Three Camp Sites in Two Parks in One Week

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Sunday, 27 January, 2013

I’m back. Did you miss me?

Wednesday we moved again, this time to site 33 in Long Key State Park. It’s only a short way down the road from the other sites where we stayed, but a different perspective. The beach here is a little rockier and we are on the other side of the point with the tree in the water. The gulls and pelicans like to sit on the rocks when they are showing above the water at low tide.

Thursday is wing night at the Hurricane, and this time we had our new friends along to experience the wingness. Don and Ruth Anne from Virginia and Jack and Mary Lou from New York state had their first Hurricane wings. Everyone enjoyed the wings and the ambience and we all plan to meet there again for future wing nights.

Friday we left Long Key and moved up to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo. The campground is fairly small, just 47 camp sites and not on the water (except for the mangrove swamps.) We rode our bicycles around the park, seeing both beaches, the marina and the visitor center with its small, but nice aquarium. We went to Upper Crust Pizza for supper and had their seafood pizza, which has a white alfredo sauce and is topped with lobster, crab and scallops. It was quite good and their crust is excellent, too.

Saturday we goofed around, did some shopping and then went to dinner at Shipwreck Bar and Grill, next to Capt. Slates dive center. We ate some excellent Mahi Mahi before heading back to the campground. There is a seafood festival this weekend in Key Largo and the traffic was pretty heavy on US 1 for a while. Back in camp we did some laundry and relaxed some more (we are on vacation, after all.)

Today we did a little more shopping and drove through the park to take some pictures for this blog. Now it is relaxing time. We are not fond of Key Largo, it is too close to Miami and thus noisy (loud) folks from there come down for the weekend with their noisy (loud) young’uns. Tomorrow back to Long Key until the 10^th of February.

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Photos

View from site 33
Long Key State Park

Gulls on the rocks
Hanging around waiting for fish

Shore bird
these guys stick their whole heads underwater.

Scuba Do Dive Center
I love the name of this place, it's right across the street from the entrance to John Pennekamp SP

Far Beach area
John Pennekamp SP

Anhingas
at Far Beach area of John Pennekamp, they're marking the edge of the swimming area

Mangroves
along the boardwalk at the edge of the far beach area.

flora
love the variety of shapes and colors

Largo Sound
from Pennekamp SP

Windy today
at John Pennekamp

Hamburger beans
sea beans

at John Pennekamp
This is the waterfront view from the back of our camper

Comments

[Gena Hixson]

Hamburger beans
You lucky dog---wish we were there with you to find more. We've decided five days of fun wasn't enough time to spend in the Keys. Bob's talking about "next year". I'm sure if you all go down, we'll be there too. Wonder if you can put a tent on a bass boat? We could park in Boot Key next to you and just put up the tent. We did have a good time, but were still sore from playing softball when we got home. Mom couldn't believe her eyes when I showed her the pictures of Conch Key, that and Duck Key---she said there was "nothing" on Duck Key when they lived down there. Bob's Mother had a bad spell while we were gone, so we spent all last week trying to get her in to see a heart specialist---can you believe you need a "referral"? Anyway, we are bound and determined to get her in this coming week---come whatever. Our weather has been so nice since we got back. We were out working in our short sleeved shirts today, Bob tilled the garden while I was working around all the peach trees and some of the blueberry bushes. You all take care---keep up the good work with the blog---love ya---gena