
Key West, a cruiser’s paradise. Photo by Francis Diebler
Many cruising guides have information about Key West. Dozier’s Waterway Guide, Southern Edition, that includes Florida, the Gulf Coast and Bahamas, is really one of the best. Check your current charts for anchorages and water depths. The city of Key West has mooring balls. Call City Marina on the radio and they will advise you where to go. Pick up any mooring as long as it does not have a red or orange top. There are many marina facilities to call to ask for a slip. Some of the more popular ones are: Key West Marina, Conch Harbor Marina, A & B

Sloppy Joe’s Saloon. Photo by Frances Diebler
If any town could be called a cruiser’s paradise, Key West would certainly be at the top of the list. There is something there for everyone, including for children. Check the local book stores, marinas, marine stores, and alike to find a guide book of things to do and see as well as how to get around Key West. Busses have routes all over town. Duval Street is one of the main attractions. Stroll along this busy street which has shops and restaurants. Some of the more famous establishments are Fastbuck Freddies, Jimmy Buffets’s Margaritaville store and restaurant, Sloppy Joe’s Saloon, and Captain Tony’s Saloon which was a Hemingway hangout.
For those who like historical places, there is the Southern White House used by President Truman, and of course the Hemingway House that was Hemingway’s home with the six-toed cats. Key West is the southern-most point in the Continental United States, and is marked by a buoy at the end of Duvall Street. There is even a Pirates Museum and, of course, the grand exhibit of the gold recovered from the Atocha at

Tightrope-walking dog in Butterfly Garden. Photo by Francis Diebler
There is just so much to see and do here. You can visit a wonderful indoor Butterfly Garden at the end of Duval Street. Go to Mallory Square at 6:00 p.m. to watch for free various street acts, such as jugglers, a tightrope-walking dog, card tricks, vendors with handmade silver jewelry, artists, and characters of all kinds. Stroll or ride the street train, and see some of the oldest architecture in America. The streets are lined with beautiful, embellished home with lots of fretwork many of which offer lodging. Take the free ferry boat over to Sunset Key for lunch. The island is beautiful; the boat ride is free; and the food is excellent, as well as reasonable. You can get the free ferry at the Weston Hotel. Anything and everything seems to be available in Key West. It is well worth your sail down there. If you can’t do that, drive down. Please don’t pass up a great place to visit. Food, drink, history, entertainment, characters of all kinds, beaches, hotels, inns, and great restaurants of all prices are available for you. Go by car, go by boat, go by Key West Express, and stay a while. I only scratched the surface of this remarkable city.
Frances is a Commodore of the Seven Seas Cruising Association and a member of Sailing Association of Marco Island and AP United States Power Squadron.
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