Race Week in Key West

This week was race week in Key West which if you can believe it actually turns the town even crazier - not being racers or even sailors ourselves didn't stop us for a minute (did you actually think it would??) One of the days earlier this week (we really don't keep track of the days), we headed into town with the Muircu crew Brett and Jill to check out the festivities. We started at Irish Kevins to see our friend Bil Krauss who gave Brett endless amounts of grief over his hat and festive shirt.....guess there weren't enough tourists in town for him to bust on (although we were all taking bets on how long the girl from the cruise ship beside us was going to remain vertical - not too long was our collective conclusion and it was only about 1:00 in the afternoon!!!)

Bil Krauss at Irish Kevin's

The Gang at Irish Kevin's

From there we grabbed a quick $1 beer from Guy Harveys on our way to BO's Fish Wagon for seriously good fish sandwiches - yes it looks like a haven for homeless people but it actually has great food!!

BO's Fish Wagon

The Gang Eating Sandwiches at BO's

We strolled the race week tents and booths which were just getting up and running, passed a signpost telling us exactly how far away from Portland, ME we were (as if the 80 degree temps in January weren't enough of a reminder!!)

Portland, ME 1768 miles

and walked the docks (after a short detour into Schooner Wharf to hear Michael McCloud - of course) We wound up seeing Tom Weaver on his boat which was docked at the AB Marina in a seriously prime location. In addition to being an amazing sailor, Tom designs and builds Eastport boats so was there showing off his latest design - a 32 footer. Of course we joined him on board for several coldies because after all, people are more interested in buying a boat if they see people having fun on it - so reluctantly we obliged and had to share a few cocktails with Tom (he only had to run out once for more beer!!!) What a seriously beautiful boat and from what we hear a fish magnet to boot (Tom took the new owner out fishing last week and caught among other things 16 tuna when no one else in the marina caught anything!!!!)

The Gang on Tom's Eastport 32

The next day we decided to pseudo participate in race week by taking Gypsies out for a spin - the weather was finally picture perfect - light winds, calm seas and warm!!! So with the crew of Muircu we eased Gypsies out of her slip for the first time in a month (yippee was she happy - although the Bootser was not - she eventually curled up on the settee to sleep her way through the day!)

Bootsie Sleeps Through Our Excursion on Gypsies

and headed out beyond the reef for several hours of trolling with visions of fresh mahi and tuna dancing in our heads. Alas such was not to be - not even a nibble - Tom later told us we had to go out a bit further to find the fish - good to know for next time!!!

Doug and Brett Discuss Boating After They Failed at Fishing

Jill Enjoys the Pleasures of Powerboating

Not wanting to head in we brought Gypsies inside the reef and anchored where we could see the races - we wound up near one of the race turns and then right at the finish line for the last race of the day for Tom and Regan's division! There truly are few more spectacular sights than a group of sailboats out on the sparkling turquoise water flying their colors!!!!

Let the Races Begin

Flying Colors

More Flying Colors

Not wanting the festivities to end after successfully steering Gypsies back to her slip (no mean feat with the shallow channel and currents!), we headed topsides for an improvised cocktail party!

Post Cruise Cocktails, a Long Time Tradition on Gypsies

No sooner had we sat down with our first coldie of the day when word spread around the dock that there was a sunset party on the top of Coconuts (our friends Louis and Terry try to have Wednesday sunset parties when the weather cooperates because the top of their deck is so high you are above the mango trees and the views of the sunset are unbelievable!!!)

Some of Our Dock Mates at the Sunset Party - Sonya, John and Shawna
Sunset from the Deck of Coconuts

The first time we meet the Coconuts crew we found out not only were they from Maine but they were good friends with some folks we knew up in Islesboro who also have a house down here in KW, Marni and Roger Heinen. We hatched a plan to surprise them with the fact we knew each other so they were invited to the sunset party and we all had a good laugh when they saw us - it continues to amaze me sometimes what a truly small world we live in!!!

The Sunset Cocktail Party on Coconuts - Roger and Marni are in the Middle

Because it's been so cool and windy down here the past several weeks we haven't had much chance to go see Scott and Dave play so our dock gang remedied that on Thursday night. Just after a spectacular sunset,

Sunset from the Deck of Gypsies

the gang all headed down to the sunset pier where we wound up meeting up with Tom and Regan and Brooke, one of the original "wicked sisters" Scott wrote a song about (but not before we passed this classic car which somehow seemed to fit right in with the vibe of KW - half class/half pimpmobile!)

A Purple Classic Car

Scott and Dave were great as always

Scott and Dave

and even got Tom and Regan out there to dance (seriously Tom was the poster child for white men can't dance but we gave him lots of credit for having fun out there!!!)

Tom and Regan Dancing

Part of the Gang at the Sunset Pier

The Rest of the Gang

A Bunch of the Race Week Group at the Sunset Pier

No night can really end in KW at 10 so off we went with Scott, Dave, Brooke, Tom, Regan and our dock gang to Hogs Breath for some key lime pie shooters (or a taste of heaven in a little plastic glass as one of our dockmates Sonya was heard to utter) - with some rocking music by DeBlois Milledge the gang all rocked it until it was time to head back to the SIG (short for our Stock Island Ghetto)!!

Yesterday after more fun and games (or in our case errands and boat chores) the boat crowd took over the pool and hung for the afternoon in water which resembled a spa treatment - it was so relaxing that we were hard pressed to come to a decision on how to spend the evening. That's easy - party on Gypsies!!!!

Cocktail Party on Gypsies

We had a great night up on the flybridge while all around us the fishing boats came in for the weekend kingfish tournament based out of our marina - we're talking serious fishing boats (many with three or four 300+ hp engines!!!) Then it was on to Hogfish, a local Stock Island open air eatery down on the water for some seriously good fish tacos and salads (and of course a couple pitchers of Blue Moon!) Man it's a good thing this place has a health club - now if we'd only use it more often!!!

Dinner at Hogfish Bar & Grill

Today we are headed out with Brett and Jill to sail on their friend Ron's big sailboat - yippee another day out on the water!!! As Brett has mentioned, we're all boat whores - we'll go out on anything (sail, power, trawler, kayak, you name it!) The key is to be out on the water and down here in KW it's all about the water!! (and of course the music!!)