WFS,Momo and I settled into our blissful camping spot at Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park... Our camping neighbors had a little dog named Sam, so, immediately Momo had a friend. Good omen. The first day was spent lolling about, walking, reading and resting after three days on the road. Day two: adventure calling. We packed a snack, the tiny dog, towels and started down the overseas highway toward KEY West. Mind you, we were NOT heading for Key West....we drove about 50 miles to the small village of Marathon. My info said Marathon had a dog friendly beach. Momo loves the beach. So do I. WFS prefers a shady palm tree surrounded by cement but for his BFF,he makes an exception. We found a great spot, spread our towels and arranged our snack... Immediately( literally from out of the blue) a huge black cloud lurked over the horizon. In less than 5 minutes we were pelted by huge raindrops. WFS gathered Momo & I gathered the grub. We dashed to the shelter, arriving soaked to the bone. We huddled with other beach goers & a few vagrants until the cloud moved out to sea. The three of us returned to the damp sand to daydream the afternoon away. Food is always on my mind but finding a market(other than Publixs) is a daunting task on this tiny spit of land. On our way back from Sombrero Beach I noticed a sign saying: Fine wines & gourmet foods. 'twas a lark but WFS turned around and zoomed me back. I found butternut squash pasta, fresh greens & a very nice Sauvignon Blanc ... A short stop at Publixs yielded fresh sage & heavy cream. Dinner by firelight was divine.
Day three: we awoke early, what time is it, anyway? We took a long walk through the hammock on the tamarind trail. Momo loves the sand, sea and woodsy trails. We think it is pretty cool, too. Later we boarded a big boat, (full of tourists) and headed out to sea, searching for the Coral Reef. These guys know the way, they go there three times a day, 365 days a year... WFS is a seafaring soul & I might have been a mermaid~~ As tour boats go, this one was very professionally managed and had a terrific staff. Seeing the coral reef through a big opening in the floor of a boat as it chugs and sways is simply not my idea of viewing options. I always feel as if the creatures of the sea are looking up at feet, cameras and brightly colorful garbs thinking, "goodness, Maude, who brought the carnival to town?" Alas,I prefer my nature viewing a little less organized. The reef is an awesome sight but I returned to the deck to watch the blue horizon and the expert aerobatics of the sea birds following the tour boats.
Day four: Long bike ride with WFS & MOMO.. Kayaking through the mangroves in lazy, dappled afternoon light. A swim in the sea, a long hot shower and dinner in a nondescript little Cuban Cafe located in a strip center. The parking lot was filled with Latinos. Good omen. We had a fine dinner of fish tacos, plantain rellenos, beer and caffe leche.. Proving ,yet again, the old adage: you can't judge a book by the cover or a restaurant by the glitter. A moonlight walk with Momo before bed made the perfect combination for my dream day.
We shook out of bed today at 6:30a, packed it in and headed north on the Florida Turnpike for Anastasia State Park for a night of camping on the beach under a near full moon.
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