key west: The Naval Ship USS Peary
- 08/28/09 02:49 AM
This week, Key West has been host to the enormous USS Peary, berthed at the Key West Naval Air Station's Truman Annex Mole Pier. I went by on Wednesday to take a look and get a photo, and was awed by its "presence". With a length of 678 feet and a beam of 100 feet, the Peary is one of the largest supply ships in the Fleet. The ship serves by delivering food, fuel , munitions, and other supplies to military ships at sea all over the world, with a crew that consists mostly of civilians. Sights like this are among the things … (1 comments)
key west: Cruise Ships in Key West
- 02/19/08 07:23 AM
On average, there are two cruise ships each day docked at the Navy's "Mole Pier" here in Old Town Key West. When you are near the area, you can't help being impressed by the massiveness of the vessells, and the number of tourists spilling out of them. Each month, Key West's retail area, primarily historic Duval Street, is visited by tens of thousands of visitors from the ships. The local merchants love them, of course. My company's office, in fact, has ship visitors drop by every now and then, and some do actually make purchases! … (2 comments)
key west: Key West Happenings
- 01/26/08 02:22 PM
Just installed last weekend, here is the latest Key West Exhibit of noted sculptor H. Seward Johnson. This one replaces a colossal statuary of a late 1800s couple dancing in all their finery. I just wish I had gotten a photo of that exhibit! The current exhibit, shown below, is located in front of Key West's historic Customs House building, at the waterfront. You may recognize the "American Gothic" couple, arriving in Key West for what would surely become their "de-frocking"!! The whole point of my not-quite-so real estate-related blogs lately, is to give just some idea of how you just never know what you'll run … (2 comments)
key west: The Loch Ness Monster in Key West!!
- 01/23/08 07:22 AM
While listening to local Radio Station 104.1 on Monday (tune in sometime, on my website, http://www.bruceinthekeys.com/), I learned about a new sculpture exhibit depicting, of all things, the Loch Ness Monster, that had been placed in the City of Key West over the weekend. Well, yesterday morning on my way in to our Key West office, I actually saw this oddity! The first of the photos below, taken by a "Sculpture Key West" photographer, shows the artist installing the sculpture last Friday. The Monster measures 12 feet by 12-1/2 feet, and was created by Cameron Gainer of New York. "Nessie", a very … (12 comments)
key west: Interesting News!!
- 12/19/07 08:56 AM
While listening to news this morning on the Keys most popular radio station, 104.1 U.S. 1 Radio, I heard something amazing to me. The Key West Police Chief was being interviewed about Key West and the upcoming holidays. He commented what a big time Christmas is in the City of Key West. Then he said that he had just learned that Key West, of all places, is the third largest venue in the United States for New Years Eve celebrations, just two notches down from Times Square. Wow, I had no idea of that! CNN is even going to be here … (4 comments)
key west: Our Coral Reefs
- 12/12/07 07:05 AM
2008 has been named the "International Year of the Coral Reef", and local Reef conservationists are hoping that this will focus additional attention and funding to deal with the plight of the Florida Keys Reef Tract. Our Reef has actually suffered a 37 percent coral cover loss over the past 11 years, due to increasing coral deseases caused by acidification of the ocean, global warming, pollution and general abuse, say Florida Keys National marine Sanctuary officials.(The Sanctuary includes our Reef) Having evolved over the last 200 to 300 million years, coral reefs are said to be the largest living structures on Earth, … (3 comments)
key west: The Key West Chickens
- 12/10/07 12:38 PM
Key West, Florida, not unlike many other places, has many things unique to it. One such thing here is the Key West Chickens. Thought to have been aboard ships wrecked on the Coral Reef centuries ago, the Bantam chickens populate Downtown Key West and "New Town". Just about anywhere you look, you will see the chickens-wandering around alfresco dining establishments, parking lots, residences, etc., they 're just a part of the local landscape. Oftentimes, you'll see a hen parading a flock of her young 'uns ("chicken nuggets") across a street. Traffic stops until the crossing is done! The photo below of … (3 comments)
key west: Friday in Key West
- 11/24/07 04:05 AM
Well, Terri and I spent a delightful afternoon in Key West yesterday, showing the city to a friend visiting from Virginia. We went into the high-end art galleries, Fast-Buck Freddie"s Department Store, visited local attractions, and capped the day off with a visit to the Hemingway House. This was my third trip to the house, and Terri's visits there are countless! Famed novelist Ernest Hemingway lived in his beautiful coral-rock house from 1931 to 1940, and wrote the better part of his works there. The guided tour and the Hemingway belongings on the property are absolutely fascinating! The experience of visiting Hemingway's Key … (1 comments)
key west: A Long Walk!!
- 11/08/07 03:21 AM
This morning I had to drive in to Key West to get some transaction documents signed. Along the way, at about the 13-mile mark on Overseas Highway (U.S. Route 1), I noticed a backpacker walking west toward Key West beside the eastbound lane. He was heavily loaded up, and was walking along with some kind of metal walking rods which, I guessed, were some kind of a "professional" walking aid. About two minutes later, Bill Becker, our popular US1 Radio (listen in on what's going on down here in the Keys by going to www.BruceInTheKeys.com and click on US1Radio) morning commentator, comes … (5 comments)
key west: A Fall Evening itan Monroe Square
- 11/07/07 12:49 PM
Last Thursday evening was a special time for Terri and I down at Mallory Square in Key West. You see, this is the quintessential place for all sunsets, so they say-and, depending upon cloud cover at sunset, that could be right!! About 4:00 PM, EDT last Thursday, November 1st, (we changed to EST on Saturday evening, November 3rd here), I took my Mom and Aunt, visiting from the Charlottesville, Virginia area (check out my AR friend, Charles McDonald, of Charlottesville), to the Harry Truman Little White House on Truman Annex of the Key West Naval Air Station (KWNAS). This was REALLY SPECIAL to all … (1 comments)
key west: Key West Power Boat Races
- 11/02/07 01:49 AM
Wow, there's a lot going on around here in the Lower Keys this time of year!! Last weekend was the "blowout" finale of Fantasy Fest week, and this weekend we have the annual Key West Power Boat Races down in Key West at the Navy Base Mole Pier. Terri and I attended the Races last year for the first time, and were amazed at the excitement of the event. The ultra-powered racing boats absolutely rocketed by the Pier, going airborne at times. The boats are operated by two controllers situated within the cockbit, one for throttle control, and the other for … (3 comments)
key west: The Hemingway Days Festival
- 11/01/07 04:28 AM
One of the many annual events in Key West centers around the birthday of literary magnate Ernest Hemingway("Papa"), who lived and wrote for many years in Key West. The 2008 events will be held July 17-20. One of the favorite parts of the Festival is the famous "Hemingway Look-Alike Contest", held each year at Sloppy Joe's, said to be Hemingway's favorite watering hole. Just immagine downtown Key West teeming with men from all over the country, all of whom are bearded-up and dressed to look just like Ernest Hemingway later in his life. A long-time friend of mine, John Stubbings, whose RE/MAX office … (1 comments)
key west: Live in Key West with No Real Estate Taxes!
- 10/31/07 06:31 AM
As many have seen me write, you never know what you'll see next in Key West. One unusual thing is the live-aboard Houseboats on "Houseboat Row" in the Garrison Bight Marina on Roosevelt Boulevard ( U.S. Route 1 ). One of the tamer-looking ones is this one tied up to a pier there, shown in the photo below. Most of these liveaboards are brightly-painted wooden structures built atop what looks like a small barge. Yes, people live in these things, and they don't have to pay real estate taxes! I actually have a Buyer wanting to buy a houseboat already moored … (4 comments)
key west: A Day At Marvin Key
- 10/22/07 04:03 AM
Yesterday Terri and I enjoyed one fine day on the water here in the fabulous Florida Keys. We put the Grady White in at a friend's ramp yesterday morning and made the 25 minute cruise in our two boats from home on Cudjoe Key to Marvin. This is something we try to do most every weekend, but yesterday was only the second time this year we have been able to go. -deserted tropical island in the Gulf of Mexico, anchoring, and just sitting out in the warm and crystal-clear water with all your friends around. We just sit out there in the water all day, replacing … (4 comments)
key west: A Wonder of the Florida Keys!!
- 10/18/07 06:55 AM
As I was returning to my office a little while ago from the Marathon Lower Keys Association of REALTORS annual meeting, I was reminded of the feeling of amazement that I experienced years ago when I made my first road trip from the mainland of Florida down through the Keys. Being a railroad fan and living and working in a place where there are no railroads (but used to be!), it is still a fascination to me to observe the landmarks of the "Railroad That Went to Sea". To see it's remains, one has to wonder how the hands of men could ever … (3 comments)
key west: TREASURE!
- 10/16/07 03:50 AM
One of the really neat things about the Florida Keys is actually not very widely known. This is the sunken wreck of the Spanish galleon Atocha, which slipped beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean near Key West in a violent hurricane on September 6, 1622. In 1620 construction of the Atocha commenced in Havanna, Cuba, with its intended use being that of transporting hoards of gold, silver, precious jewels and other treasure from Columbia, Venezuela, and other New World areas. At this time in history, Spain was agressively expanding its Empire and needed these precious metals and jewels to help … (4 comments)
key west: Fantasy Fest 2007
- 10/12/07 02:15 AM
Fantasy Fest is coming!! For the uninitiated, this is an annual week long Mardis Gras-like festival in the city of Key West, not the least part of which is not knowing what state of dress (or undress) you are likely to encounter at any time! This year's theme is "Gnomes, Toads, & White Rabbit Tea Parties", and the many events kick off on Friday, October 19th with the ROYAL CORONATION BALL. Other events throughout the week include GOOMBAY, featuring the sights and sounds of the Caribbean in the Bahama Village section of Key West, the CELEBRITY LOOK-A-LIKE CONTEST, the HOMEMADE BIKINA … (2 comments)
key west: Cool Stuff in the Keys
- 10/11/07 03:12 AM
For over a year, Monroe County, Florida (the Florida Keys) has been working toward acquiring a de-commissioned U.S. Navy ship, the USS Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg, to be sunk about six miles south of Key West to serve as an artificial reef, augmenting our living Coral Reef. Much work on the vessel is necessary to prepare for it's sinking, and progress toward this exciting event is moving along nicely. Salvage crews working on the ship in a Norfolk, Virginia shipyard have removed most of the fuel tanks, some 700,000 feet of aging wiring, and all of the large hydraulic turning knuckles full … (0 comments)
This week, Key West has been host to the enormous USS Peary, berthed at the Key West Naval Air Station's Truman Annex Mole Pier. I went by on Wednesday to take a look and get a photo, and was awed by its "presence". With a length of 678 feet and a beam of 100 feet, the Peary is one of the largest supply ships in the Fleet. The ship serves by delivering food, fuel , munitions, and other supplies to military ships at sea all over the world, with a crew that consists mostly of civilians. ;)
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