Day 11 - Key West, FL (Feb 7, 2011)

Day 11 – Key West, FL - FEB 7, 2011)

Because of construction at the condo we are renting, (jackhammers and dust) we had to get out by 9am the noise was something we could not stand, so we found an open WiFi area at the rear of the Double Tree Resort, which is behind out condo and from the car we have internet access.

In the afternoon I am on my first dive trip for 2011 (and the first one since the Cayman Island trip of February 2010). This is a reef dive about 5km from shore, the water is reasonably clear (a visibility of about 15m) but the temperature is “cool”, it was around18c to 20c, in fact I would say “cold”, even with the 3.5mm full wet suit it was unpleasant after an hour in the water. The reef was only 30ft deep.

The highlight of the dive was seeing a 12ft long and really big nurse shark on the bottom in the sand, as we approached he swam away, not sure if I got the photo, I was just so surprised in the size. What I need is a 3mm dive hood to keep in the temperature of my body, I could feel a loss of core temperature by the end of the dive, that is one reason I did not do a second dive after that.

At 7pm we met up with a very long time friend from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Andy and Dominica Panko and Dominica's sister Roxanne for dinner at La Trattoria Venezia on Duval Street in the hart of Key West. Karen and I have been doing this for several years now, meeting up with friends or neighbors on vacation in different cities – kind of fund. Andy and I have been Presidents of the Canadian Railway Historical Association some years back and we both have model layouts and spend a few weeks (or months) a year roaming around photographing trains. Tonight our interest is focused on the Florida East Coast railroad which reached Key West in 1912 and was abandoned after a hurricane in 1935 – so question is where is or was the train station in Key West – I may have found it – stay tuned.

Ken and Karen in Key West, FL