Transition to Key West, Florida

Having a pick up truck had its advantages, Chief Dan and I could load some stuff on my truck and haul it down to Key West and spend a weekend with our wives. What a joy that was.

One blessing for Sherry was she and Joan (Dan’s Wife) got along well. They would go to the base pool and Joan taught Sherry to Swim.  Of course Sherry could float and snorkel, but she never learned to swim. Sherry also got a DELICIOUS lasagna recipe from Joan.

Those trips to Key West were tough because it was when the ‘fake’ gas shortage was happening. We sat in line many times to get gas and could not get a full tank.  Remember? Each state and sometimes the counties decided how you got gas.  Some used the last digit of your tag number, odd one day  and even the next. Some areas just limited your purchase to a $ limit. At times we saved gas during the week and carried some extra cans of gas.

At Key West this was something I had never seen before and never seen again. That it a REAL WATER SPOUT. That you see in a distance is a solid column of water from the Gulf to the sky.

Sherry soon got a job on the Naval Air Station that was located on Boca Chica Key. Nick names seemed natural for sailors this one was , “Broken Chicken.”

Finally the move was complete and we were together in Key West.  This too was a great duty station At the time we were there it was more laid back and ‘small town’ except on the big holiday times ‘Christmas and New Years’, THEN IT WAS CROWDED.

(The boys grilling on the back patio of our KW home)

Now that the cruise ships land there the atmosphere has changed. The one thing that never changes and anyone who has been there will tell you, there is nothing like the sunsets viewed every day, from Mallory Square. Each day when the sun sets, God and nature receives an offering of applause for a wonderful show after the sun has melted into the Gulf of Mexico.

Mark and our dog Mackie.

Every one who has not been to Key West must take a ride on the ‘Conch Tour Train’. You get to climb the only mountain on the Key, it is about 11 feet above sea level .

Thanks for stopping by the log.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

When hearing I had bought a boat the ‘Old  Man’ called me in and asked if I knew what a boat really was, I said, “From the sound of the ?, probably not.”

“A boat is a hole in the water, thru which you throw money!”

That is pretty much right, but it was still a lot of fun.

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We bought this vehicle in Key West. The VW camper.(Our first motor home!)