Florida Keys

what would be one of the best places in the world to own a sailboat? If I could take a guess off the top of my head, I would go with California or the Florida Keys. Year round sun, great weather, and a billion miles of ocean to play in. I have been to the keys, wonderful place. Stayed a night at a rip off joint called the Hilton (love Paris Hilton's t&a, as a photographer) on the beach at key west. Somehow we missed the farther most point on the island. Dead tired from all the driving.

If I had to pick a spot to live, work, and own a sailboat, the keys would seem to be a dream come true.

Next month on our trip to southern California to pick up the 32 ketch, we want to go to the ocean and maybe charter a sailboat and go out for a spin. Maybe a ferry ride to an outlying island like Catalina. A sailboat ride that far may not be in out time schedule.

To all of you that live on big water in tropical places, count your blessings, from someone in Nebraska that is very aware of what you have that I do not.

Gary,

If I had a choice as to where I would like to live on a sailboat, I would pick the British Virgin Islands. My wife and I just spent two weeks sailing there visiting seven of the many islands. We chartered a 2011 36' Bavaria sloop with another couple and had a great time sailing, snorkeling and drinking a local rum drink called "Painkiller"

We hope to go back next year and charter a 50 foot Bavaria.

If I can figure out to post pictures on this site, I would post some of the pictures of our trip.

Nick

PS We currently own a Clipper 21 that will be in the water in the next couple of days.

Welcome!

To post images, watch the videos at the first section on the main page.

I must say having lived in Key Largo for more than three months now, that it is indeed a great place to live. The weather has been fantastic. Of coarse the locals keep telling us that summer is coming and it will anihalate us w/ heat and humidity. I don't discount that it will be all that but checking the almanac on random summer days the temp/humidity is even to just a few points higher than we are used to. And the work I do now is no where near as hard as I was used to in WI. Plus there is always a breeze here. Sure makes the sailing awesome.
I'm sure you know that paradise has a price. Grocery food is half again as much as back home, some items twice as much. Housing is too. We rent a one bedroom apt for the same money as our acreage, log home, crick in the yard, nestled in the hills surrounded by thousands of acres of public land, closest neighbor 3/4 mile. Here we can hear hiway 1, 24-7, neighbors all around. Fuel is about the same. Eating out can be reasonable if you know where to go.

Public access to the water is of coarse a premium. If you trailer a boat you can expect to pay $10 to launch and $10 to park per day. Marinas are reasonable in my opinion though and you can live dockside for 4-6 hundred month. In this area you can stay on the hook free and pay a marina for dingy dock, parking, showers, trash and mail for about $150.
We have Seaweed on the hook and have access to a free dingy dock and parking. There is a pump out boat for $5 a shot. No other services but it is very secure. This is an exceptional location and I'm not going to shout it. If however one of the members here are coming this way I will of coarse share details.

It really is easy to live on the water here. Bayside is awesome and so is oceanside. Snorkling, diving, fishing, shrimping, crabing, lobster. Yep we have burned out working all week and playing all weekend and a few week nights. Have to pace yourself. We are used to being frozen all winter so we tried to grab everyday like we may never get another. We are finally feeling ok w/ sleeping till 0700 on the weekends. We are up at 0300 all week, working 12s.

And as for work, there are not much for job opportunities but like anywhere those who want to work, find work. Tourism in winter helps but doesn't typically pay much unless your an owner. And if you are living here you deal w/ the extra people/traffic. We went to Key West between X-mas and New Years. It was so packed that when we had to stop at a light it was the famous "Mile 0". I snapped a pic out the window and we got the hell out of town. We try to be off the hiway by 10 or 11am on the weekends.

OK sorry for the long review, Gary brought it up, I'm living it. We love it here. Key Largo is awesome as far as provisions and services. Publix, Win Dixie, K-mart, West Marine, Mother Ocean (nautical consignment), mail service, countless boat dealers, Craigslist is awesome in the keys, countless great restaurants, low- low crime, etc, etc.

First, that was a great write up and a great read. second, I'm pissed! Pissed because you painted such a great picture of Key Largo that I am jealous! A cabin and Key Largo? Wow, man! Count your blessings, brother! Cool and good for you. I'm blessed, too, in different ways...just none of which come to me at the moment following my reading your post. :-) Love reading your posts!

From: Mark in sunny AZ where it was snowing in the Phx metro area just 12 days ago and this Friday is forecast at 91. Clint Black sings "Summer's Coming" comes to mind.

Hi All,

Great read, now I wanna move to Florida:-)

I must say that living in British Columbia can be pretty fun too,

if one doesn`t mind the rain and the cold.

We have hundreds of islands to explore, coves, bays, inlets, well protected waters, good fishing and crabing.

The only drawback is the cold water.

Cheers