Key Largo to Key West what a trip!
- Thread starter dserrell
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I have been there twice and it SUCKED both times. No real beach, to commercialized, to many people and to many wierdos!!
Had you been there before this sailing trip? Had you read anything about the anchoring/live aboard derilick type boat problems there?
Had you been there before this sailing trip? Had you read anything about the anchoring/live aboard derilick type boat problems there?
It sounds like you've been bitten by the sailing bug. Sailing voyages are what makes for fond memories. There's good and bad everywhere. You did the right thing and enjoyed your trip above all. Congratulations on a successful voyage. I see many more in your future.
Keep it up,
Ctskip
Keep it up,
Ctskip
Unfortunately it is a fact of life that marinas and yacht clubs have bars and that they therefore attract a cloud of locals who "take over" the area as you described. In my experience they tent to be rather standoffish at first...especially if you are an out of towner flying laundry instead of a stink potter drinking at the bar instead of using your boat...but after you make an effort to get to know them they treat you fine. I try to keep in mind that, given my love of the water, someday I might be on the other end of that particular rope. Unfortunately being a transient that was impossible for you. Personally I'd complain to the Mayor or board of selectman. It is the harbormasters job to handle such things and throwing you out of his harbor was poor handling in a tourist mecca like Key West.
That's Quite a story! I had always dreamed of taking that trip but didn't have quite enough time while in that section of Fla to do so on my last trip down and only sailed to the closer keys reachable by the bay. I guess when I go down there again I'll think twice about a trip all the way to key west.... While I prefer the west coast of Fla for my planned retirement(where I'll scale down everything but the size of my boat), Until now I'd never heard of any floridians being that rude. I'm glad that it didn't put you off future trips - pretty ambitious for a boat that size.
David, it's said you experienced the "bad" Key West-
What you describe has been a growing problem for all of coastal Florida. Because of our year-round warmth, many people experiencing a down time come here. Our homeless issue is out of control. The boats the mayor speaks of are the only thing keeping them off the streets. It's rent-free, and they take over public facilities as their own. I can't tell you the number of people that actually bathe in the public restrooms around our marina.
While these boats may be considered derelict, they are not abandoned, which is a different problem, also a serious one. Many of the people I've met living on the boats get a small income, and the boat seems to give them a sense of community. I question the wisdom of sleeping in your own sweat so you have money to drink, but I'm not my brother's keeper.
My guess is the dinghy owner may have been part of that community, and was more known than you were. Sad to be sure, but based on your description of his dinghy, even if the authorities had cited him for something, you'd never see a dime... frankly, I think you were ripped off more by the guy that charged you $63 for the night.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed the story. I have great memories, special memories, bonding with my Dad, and I know Kit will always remember this trip. I beseech you to let go of the unpleasant experience, and remember the important times. She will!
cup
What you describe has been a growing problem for all of coastal Florida. Because of our year-round warmth, many people experiencing a down time come here. Our homeless issue is out of control. The boats the mayor speaks of are the only thing keeping them off the streets. It's rent-free, and they take over public facilities as their own. I can't tell you the number of people that actually bathe in the public restrooms around our marina.
While these boats may be considered derelict, they are not abandoned, which is a different problem, also a serious one. Many of the people I've met living on the boats get a small income, and the boat seems to give them a sense of community. I question the wisdom of sleeping in your own sweat so you have money to drink, but I'm not my brother's keeper.
My guess is the dinghy owner may have been part of that community, and was more known than you were. Sad to be sure, but based on your description of his dinghy, even if the authorities had cited him for something, you'd never see a dime... frankly, I think you were ripped off more by the guy that charged you $63 for the night.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed the story. I have great memories, special memories, bonding with my Dad, and I know Kit will always remember this trip. I beseech you to let go of the unpleasant experience, and remember the important times. She will!
cup
Darn. I was thinking of sailing down there and living off anchor while I work on my software so I didn't have to pay slip fees during the winter but I guess that's not such a good idea. I don't even use the restrooms here because my boat handles everything just fine but I would need to dinhgy to shore to get supplies and would also need to pull my boat up someplace to fill the water tank a couple times a month. Maybe Grenada is a better idea.
I've come to the conclusion that most big tourist attaction places aren't enjoyable to visit because too many tourist come there and rub people wrong and so the locals tend to hate all tourist until they get to know you. Seems Florida has that problem with an additional problem is bums and unfortunately, I think I would be put in that group
I've never had a big desire to go to the Bahamas for the same reason. In fact, I have a feeling it would be even worse with everybody trying to drain your wallet.
As for the $65 dockage fee, that must be their way of keeping boats off the dock and making money off those who don't...after all, it's a fuel dock. Fuel docks here do not allow boats to stay, even just overnight, but I've done it a couple of times for emergency cases and nobody charged me but also nobody was around at night to know I stayed the night.
I've come to the conclusion that most big tourist attaction places aren't enjoyable to visit because too many tourist come there and rub people wrong and so the locals tend to hate all tourist until they get to know you. Seems Florida has that problem with an additional problem is bums and unfortunately, I think I would be put in that group
I've never had a big desire to go to the Bahamas for the same reason. In fact, I have a feeling it would be even worse with everybody trying to drain your wallet.
As for the $65 dockage fee, that must be their way of keeping boats off the dock and making money off those who don't...after all, it's a fuel dock. Fuel docks here do not allow boats to stay, even just overnight, but I've done it a couple of times for emergency cases and nobody charged me but also nobody was around at night to know I stayed the night.
Your boat got scratched?
You wrote
"The dinghy’s exposed screws had rubbed up against Pachebella's starboard bow, scratching it, "
Your boat got scratched and your response was to call the police.
I would have waited a bit for the dinghy owner and hit him up for cash then continued my trip.
You wrote
"The dinghy’s exposed screws had rubbed up against Pachebella's starboard bow, scratching it, "
Your boat got scratched and your response was to call the police.
I would have waited a bit for the dinghy owner and hit him up for cash then continued my trip.
And folks wonder why I have such disrespect for any law enforcement lately!
Sorry bout' that experience. You would think the cops would have handled it better than that!
I don't go to Key West anymore.
I go as far as No-Name Key for the best Pizza in the world though! And of course looking a the Key Deer is neat!
Jack
Sorry bout' that experience. You would think the cops would have handled it better than that!
I don't go to Key West anymore.
I go as far as No-Name Key for the best Pizza in the world though! And of course looking a the Key Deer is neat!
Jack
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Re: Your boat got scratched?
I think that I would have sucked it up and called it part of the boating experience. In retrospect just how bad are the scratches? In mall parking lots our cars get dinged all the time by accident or carelessness and making a legal case of it doesn't usually solve anything.
I think that I would have sucked it up and called it part of the boating experience. In retrospect just how bad are the scratches? In mall parking lots our cars get dinged all the time by accident or carelessness and making a legal case of it doesn't usually solve anything.
David,
Almost any public "city dock", especially here in Maine, can and will have the rattiest dinghies and jerks who put their outboards up at a dinghy dock to scratch, and even POP, other boats. I avoid public docks at all costs. The only time we come into a dock is for water and fuel if we can help it. You might want to anchor and take the dink to shore now that you know what can happen. So sorry to hear about the ignoramus and the damage...
David,
Your senisitivity is perfectly understandable given all the work you've put into your boat and the pride of ownership you display. Essentially, you took your new car into a really lousy area of the city at midnight on New Years Eve.
Too bad that kind of learning experience does occur for many if not all of us at one time or another.
Like something else, dings happen!
And those places happen all over, not just in Maine and Key West. I'll bet there's a dock just like that on a reservoir in Kansas...
And even a "nice" dinghy dock can be dangerous if the dinghy owners tilt up their engines.
The "difficulty" you have is your boat is so nimble and its size allows it to go places where larger "motherships" wouldn't even try. You'll need to balance that out with using your dinghy as it was intended.
So good luck to you in all your future travels, and fair winds,
Stu
David, maybe I'm the eternal optimist-
There's an old adage that hints that we can't really relax and enjoy our boats 'til after our first case of dock rash- 'cause before that, little dings and scratches can ruin an otherwise great experience.
I certainly don't want to minimize your angst, and frustration, not only with the dinghy owner, but the cops as well. And for most of us, that first door ding on our new car feels huge. But it'll be easier from now on.
And, in keeping with my optimism, here's this- of the hundreds of people that will read your posting, the vast majority would gladly take those same scratches if it meant we could have the rest of your trip with one of our kids. In this world of instant food, instant messaging, dinner in front of the tv with no conversation, both parents working and/or divorced, you gave Kit a gift better than anything she'll ever get from Santa- she got you.. all of you, without interruption or intrusion. Way to go, dad.
cup
ps- thanks for the kind private words...
There's an old adage that hints that we can't really relax and enjoy our boats 'til after our first case of dock rash- 'cause before that, little dings and scratches can ruin an otherwise great experience.
I certainly don't want to minimize your angst, and frustration, not only with the dinghy owner, but the cops as well. And for most of us, that first door ding on our new car feels huge. But it'll be easier from now on.
And, in keeping with my optimism, here's this- of the hundreds of people that will read your posting, the vast majority would gladly take those same scratches if it meant we could have the rest of your trip with one of our kids. In this world of instant food, instant messaging, dinner in front of the tv with no conversation, both parents working and/or divorced, you gave Kit a gift better than anything she'll ever get from Santa- she got you.. all of you, without interruption or intrusion. Way to go, dad.
cup
ps- thanks for the kind private words...
I would suggest putting fenders out even if nobody is next to you when you arrive at the dock, but then again, the fenders could easily disappear. Our boat is moored very close to a public dock and I often leave fenders out. Luckily, they haven't disappeared yet!
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