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Thank You VERY MUCH for the invite Dave..But Right now and for the next few weeks it seems every single day is filled doing something.. The Wife is taking a VACATION???? Really we live in PCF Hun... But she is going up to see 8 adult kids and 8 Grand-kids for 2 weeks..... and suddenly she has plans for my every waking moment hahahaha

DaveB wrote:Dive, we have 3 overhead 12volt fans that keeps us cool during the night.
All hatches are screened in with Velcro and spray the screens with a Deet spray.
No no-seems or others enter cabin.
I do have the fan deet fan clip on that runs inside cabin, also a deet candil.
Reg. screen allows air movement, you just spray that screen so no Seeums enter.
Been doing this past 8 years cruiseing in SW Florida, even in summers.(acctualy since 1966 in Ft Myers).
Dave
Dive, since we are so close, maybe we can do a cruise?
I have about 28 family members for a cookout this weekend. If you want to join us. Give me a call. Cookout is Aug. 23. Sat.
Aliskin King Crab, New England Ipswich Steamers clams, New England Stuffed Cohougs, ETC.
Dave

What's the best time of year to visit Bahia Honda and some of the other nearby islands? I've only been to Duck Key, and really liked the time there, but it was long ago, and I didn't have a boat with me.

I have only been Hotel/Key, hopping , to Scuba Dive down there . I live on the opposite coast and a little north .. I am thinking "best time of year" is all relative.. Winter is cooler but can get a bit "IMHO" cool to cold for camping on a boat BTDT. That said the last two years havent found us with any frost or even temps below 45 at night.. Winter has a lot fewer issues with bugs . Needless to say Holidaysssss..... can get Real Crazy Crowded down here, even where I live. Winter ( Mid Oct= Begining of May) is great sailing down here as there are far fewer "sudden" storms.

Tomfoolery wrote:What's the best time of year to visit Bahia Honda and some of the other nearby islands? I've only been to Duck Key, and really liked the time there, but it was long ago, and I didn't have a boat with me.

Divecoz wrote:I have only been Hotel/Key, hopping , to Scuba Dive down there . I live on the opposite coast and a little north .. I am thinking "best time of year" is all relative.. Winter is cooler but can get a bit "IMHO" cool to cold for camping on a boat BTDT. That said the last two years havent found us with any frost or even temps below 45 at night.. Winter has a lot fewer issues with bugs . Needless to say Holidaysssss..... can get Real Crazy Crowded down here, even where I live. Winter ( Mid Oct= Begining of May) is great sailing down here as there are far fewer "sudden" storms.

Tomfoolery wrote:What's the best time of year to visit Bahia Honda and some of the other nearby islands? I've only been to Duck Key, and really liked the time there, but it was long ago, and I didn't have a boat with me.

That's what I was looking for. Thanks.

Bug density is important (lower is better ), as is lack of crowds (lower shoobie density ). And chilly at night isn't an issue down there, since chilly is relative. It often gets into the mid- to upper-50's here at night in the summer, and the boat is fine. A bit cooler is no problem - that's what blankets are for.

The problem will be, as it always is, getting the admiral to stay on the boat rather than finding a hotel. My best move there is to find a hotel with a dock, drop her off, and head out to an anchorage for the night. We'll both get a good night's sleep that way.

The Bug issue is kind of funny down here.. a little breeze and there are very few bugs flying.. that makes perfect sense. The cooler it is the fewer bugs we have .. that kind of makes sense.. my brother and I live 2 miles apart , his area is far newer, far more "finished" / built up than where I live. Infact on our canal with a possible 25 homes we have 10 homes.. that leaves 15 lots with no seawalls and looking like jungle of plants and trees and Palms.. We should have the most No-see-ems and we dont.. why? I havent a clue.
Camping/Living on your boat.. When its cool down here 45-65 its often because of a storm front of sorts.. so its cool and breezy and a good chance you are getting some rain as well. As I look on Booking.com there are number of hotels that offer docking privileges throughout the Keys..

Anybody wanna meet up in the keys between now and Christmas ?

How about after New Years

"want" and "can" are two distinct words with distinct meanings.

bahama bound wrote:Anybody wanna meet up in the keys between now and Christmas ?

dlandersson wrote:"want" and "can" are two distinct words with distinct meanings.

bahama bound wrote:Anybody wanna meet up in the keys between now and Christmas ?

That's for sure. Bahia Honda is on my bucket list, but it would take a major chunk of vacation time just to trailer down there and back.

bahama bound wrote:Anybody wanna meet up in the keys between now and Christmas ?

Wife and I are in Stuart Florida at the moment having an auto pilot installed. We plan on launching the Nebula either at South Miami Dade or Pennekamp after Thanksgiving. Our current plan is to cruise the Keys until the end of January. Hopefully, within that time frame we could find ourselves at the same Key or marina.
Once we get back on the water I'll post our whereabouts.

Jim and Carol

Daughter broke her foot Saturday.fairly bad break so we are going to take the camper to myrtle beach for a week .then come back and regroup and she should be up for the trip around Dec 20th .we may wait til first of January and head down for 2 or 3 weeks .she is only 9 and Dr. Was worried about her foot movement diving ,swimming and snorkeling....could not believe this happened .we were pulling out tomorrow !still are just heading to myrtle beach for the margaritavile thanksgiving bash ! Finz up !!!!

bahama bound wrote:Anybody wanna meet up in the keys between now and Christmas ?

I was just down there a couple weeks ago. Visited Nest Keys for a couple nights and some marinas in Tavernier and Islamorada too. Great place. Bugs were much worse around Elliott Key the last couple times I went there. They seem to have a big no-see-um problem much worse than other parts of the keys. Too bad cause its a beautiful place.

I am currently parked behind the government center at tarpon basin. Or I may be over at rock harbor in the near future.
Ix

Just spent a week in a ball in Pennekamp. Thoroughly enjoyed our time there. The dockmaster was helpful and friendly. The huge glassbottomed cat, the Spirit of Pennekamp, makes for interesting traveling either in or out of the windy south sound creek channel. Best to know their arrival and departure times and plan accordingly. No bugs and only three other boats in the mooring field. Long dinghy ride into Marina.

jimmac99 wrote:Just spent a week in a ball in Pennekamp. Thoroughly enjoyed our time there. The dockmaster was helpful and friendly. The huge glassbottomed cat, the Spirit of Pennekamp, makes for interesting traveling either in or out of the windy south sound creek channel. Best to know their arrival and departure times and plan accordingly. No bugs and only three other boats in the mooring field. Long dinghy ride into Marina.

was water warm enough to swim ?