Going on Vacation to Key West

[John W]

God I hate that place. All there really is to there is get drunk or waste money on excursions. I live pretty far south in Florida but it is still a pretty long drive with most of it on two lane highway. Unfortunately I don't drink much but the wife wants this so I will do it.

Most people think of Key West as being a beautiful desert Island but the truth is that it is just a big hunk of coral with a bunch of freaky people. Seems like every time I go there something bad happens. Wife rented a scooter and was hit by a car as she drove out of the scooter place. My brother had his bachelor party there, had a lil too much to drink and hopped on his scooter and wrecked it. The person in the car behind him was the one who owned the scooter shop he rented from

Maybe this time will be different. Try to have a positive attitude.

 

[Bob Haller]

most surprising to me was no sandy beaches. highlights glass bottom boat ride. The overseas highway is beautiful ride.

but I prefer disney!

 

[Eva Greczkowski]

Here's wishing you have a great time You deserve it. And Kudos to you for doing what your wife wants! (as if you had a choice! )

 

[nsaspook]

God I hate that place. All there really is to there is get drunk or waste money on excursions. I live pretty far south in Florida but it is still a pretty long drive with most of it on two lane highway. Unfortunately I don't drink much but the wife wants this so I will do it.

Most people think of Key West as being a beautiful desert Island but the truth is that it is just a big hunk of coral with a bunch of freaky people. Seems like every time I go there something bad happens. Wife rented a scooter and was hit by a car as she drove out of the scooter place. My brother had his bachelor party there, had a lil too much to drink and hopped on his scooter and wrecked it. The person in the car behind him was the one who owned the scooter shop he rented from

Maybe this time will be different. Try to have a positive attitude.

Not much has changed there since the 1970's (I spent 2 years at Boca Chica). Yesterday's Boca Chica Getting drunk was pretty much the Conch Republic pass time. We had some nice beaches at the receiver site. Old Key West

Station patch.

 

[TheForce]

Yes, Key West is not for beach combers. It is definitly for the artsy crowd or those wishing to go deep sea fishing, and scuba diving. In fact even scuba diving is better in the middle keys.

There are no sandy beaches in the Keys. You want the best sandy beaches in Florida go to Panama City. When you get there you will say, Damn, Don was right this is the best beach I have ever seen, ... in the world! But back to the Keys. If you go there do not go in a motorhome, go in a small car. The streets are very narrow and the traffic is awful. Get a parking space just east of town and then go on a walking tour of the town. Lots of taverns to sit and get drunk, lots of little shops to look as local art.

Fl Keys are mostly for fishermen and scuba divers. For them it is the best in the nation. If you have your own boat and know someone like me who knows the good spots, it is even better. The local tour dive boats go to only the tourist spots. I know places like a 200 ft' wall dive with sponge you can sit 3 divers in side it is so big. Lobster 5-7 pounds, Grouper 50-100 pounds. But you have to dive deep for these sights and in strong current. Not for the beginning diver. All diving is from boats as the reefs are anywhere from 4 to 12 miles south of land in the keys.

 

[bhelms]

I was there once for the diving, along with my daughter. We wanted to make a tour of the keys heading north, so we started in KW for a couple of days. Next we went to Islamorada for a couple of dives. IIRC, those were better than the KW dives as Don alluded, but there was nothing else to do on that island. We headed back to KW to finish the week because we liked it so much. Lotsa neat walkabout stuff to do. You gotta hit Buffet's place at least once, see the "Southermost Point" marker, etc. I also highly recommend Mel Fisher's museum that contains a lot of artifacts from the Nostra Senora de Atocha shipwreck salvage that made him famous. We spent several hours there as well. Then there are those sunsets.....>> sigh <<....

 

[bnaivar]

The only time I was there was on a one day stop of a cruise shop. Talk about a whirlwind tour. I did a pub crawl while the wife went shopping.

 

[nsaspook]

Not much has changed there since the 1970's (I spent 2 years at Boca Chica). Yesterday's Boca Chica Getting drunk was pretty much the Conch Republic pass time. We had some nice beaches at the receiver site. Old Key West

Station patch.

Some places with great beaches and nice diving.

 

[ripnbigc]

I was there in the 70's also. It was great for diving and partying, of course I was alot younger then. Navy pay wasn't that great, spearfished, lobstered and ate coconuts. Times were alot different then. Haven't been back since, but would like to see it again. Do your best to have a good time.

 

[Van]

This is funny really to go on vacation to Florida when you live in Florida, hehehe but hey if it makes the wife happy to see some parrot heads then all the best to you John.

 

[TheForce]

bhelms- Thanks for the reminder about Mel's Museum. IHow could I forget that?

I first met mel in the early 70's when he was making the tour trying to get funding. This was in Rochester, NY There we spoke about meta detectors and methods of search patterns. We hit it off. In the 80's when I went to Key West for the first time I saw him and yelled a hello, and he came over and remembered our chat in Rochester some 10 years earlier. He gave my wife and I a personal tour of the Museum. It was great!
IN thoise early days divers were a rare breed, today that would not have happened.

 

[nsaspook]

I was there in the 70's also. It was great for diving and partying, of course I was alot younger then. Navy pay wasn't that great, spearfished, lobstered and ate coconuts. Times were alot different then. Haven't been back since, but would like to see it again. Do your best to have a good time.

I miss watching those birds fly.

Fellow bikers BananAlbumI
I did a lot of Motorcycle riding down there. Remember "Bobs used motorcycle parts" I still have a tee-shirt from there somewhere. When I left Key West I rode cross-country to San Diego, my next duty station. HURRICANE FREDERIC was right on my tail. Hurricane Frederic 1979

 

[ripnbigc]

I miss watching those birds fly.

Fellow bikers BananAlbumI
I did a lot of Motorcycle riding down there. Remember "Bobs used motorcycle parts" I still have a tee-shirt from there somewhere. When I left Key West I rode cross-country to San Diego, my next duty station. HURRICANE FREDERIC was right on my tail. Hurricane Frederic 1979

Hell yeah I remember Bob's. I bought a frame from him, wish I still had the tshirt "I got a piece a Bob's Used Motorcycle Parts". For almost three years my motorcycle was my only transportation, well except from my buddies cars. A bike was the best way to get around all the snowbirds in their RV's. I was there when they decommisioned the last squadron of A5s. Man they sounded awesome. Of course, I loved the F4s I worked on at the time. Key West, what a trip. I still remember the first time I saw a guy walking down the street in Hot Pants. Hell, now no one would even bat an eye.

 

[bhelms]

bhelms- Thanks for the reminder about Mel's Museum. IHow could I forget that?

I first met mel in the early 70's when he was making the tour trying to get funding. This was in Rochester, NY There we spoke about meta detectors and methods of search patterns. We hit it off. In the 80's when I went to Key West for the first time I saw him and yelled a hello, and he came over and remembered our chat in Rochester some 10 years earlier. He gave my wife and I a personal tour of the Museum. It was great!
IN thoise early days divers were a rare breed, today that would not have happened.

Yeah - A breed apart I guess. What has the family done after Mel passed? Any more awesome salvages?

 

[TheForce]

bhelms- Don't know. Out of touch with it all myself since I retired from all diving in '93 except what I catch on TV with other treasure hunters. Most today seem to be far more science driven than instinct and salvage value as was Mel.

 

[bhelms]

I'm guessing the laws have changed quite a bit as well. Mel fought the state of FL for years IIRC,to get the lion's share of the loot and he finally won, but not until he almost exhausted all his resources. I'll bet the laws have changed to ensure that the authorities get a bigger cut now...