Tuesday February 18th – In addition to a very early wake up and departure, we also had a very loooong day of travel to reach Marathon. We went fast a few times, but it was a little difficult to go fast and avoid the long lines of Crab Pot Buoys. Loopers just say crab pots when really it’s the small, round buoy that you are trying to avoid. Sometimes they are in long lines and you can manage to travel in between them. Other times, the buoys are scattered willy, nilly and it’s like playing dodge ball to avoid them. In addition, they aren’t very big when they’re floating on the water and trying to spot them. I think they are bigger than a soft ball but smaller than a basketball. And some colors blend in with the water and you don’t see them until you are almost upon them. Lines are attached to the buoys which are attached to the Crab Pots which lay on the ocean floor.
We arrived in Marathon around 4:00 pm and stayed at the Marlin Bay Marina. Pete and I walked to the Keys Fisheries for dinner and had a yummy meal with a Smoked Fish Pate’, Fish Tacos, and a Mango Shrimp Dish. Wednesday we got settled in and worked on cleaning up the boat and preparing for Cyrissa and Ryan to arrive. We were so excited to have them visit and especially for Ris to see the boat in person. We went back to Keys Fisheries for dinner- an easy and quick walk from the marina. The next morning we walked to The Stuffed Pig! LOL It was quite a popular and busy place and we had a very leisurely breakfast. Ris had wanted to go for a boat ride, but the weather was starting to kick up and it was getting too windy and rough so we decided to try another day. Thursday was spent out by the pool and enjoying the time with both kids. We went to a really nice restaurant that night called the Butterfly Cafe’.
Thursday night we all went to bed. Some of us slept really well – maybe Ris?! The wind was picking up more and Pete and Ryan went outside and straightened and tightened some of the lines to keep the boat secured. We were in the Outer Basin of the marina and the second from the last slip. We were really getting the brunt of the winds and the waves as we were so close to the inlet and there wasn’t a lot of land to buffer the wind. Back to bed the boys went, but not for long. Pete was having some stomach issues and pain. It was a rough night for him, Ryan who slept on the couch and Cheri could hear the commotion.
Friday morning Pete was really suffering and we went to the Marathon ER. They did the usual check-in routines and gave him a shot of morphine to help with the pain. It only helped very temporarily. A second shot was administered and it barely touched his pain. Finally they wheeled him in for a CT Scan. The doctor came in after that and reported that Pete had a KIDNEY STONE the size of Mt. Everest! And that he was going to be taken to MIAMI 2 1/2 hours away to be treated. The ambulance was arriving shortly and no he could not go back to the boat to pick up anything. We were both in shock to say the least and had not ever expected anything like this. As Ris said, “I never expected that to be on my Bingo Card!” LOL
Pete was taken to Miami 2 1/2 hours away for his procedure. He was admitted Friday afternoon and Saturday morning they wheeled him in to laser the stone. Pete has had kidney stones twice before so a friend of ours dubbed this one – Sly and The Family Stone! We had hoped to have him released later in the day, but that was not to be for a few minor medical reasons. Since it was such a long ride up to Miami and back, we decided I would just stay in Marathon with the kids. What a blessing to have both kids with me! They both took care of me and made sure that I was okay. They both entertained me with pictures I can’t show, took me to dinner, and totally kept me from falling apart. Cyrissa hung out at the pool and made friends with everyone. Ryan and I played a few games: Corn Hole, Connect Four, and a Table top Curling like game. Afterwards we joined Ris and her new found friends at the pool. Dinner out Friday and Saturday night. Unfortunately, Cyrissa was leaving Sunday, so she didn’t get to see Pete again or spend much time with him. But she drove Ryan and I to Enterprise to pick up a car and then she headed to the Miami Airport while Ryan and I headed to the Miami Hospital to pick up Pete. Welcome Back Pete!
Monday and Tuesday were spent relaxing and recuperating. Pete said he felt pretty good so we all drove to Key West on Wednesday to explore. The drive from Marathon to Key West is a two lane road until you reach the town. By the time we arrived, found a parking garage, dealt with Pete’s lens that popped out, it was time for lunch. After lunch we headed to Hemingway’s home and museum. Hemingway is known for being a very gifted writer. We also learned he was quite an eccentric man who loved woman and had 4 wives. Hemingway Info: he drove an ambulance during the war, he was a war correspondent, he had multiple concussions, he was an avid fisherman and won most of his fishing contests, he was Bi-Polar and died young. The Hemingway House was built with his second wife and the help of her very generous Uncle Gus. The house still has cats with the polydactyl trait and gene living at the house. They can have up to 6 toes. We headed to the furthest point south for the usual tourist picture. Sunset and drinks at a Tiki Bar and dinner finished the fun day off before the long drive back.
On Thursday, the marina moved us from the Outer Basin to a great spot in the Inner Basin. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying Ry’s last day with us. Friday we took him halfway to Miami and he took an Uber the rest of the way.
That night we headed to Tranquility Bay to listen to a friend’s husband sing. Saturday a few looper friends came into the marina and we were able to meet with them and catch up on their travels. Since we had an awesome spot for a sunset view, we invited a few of the loopers to join us for Docktails the following day. We had hoped people would come. I think it’s like – If you invite them, they will come! LOL We had a great turnout and interesting enough,over 3/4 of them were Gold Loopers!
The rest of the week was spent relaxing at the pool, observing wildlife at the pool, going to dinner, celebrating Pete’s birthday, and spending time with our new looper friends. And we had fun with Amanda, The Concierge who took great care of us the whole time. We even caught up with a couple from our first year of looping who had completed the loop and gotten their Gold Burgee. They were back in Marathon visiting and happened to come over to the marina We were graced with 2 Manatees right under our boat one morning! Our one week at Marlin Bay Resort and Marina in The Florida Keys had turned into 18 days in Paradise!
