Keys Boondoggle

[Capt. Bob]

My family and I spent the last week in July with friends down in the Keys (Plantation/Islamorada).

My friends and I have been lobster diving this area since the 70s and last visited here in 99, prior to my move to Tallahassee. I was down in 07 but that wasn't with the whole gang. Coupling that with my one year anniversary of my "summer vacation" in Tampa made this gathering very special.

Background:
My buds and I have dived the Keys since we were too young to remember. It's what you do when you grow up in South Dade County. It's hard for me to believe but I had not missed a lobster season (mini or regular) between 1969 -1999. Basically a right of passage that morphed into an obsession. With 12 years passed since our last true gathering, it was quite humbling to realize how time has robbed us of our abilities and weakened the obsession. We can still perform on shore but we seem to "retire" much earlier than I once remember. :(

That stated:

Waypoint #1 (for this trip anyway)


Approach from the canal (yellow house behind sailboat)


Day before Mini Season (faint Key on left is destination)


"Honestly Officer this is all we caught. We just came back for more beer"


Preparing dinner


Old Men and the Sea


Just another day in Paradise (booze cruise)


Heading home (my wife's so immature )

[gran398]

Beautiful!!

That looks like a great time, nice home too!

Thanks for sharing

[MarshMarlowe196]

Hmmm... All I saw was pretty pictures of a good time, and a bunch of very capable guys in a nice boat  

Was a destination on this trip one of the waypoints you needed from me?  

Thanks for sharing  :)

[seabob4]

Awesome, CB!  And awesome bugs!!    

[pete]

gotta love the keys

[Capt. Bob]

Was a destination on this trip one of the waypoints you needed from me?  

As a matter of fact, yes. We visited 3 of the 4 you retrieved. The Atlantic side # produced chum from several members while "scouting" so we used the Bayside group.
Great Karma Jessie.

Thanks again.

[GoneFission]

CB - thanks for the pics!  Glad to see you out there, bro!

[RickK]

Man you are fit and trim now  
Knocking the ring rust off is a good thing - glad you had a great time - you (and all of us) need more of those good times.

I'm heading to lake Okeechobee through the caloosahatchee waterway in the morning - 52 miles each way after a 50 mile tow. It'll be a little 1 day vacation that'll affect the soul in a great way.

[flounderpounder225]

Very nice bugs, reminds me of my days growing up in Ft Pierce, we never missed a mini season back then, headed to Marathon and rented houses on the canals for cheap when divided up and cooked em fresh from then water....Thats the CHIT baby...
Marc

[gran398]

Straight up...I'm happily jealous

I wanna go... :(

But the empirical question...How does a guy from SC have specific fishing holes in the keys....good holes that the locals had no previous knowledge of, but have faith in?

Don't know...but Jess, good job

[Circle Hooked]

Looks like you had a great time down there,i'm headed down Sunday myself,been about ten years since my boat saw the keys,she can't wait.

Rick that trip sounds like fun but i don't think you could have picked a hotter time for that run.

[MarshMarlowe196]

But the empirical question...How does a guy from SC have specific fishing holes in the keys....good holes that the locals had no previous knowledge of, but have faith in?

Don't know...but Jess, good job

I dived for lobsters in a past life I lived in the Keys, found some real good spots, then uploaded those spots into Bob's old GPS that now dominates my console in this life.  I then graciously emailed him the waypoints. That's just the kind of guy I am.  :pl:

This GPS isn't just what the cutting edge of navigation technology was in 2004, its also a Good Karma machine.  I used the unit to find the island where I proposed to my fiance'.  Good stuff all around.  

[seabob4]

I gotta story about my old inspector at Lockheed-Martin that came up to his boat and tossed his bag with 18 undersized into his boat...with an FMP officer standing...in his boat...      

[gran398]

Excellent, all the way around...again...you gotta be pleased Jess. Nothing like putting good buddies on great spots...really just as good as being there. Better really...except for the lobster tails in drawn butter

Rick, that's gonna be a fun run. First time I fished out of Clewiston...couldn't believe my eyes to see ICW markers...then the guide explained. Pretty darn neat.

SB...those Wildlife guys have all the fun :flower:

[RickK]

Looks like you had a great time down there,i'm headed down Sunday myself,been about ten years since my boat saw the keys,she can't wait.

Rick that trip sounds like fun but i don't think you could have picked a hotter time for that run.

CB those bugs look tasty.

Hope you have a good trip Scott.

Yeah it's going to be a smoker on the ditch run.  The boat club's rear admiral picked these dates - he's never been I guess. I called Roland Martins yesterday and the gal said there is not one boat there - and they have a thousand feet of dock space.  Last time I went was in the early spring and it was packed. That tells you how hot it's going to be when we get there. Hey - got the little ac unit in the boat ready to go.  The cabin will be the plot of paradise once we plug in the extention cord at the marina.

CB - not derailing here.