Food, Friends, and Fun

These are the colorful stone crab claws. Here in the keys the stone crab is the common crab of the area. The waterman catch the crab in traps similar to the Chesapeake Bay crab traps but the waterman here tear off one claw and toss the crab back into the water to grow a new claw. The claws are served cold with a tangy mustard sauce. I cleaned these claws to make a crab and cheese omelet on the boat.

I took this photo at an oceanside tiki bar and restaurant on Key Colony. I'm looking East at the line of condos and hotels that line the Florida Straits.

Mandy relaxing at the table in the first photo.

(Above) Tiki bar at Key Colony.

These two pirates, Jeff and Jane, were staying on the boat next to us. They are delivery skippers and both of them have USCG Captains licenses. They have harrowing stories of deliveries to the Bahamas in howling winds and nasty storms. I'm rethinking my ambition to be a delivery captain. We went on a trip to Bahia Honda State Park together then, on the way back, began performing our favorite magic trick-- Drive down the road and turn into a bar. Here, we are at the Sunset Saloon.

In this photo, Mandy is sitting under the US 1 bridge at Bahia Honda State Park. In the distance you can see the old railroad bridge which supported the narrow gauge train that once carried passengers from Miami to Key West. Notice the split in the center. This section of the bridge was removed after the new highway bridge was built so the boat of all sizes could enter the harbor for safe anchorage.

This is a view of the separation in the bridge as seen from the opposite side. The lower part once carried the train. After a devastating hurricane in 1930 which destroyed much of the track and blew the train into the water, the bridge was converted to a highway bridge. Because the train was narrow gauge, the lower span was too narrow for cars and trucks. So the engineers built the highway over the top of the upper supporting structures.

This a view of the bayside (North side) of Bahia Honda State Park taken from the top of the old railroad bridge. You can see the new bridge in the distance. The beach in this picture is great when the Southerly  winds get strong. There is also a larger beach on the ocean side (South side) which comes in handy when the wind blows cold from the North.

We'll be heading to Key West again next week. I hope to get some mystery pictures of scenes in Key West and connoisseurs of the Keys can guess where the pictures were taken and what the subject might be. The person who e-mails me first with the correct answers will win a free drink at Sloppy Joe's Bar. (Winner must collect the prize in person at Sloppy Joe's Bar. Offer void after 2/28/2010)