan they see me coming and tremble in fear at my awesome reputation. Which seems rather unlikely so I am forced to fall back on my belief that there really aren't bad guys lurking everywhere. You may be less lucky.

The sorts of crimes that Key West excels in are the petty thefts and drunk mis-behaviors that aggravate. Bicycles get stolen almost in front of the owners's eyes if they are left unlocked for a second. Scooters vanish and are reportedly chopped for spare parts, so beware if you ride a popular model. And for many people in Key West a scooter is the daily rider so scooter theft is a serious problem. Lawn furniture vanishes, fruit is picked off trees (a major no-no in Conch culture, so don't do it) and drunks may pass on out on strangers' porches. But if you can look past these intrusions you can wander the streets and bring only a camera, and a dog if you have one.

I am not a devotee of beauty supplies but this store fascinates me as it reminds me of the shops will see in the true Caribbean or the Bahamas (which islands are not actually, like Key West. in the Caribbean Sea which lies south of Cuba and Puerto Rico).

They have a special tax fund in Bahama Village to support the comunity that holds out wedged between Duval Street and the military base and the now gated community of Truman Annex. Lately there was a big debate over whether or not to create a museum on civil rights at the Douglass (sic) Gym. There was a more practical use suggested as a band room which ultimately won out. The Village, historically African American is also home to the city's swimming pool, parks and the only mosque (Masjid) in Key West. All services offered including historic buildings getting the repair treatment:

In a town that seems to be reveling in transformation at the expense of history, at least in architecture, Bahama Village is honoring it's past and I like that.

West Summerland Key

This parking area was closed for some considerable time as construction crews worked on infrastructure here. Recently re-opened it's become a bon fide park with all sorts of facilities, including fencing and benches, though the trash cans were always here.

I tried to take a panoramic shot from the furthest corner, to mixed success. The trail on the right is actually a continuation of the trail on the left and not a right-angled turn...

Rusty has become a lot more self confident on his walks. He spends  less time looking over his shoulder for predators and more time sniffing and enjoying his walks like a dog born to it, not a stray adapting to a settled life of security and love.

 It was hot out but Rusty wasn't too bothered.

The new walkway has replaced the rather sketchy trail I used to walk through the bushes and I suppose that's a good thing. It's  a pity though as, rather selfishly,I liked it more when no one knew it was open through here. Now we have an elevated foot freeway:

 With not much shade.

This island used to be called West Summerland Key which was a strange name as it is far east of Summerland Key. However there are a couple of scout camps on the island so they changed the name to Scout Key, which may be worthy but is very boring compared to the impenentrable riddle of it's original name. So I use the original name and rejoice in the fact that one of the Scout camps is called "Camp Wesumekee" ironically named for West Summerland Key which no longer exists!

Camp Wesumkee is an 11 acre oceanfront camp on Girl Scout Council owned property. It is a beautiful camp on the Atlantic Ocean for experienced campers and offers snorkeling, tidal pool observations, swimming (you must provide your own lifeguard), nature and marine study.

 And quite scenic views:

They've even gone to the length of protecting us from ourselves with heavy duty aluminum fencing cemented into the seawall: 

In Cheyenne's day it was rather less secure.  

I don't know that any angler ever fell in. Which was good as climbing out would be hard as the seawall is properly tall:

With Rusty I was rather glad he couldn't fall in even if he wanted to:

 But he got up to his own antics:

I took this picture of Cheyenne walking up the old stony trail to the Highway One parking area:

Now it's all paved like a proper bicycle access parking area, with a lawn even: 

There were people standing at the top of the hill enjoying the view so rather than bust them up I include these picture form previous forays of the old bridge connecting West Summerland Key to Bahia Honda Key. 

The Old Bridge to Bahia Honda State Park is collapsing in bits and pieces by the day:

Of course Cheyenne and I used to come here a lot and I never worried about here falling off the edge.

 

The old honey badger used to stump around here and clearly understood the danger. She chose her time and place to die and here wasn't it, though she looked contemplative back in March 2013.

I miss that dog but Rusty is doing great and I am bonding with him every day. He was perfectly behaved on this walk though I did put him on the leash around people and near steep edges.

A few views of the south side of West Summerland Key. Above the remains of the old water pipe installed in 1942 to supply water to the military first and civilians later:

 Tide was out.

We climbed the bank and took the short cut back to the car across US One. Rusty's speed and obedience made the crossing a piece of cake.