Wind and waves again in the Keys!

We were planning on leaving Marathon tomorrow, but the wind is running 25 to 35 mph here in the marina and gale force gusts out in the Atlantic. Waves beyond the reef are 7 to 10 ft. and forecast for 4 ft. inside the reef (called "Hawk Channel". Based on previous forecasts where waves were supposed to be 2 ft. inside the reef but were actually 3 to 4 ft. when we came up here from Key West, I'd say that waves are 4 to 6 ft. right now. So, we extended our rental car and we'll stay here for a couple more days and see how it goes. Today we drove to Key West to a really good bakery to get another loaf of mango bread. We bought a couple others to freeze too. We also drove up to Long Key to find out about Lignum Vitae key, a nature preserve key over on the Gulf side. It turned out to be a dud. Almost nobody knows about it or how to get there, the park service boat to the key has been discontinued as has the regular service commercial boat that used to take people to the key for park service tours. Now you can only get there by private boat or by special charter. We were thinking about mooring there in Nonchalance, but there is no place to take Daisy nearby. So we'll probably stay on the ocean side and go up to Key Largo as soon as weather permits.

Therefore, we're going to be heading up to Key Largo next and staying at or near John Pennecamp state park, which has a really nice coral reef for diving and snorkeling. Maybe I can get Kathy to come and snorkel while I dive the reef. The park service has a nice, big dive boat with many snorklers and divers together, and we brought her snorkel gear and wetsuit.

Oh, well....at least we have a slip with a great view and mango bread to warm up for breakfast tomorrow morning.