They won. At 6 in the morning, we decided that we were out of there!

Poor Kelley had to go up and start the engines. With an anchor light on you can imagine the bugs that were attracted to the bridge. I went to bring in the anchor. Out we went from one of the most beautiful settings we had been in. Finally the Gulf of Mexico; not a mangrove near.

But the bugs continued their journey with us. We opened the isinglass and went fast. We used a towel to whisk them from the ceiling. We felt alone at last.

But, we had been given little mementoes of their love for us! Even Kelley was covered! Nosee’ums 1; Yorks: 0.

The crossing of the Gulf to Key West was not part of the trip that I was looking forward to. I like seeing land and knowing that civilization (even if it means bugs) is close. I like the cell phones to work. I know we have a radio, but…I guess I have certain issues with security blankets, even if ridiculous to some. The GPS guides us, auto steers us, and we direct auto when we see a crab buoy to avoid, and there are plenty of those.

I read all the way to Key West. I just finished The Friday Night Knitting Club. Crying and smiling all the while.

Coming into Key West is so interesting. There it is, but don’t make a direct line of attack. Find the green buoy, turn left….wind your way through. What a team my captain and I make. We lucked out to get a side tie at the Key West Bight Marina, which is in the Historic Seaport. So easy to just pull in. We can look out the back to the entrance to the harbor.

We settled in and decided to go to Mallory Square to watch the sunset. I think that this end of Key West sinks a little at sunset with the weight of everyone and anyone who is on the island crowded onto Mallory Square, waiting and watching. There are kiosks set up selling trinkets, food, and art, people doing acrobatics, even cats jumping through fire rings…and all of us standing there, waiting to see the green flash, hoping that nature has all aligned so that we will be the chosen to see this spectacular sight. A musician talks about the green flash. It is as if he had been listening to Kelley who had just said to me: you can always put in the flash yourself using Photoshop! Ah, the digitally enhance photo. One can create one’s own view of the world. (Perhaps we really aren’t on this trip after all?!?)

No flash. But, a warm feeling inside. Kelley and I realize that the sunsets that we see from our kitchen at home are no more special than the one we have just witnessed. We watch the sun slowly sink into the Pacific Ocean, lighting the sky with reds and oranges, and making a silhouette of Catalina Island. It is a nightly ritual that we call all in the house to witness. We are always sure that this one is more beautiful than the one we last saw. Perhaps it is. Perhaps it is because we have shared it. Perhaps it is because it is one more that we got to enjoy and store in our memory.

We ate at a little Cuban restaurant…food was okay. There were cats there, as there are apparently all over Key West, and they were begging for food. So sad.

Ah, to sleep tonight. All bites (which means almost my whole body) doused with rubbing alcohol, 2 antihistamines and my pillow. Good night, Moon.