December 19, 2014 - Another beautiful day in paradise!

We are enjoying our time in Marathon, in spite of the fact that we live attached to a mooring ball and have to take the dinghy to the dinghy dock to access land, laundry, showers, etc. It is a much different experience, as we don't have the close contact with our neighbors like we do in a marina slip. However, our nearest neighbor, Victor, came and introduced himself. We are planning to go out to dinner with him tonight after a 4:30 meet and greet at marina's tiki hut.

Over the past few days we have kept very busy. The first day we took a long bike ride to check out the slip arrangements while we're gone home for the holiday. We also went to the rental office to verify our living arrangements in the canal-side house where we will be staying with Bev & Gordon from January 1-February 1. Both the marina and the rental house are in Key Colony Beach, which is an incorporated community within Marathon.

Yesterday we took the dinghy down Sister Creek and out to the Atlantic to a gorgeous beach - Sombrero Beach and spent the afternoon soaking up the sun. Most other days we have gotten on our bikes and explored the area.

We will be here until Sunday, then will move the boat to Key Colony Beach Marina for the time we'll be in Michigan.

Sneaking through the mooring field to our boat

Sister Creek, the waterway that we took in our dinghy to Sombrero Beach.  Caught a glimpse of a manatee on the way.

Sister Creek, almost to the Atlantic

Intracoastal markers straight ahead, marking the entrance to the Atlantic

Multi-million dollar homes along Sister Creek. I picked one out that Jim could get me for Christmas but he said "not this year, maybe next." :)   :)

In some spots, rocky shores, and white sand on others.

Sombrero Beach...white sandy shore. Great spot to soak up the sun and get caught up on reading.

Landed ashore, ready to put our toes in the water and fannies in the sand!

Took a short dinghy ride out to this island that is occupied by a lone house. As you can see, crab pots along this shore also!

Quite the pad and VERY private! Wouldn't want to be here in a hurricane, though.

Just a small fraction of the mooring field. Can't possibly capture the immensity of it.

Here is Connie working hard at directing me where to go in the dingy.  

We still adore our little "home away from home". It works for us! This was taken as we returned in our dingy from the Sombrero Beach on the Atlantic side of the keys.