Cruising the Florida Keys: Part One

Lawrie and Richard Grierson - set to cast off in Miami

Yes, I know, we usually write about living on Isla Mujeres in Mexico. 

However, right now we are aboard a 56-foot Carver yacht, slowly cruising through the Florida Keys with family members.  It’s another type of paradise.

A few years ago on our first, and very short visit, to the Keys we drove from Fort Lauderdale south to Key West.  It was an interesting but extremely long day driving to Key West and back again to our hotel in Fort Lauderdale, returning around eleven at night.  At first impression the Florida Keys from the highway route appears to be a long line of restaurants, gift stores, strip malls and forty-two bridges connecting the forty-three inhabited islands.  

Linda Grierson and Lynda in Key Largo

Our second time around, cruising in a yacht, we were able to enjoy more of the 1700 verdant islands that compose the Florida Keys archipelago.

Our first port of call, quirky Key Largo, was the background location for the 1948 movie starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and Edward G. Robinson. (At this point of few of our readers will say: Who?  No worries. The movie was before your time!)  

The town of Key Largo originally had the rather unimaginative name of Rock Harbor.  In 1952 after the film's success, pressure from local businesses resulted in a name change to Key Largo. 

Pilot House Marina in Key Largo

Threading our way through narrow waterways we slowly eased into our berth at the Pilot House Marina.  

It was a fun placed to tie-up for two nights with the nearby Tiki Bar Restaurant a good place to enjoy dinner and live music.  

Walking up and down the streets that dead-end at the navigation canals gave us a good overview for this fishing-based community.  Many homes have work boats docked in front of the house.  

Lobster traps (pots) and buoys

There were several areas – yards - stacked high with heavy wooden lobster traps, a few nets, colourful buoys, and anchor odds and ends.  Each fishing company has their own colour of buoys to identify their traps. 

In the shallow waters between the reef and the mainland are thousands of buoys, marking the locations of the lobster traps.  

All those lobsters …. waiting to be eaten!

Entrance to Hawks Cay Marina & Resort

Our next stop was Hawks Cay Marina on Duck Cay.  It’s a beautiful location with one major drawback.  The entrance!  The channel is narrow, with a swift current, and features a jagged pile of rocks at the confluence of two waterways.  A sharp turn to starboard is required to enter the passage that leads to Hawks Cay Marina.  

Cruising along the front of the resort - past swimming pools, restaurants and bars - we finally reached the berth designated for our boat.  At this point the water was very shallow even at high tide, with our props kicking up sand and weeds as we docked the boat.

   

Lawrie cruising around Hawks Cay

Hawks Cay is beautiful, if somewhat constricted between the highway and the ocean.  We arrived at the beginning of the Thanksgiving weekend and the resort hummed with families; children everywhere.  The employees do a great job entertaining the young ones with cardboard boat races, crafts, and games.

Early one morning at Hawks Cay I walked up to Highway #1 and chatted with a couple who were fishing off one of the many highway bridges. 

Locals fishing off the bridge at Hawks Cay

“How far to Marathon?”  I inquired, thinking I might walk south to the next community on the map.  

The man looked at my sandals and said: “An hour, or two, in those shoes.  Or if you were had real shoes it would be an hour.”  

Okay, then.  Guess I’ll go back to the boat instead.

Coming into the harbour at Key West 

The next morning we headed out to Key West, planning to spend at least three nights at the Galleon Marina.  As we slowly cruised into the harbour at Key West we encountered a cruise ship, several working boats, sailing boats, plus dozens of tour boats.  Lit by Christmas decorations the harbour is active and interesting with marine traffic coming and going all day and into the early evening.  We enjoy people watching in an active location; there is always so much to look at.

One of the grand old houses in Key West

Our first week in the paradise of the Florida Keys is done.  We are looking forward to the second week of adventures!

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

"Get your butt over here!"

Vivian, chef and owner of Qubano

"Get your butt over here! I need help."

Vivian Reynaldo, the chef and owner of an Isla landmark - Qubano Restaurant - chuckles while recounting her first weeks in the restaurant business five years ago.  She didn't have a clue how to cook pork - one of the main meat ingredients in Cuban foods.  Vivian paid the airfare for a Miami friend to come to Isla, to teach her. 

She laughs: "I'm Jewish.  How would I know how to cook pork?" 

Born in Cuba to a Romanian mother, and a Hungarian father she left her birthplace in early 1961 - sent to the safety of her Aunt Fritzi's home in Brooklyn New York. 

This was the year that Vivian discovered snow, the biggest snow storm of the century - 100 inches!  Later, after the unsuccessful attempt by United States backed Cuban exiles to overthrow the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro during the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Vivian's entire family fled to Brooklyn. 

 Vivian's first excursion to Isla Mujeres was in 1970, with her husband, when getting here was an adventure on its own.  The first paved road linking Merida to Puerto Juarez was built in 1954, allowing limited access to the area. 

The first location of Qubano Restaurant on Isla

Travelers were faced with a long arduous bus from Merida to Puerto Juarez, then a ride on the Sultana del Mar the original and, very slow, passenger boat. 

The streets of the island were carved into the sand.  Sand that drifted with the wind, piling up against buildings, causing havoc for the rare vehicle on the island. 


The new location on Hidalgo Avenue

The main area of habitation on Isla Mujeres was a sleepy little fishing village, with no amenities and couple of hundred permanent residents. 

She fell in love with the island, returning often and in 1978 with two young children, aged three and five, in tow.  Ten years ago she finally built a permanent home on the island. 

"Why," I asked, "did you open a restaurant?" 

"Because my friends liked my food.  They kept telling me - you should open a restaurant. 

So I did."   

Vivian's first location was on the Abasolo Street in Centro.  A cozy, colourful, little place that could squeeze about a dozen patrons inside. 

A few months ago she doubled the seating capacity - moving to a new location across from Angelos Steak House on Hidalgo Avenue.  It is just as cozy, warm, and colourful. 

And the food is still yummy! 


Lawrie's Sliders & my Vivian's Salad

Lawrie is a fan of the little Hamburger Sliders. 

Me, I am a admirer of her special Vivian's Salad, recipe that she created over forty years ago.

We haven't tried any of the pork dishes as yet.  But I'm sure that Vivian's Miami friend did a great job teaching her how to cook pork. 

Me, I'm just glad she listened to her friends' advice.  "Open a restaurant."

The Famous Fries!

Qubano closing Tuesday July 31st. Thanks for the great food, friendship and memories Viv!  

~

Murder and Mayhem in paradise!

Come join the adventure. Available as e-books on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and iBooks. Also available as paperback on Amazon, Jenny Penny Beach Boutique on Isla, and from me, Lynda L. Lock.