Key Largo - Key Largo, FL
Key Largo, FL
My flight to Miami went well, we did leave a little late from Heathrow but were able to make up the time in the air. It was a day flight so i spent most of my time keeping myself entertained watching movies on the in-flight entertainment system. I watched, The Hangover Part III, The Great Gatsby and Monster University. I personally would recommend the Hangover Part III, is wasn't very funny and it didn't even involve a hangover!Jace's mum, Christie was at the airport to meet me. I wasn't sure if I would recognise her, it being about a year since we first met, but fortunately I did. She and Jace's cousin Tiff drove me down to Key Largo where I met up with Jace and Jordan. Their apartment is in a gated complex with two swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball hoop, gym, bowls pitch and its own private marina.
My first full day in Key Largo started off with a gym session believe it or not followed by a swim. In the afternoon we all headed up to the Everglades Alligator Farm. It doesn't actually farm the alligators its just look after a few which they use to educate the public. We saw them get fed and went on an airboat tour which is an awesome way to get around. Bloody noisy though.
Luckily they provided everyone with noise cancelling headphones.
In the evening we went to a small friendly restaurant called Meat.
The 1st December was a Sunday and to say thank you to Christie for pretty paying for everything I offered to cook everyone an English Sunday roast. Peace of cake I thought until I started telling Christie what I needed realising that a lot of ingredients meant something else in America or they simply didn't know what it was. For example take gravy. American gravy is a flour based type of paste with different flavourings, not at all like the gravy we use. Stuffing as well is slightly different. I went to the supermarket not feeling that hopeful and hoping I would be able deliver something remotely edible. Christie had the idea of asking if the supermarket had a world foods isle and luckily they did! It was called the Ethnic isle and they had a British section. Back of the Net!
I cooked a roast chicken with garlic, carrots, broccoli, parsnips (which was new to all them), stuffing and roast potatoes all smothered in gravy. Mmmm is was tasty and everyone enjoyed it, at least that's what they told me. Christie and Tiff had to fly back to Texas in the afternoon so we bid them farewell and went stand up paddle boarding (SUP) from the marina. It was a beautiful late afternoon, as we paddle past all the boats towards the bay we spotted a manatee with its pup. My first real encounter with a manatee. It was a real pleasure to be able to get up close to it. Once out in the bay we watched the sun set.
On the Monday Jace and I dropped Jordan off at her work, a local Snorkelling shop where the slogan is "Snorkelling is fun!", went to pick up some canoes from his work and heading into the Everglades national park with two work colleagues. We went around 9 Mile pond. Was really cool, however we hardly saw any wildlife until right at the end. In the penultimate pond there was a 3 meter croc lying in the reeds. We got as close as we dared to get some photos. Thinking that was all we were going to see, there was an alligator lying across the section of grass we were using as an entry and exit point. So we sat and waited a while until he moved off. I think he was stalking one of the birds that was in the bushes.
One morning I was walking back from the marina, having just done some stand up paddle boarding and saw a group of the local residents talking.I said good morning and one of them called me over asking if I was any good at basket ball and would I want to play with a bunch of old guys. Not having a great deal on my schedule I said yes, so we all met up 15 minutes later on the tennis court (which was where the basket ball ring was). I was introduced to George, Curt, Dave and Miles. Luckily we weren't playing a proper game of basket ball just something called Knockout where you each took it in turns to shoot. Once you had taken your first shot the player behind you could have a go. You had to score before the player behind you did in order to stay in the game. I wasn't too bad. I managed to draw with George who was a pretty good shot and would go on to win most games. I played with guys most mornings in the last week. It was quite entertaining and after most games we would have cold drink of something and talk about things.
I was planning to do more diving around the keys however the weather, although fairly hot and sunny was also windy which meant sea conditions were not great. I managed to get in two reef dives on the Sunday just to get myself reacquainted. It wasn't too bad, the vis wasn't the best but still managed to spot a nurse shark and 6 hawksbill turtles in one dive!Jace and I tried to dive a wreck together, the Spiegel. Its one Jace had been wanting to try for awhile now but hadn't got anyone experienced enough to go with. It wasn't my finest dive by a long shot and to call us Dive Muppets would be a more accurate statement than Dive Masters!We had been previously warned that there were 4ft-6ft swells and strong winds but we thought we would manage.