With our time in Marathon, Florida, coming to a close, we’re soaking up all that time with friends, enjoying plenty of island food, and keeping our days full. Despite gale-force winds blasting through the Florida Keys this past week, we’re doing our best to stay warm and live each day to the fullest!

The previous weekend’s 70-plus degree temperatures didn’t last long. By Monday night, when we joined fellow Loopers for bingo, the winds had picked up significantly, with the HRRR forecast calling for sustained speeds over 30 knots. Luckily, it was nothing we hadn’t experienced before, and we have a lot of confidence in our mooring ball in Boot Key Harbor, especially knowing the moorings are cemented securely into the seabed (see graphic).

We spent the rest of the week getting ahead on work, knowing my dad and step-mom would be joining us for the weekend. They were absolute troopers trading the frigid Iowa weather for less-than-ideal conditions on our boat. We still made the most of our time together, trying out new restaurants and even taking a day trip down to Key West. Everywhere we went, we sampled the key lime pie on the menu and ultimately declared Burdine’s in Marathon our favorite, with Blue Heaven in Key West earning a close second.

I’ve had visiting the Marathon Turtle Hospital on my list ever since we arrived, so what better activity than for a rainy day? The Turtle Hospital is a small non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of endangered sea turtles with the goal of rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing sick and injured sea turtles, while also educating the public. We learned a great deal about the five different varieties of sea turtles that inhabit the Florida Keys, which are the Green, Loggerhead, Leatherback, Hawksbill and Kemp’s Ridley. The hospital had 42 patients undergoing rehabilitation when we visited, with 14 being permanent residents, meaning they will never be strong enough to be released back into the wild. 

If we hadn’t endured enough rain and wind already, Saturday night brought gale-force winds into the mix. Walking the docks in Key West felt a bit eerie, with warning signs posted everywhere as a reminder of what was rolling in. Gale-force winds are defined as sustained winds between 34 and 47 knots, which is exactly what we experienced. Thankfully, we had no issues beyond a restless night of sleep.

This week, we’re keeping a close eye on the weather as we prepare to begin our final trek north toward Stuart, Florida. We’re waiting for the winds to calm and, hopefully, for temperatures to warm up a bit. Wish us luck, and cheers to continuing this adventure!