Catching up - Marathon
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Tue 11 Jun 2013 15:14
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Although we've arrived in Oriental, North Carolina, we've
become lax with the blog once again. The main excuse being that we
have a number of jobs on the go and with good friends around us the social
calendar has become quite full. Time to address the missing details.
First, Marathon, one of the larger Florida Keys about 30 miles
east of Key West and a major boating destination when the northern winter
becomes too chilly to comfortably endure. Marathon is to Florida as Georgetown
is to the Bahamas. A boating Mecca. Marathon's advantage over Key West is that
it's land locked mooring field protects 100's of boats from the vigorous cold
fronts that penetrate southwards from the winter weather systems further north.
Despite most peoples concept of Florida it can still be pretty nippy in
winter when these systems pass through. However, if it is cold, further
north is much worse, so Marathon quickly fills up around October-November
time.
Our rather out of date Florida guide indicated that we would
need to time our arrival in order to coincide with the bridge opening which
spans the entrance to the lagoon. Usually you would call the bridge tender on
VHF to announce your imminent arrival so that they can prepare to stop traffic
and activate whatever mechanism opens the bridge. Well, its as well we didn't
call the bridge tender as there wasn't one anymore. The opening span had long
since been removed and judging by the state of the support structures the rest
of the bridge wouldn't be far behind it. Had we called on VHF we would probably
have heard the guffaws of laughter from boats already in the
lagoon.
  The bridge that doesn't open anymore....
....and the extensive mooring field
accommodating 100's of visiting boaters
  Not one, but two dinghy docks are required here.... the
ex-fish warehouse - now the cruisers 'play-room'
We didn't quite 'connect' with Marathon as we did with Key
West. Yes, it's a great place to stop on the way through the Keys but neither of
us could imagine sitting on a mooring ball for 6 months cheek by jowl with many
other boaters that make the annual pilgrimage south. It's redeeming features are
very good shopping opportunities and a great social life at the City Marina,
which is very welcoming to transient boaters. We suspect that if you like pot
luck dinners most nights of the week then this might just be utopia. The
reception area is housed in a large converted fish processing shed where tables
and chairs are laid out. There is a large book swap library and at one end 3
booths with comfy chairs and flat screen televisions where cruisers can sit all
day and browse through the endless choice of channels, something we came
cruising to escape from to be honest. Then there are some tables and benches end
on to one of the walls with electrical sockets brimming with plugs and cables
supplying power for the many computers taken there by cruisers. Unfortunately
the wifi doesn't carry out to the mooring field which means fighting for space
if you need prolonged access to the internet. There is a 'project' area and
storage lockers. Another building houses modern shower & laundry facilities
- all for $22 a day or considerably cheaper the longer you stay!
Walking out of the Marina for a short distance you are on
the main highway that threads its way through the Keys and over long
bridges from Miami to Key West. It's busy as you would imagine as nearly
all the supplies to the Keys are transported by road. It has two
lanes running in each direction and was a little like strolling along the side
of the M1 on a holiday weekend. There was no waterfront area where an evenings
stroll took in the busy bar and restaurant activities that make Key West so much
fun.
  Straight as far as the eyes can see....
...in both
directions
  The 'power of the Home Depot'....
but we spent far more at the fuel
dock!!
We paid for a mooring ball for a few nights before refuelling
and spending our last night there amongst the anchored fleet of permanent
residents. We should have guessed that the most suitable spot to bed the anchor
in was closest to an antisocial idiot who decided that those boaters within
a 200 yard radius should enjoy his music at maximum volume. We were
relieved that we were off the next morning to attempt to make Beaufort some 600
miles further north in one hit. Looking at the forecast we were in with a good
chance of riding the Gulf Stream all the way.
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