Another Week in Paradise

Just another week in paradise. Hard to believe we’ve been in the Keys for 6 weeks already! Last week began much as the previous one ended, on the beach at Bahia Honda. Tim took advantage of another windy day to do some more kite flying, while I relaxed under the umbrella with a book.

Perfect beach day

The rest of the week we did our normal thing – work during the day followed by some afternoon exploration. Including a few sunset strolls…

Sunset over the water never gets old

and a trip up to the old Bahia Honda Bridge.

The old Bahia Honda Bridge

This was first a railroad bridge, but after the railroad was shut down someone had the genius idea to build a car bridge right on top. I usually find bridges more thrilling than scary, but this is one I might have hesitated to drive over. Look how narrow it is! The new bridge (to the right) was built in the mid 70s, but this one still stands as a reminder of what once was. There’s only a small section safe enough for pedestrians to walk on.

Not sure I would want to drive up there!

Everyday we explored a different part of the park, from the beach to the butterfly trail, and even under the US 1 bridge where someone painted a funny fishy mural.

Around Bahia Honda

Thursday was my dad’s birthday and we went out to dinner at the Square Grouper. This is one of those restaurants that multiple people recommended, and even though we had to wait nearly 45 minutes for a table (they don’t take reservations and are nearly alway busy), it was worth it. The food is not fancy, but very well done with a definite Keys twist. My dad and I both had tasty, innovative salads with super fresh red snapper on top, and Tim went with the chipotle pork with Cuban mac n’ cheese. We also had an appetizer of coconut shrimp that I passed on (not a shrimp fan), but it was reported to be very good.

By the way, a “Square Grouper” is not a real fish, but rather the nickname for the infamous bales of pot that were thrown overboard or out of airplanes in the 70s as they were smuggled into the U.S. The restaurant menu describes this now nearly extinct “fish” as,
One of the most commercially important and prized groupers of the Florida Keys waters. It’s not very wary and is often caught by hand and just hauled into the boat in this manner. It is a popular sport fish and often occurs in accessible waters. Consequently, the Square Grouper has declined in number and is now protected in the Florida Keys. Often identified by the common Latin names of Potus, Weedus, Dopus, Gonjus, Cannibus, Marijuanabus, this prized fish often brought up to $25,000 per square!

The Square Grouper embraces the origin of their name

On Friday we moved back to my dad’s house for a few days. I finished up the new cushions for the kitchen dinette, stocked up with fresh produce at the flea market, and we got reacquainted with the Key Deer.

Fresh produce, new cushion, cute deer

On Sunday Tim spent a few hours working on the boat motor so we could take the small boat out for a little spin around the islands. Perfect day to be on the water.

Can we stay out here forever?

In the afternoon we drove an hour up the road to Long Key State Park for another week of ocean side camping.

Crossing the 7 Mile Bridge

As you can see life in paradise is pretty rough :)