This Week on the Island 09/21/2003
'This week on the Island' is written by Doug Bennett and is an update to friends about happenings in Key West last week. Everything is true except for those parts that are lies.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week end was the 31st annual Poker Run. About 10,000 cycles started at Miami on Saturday and came down the Keys across the 42 bridges to Key west for the week end. There were five stops along the way where each participating gambler got a Poker card. When they got to Key West they turned them in for prizes. It is a $10 cost for each participant. The profits are split between the Key West Rotary's charities and the Diabetes Research Institute. Duval street is blocked from Front Street to Flemming. There are parties in all the clubs to welcome the bikers. I personnally enjoyed the Tattoo Contest. Some of those tatoo's must have hurt. The bikes are backed to the curb with the front facing the street. There are about 250 bikes on each side of the street per block. I think all 10,000 bikes must have made it here.
When you watch the sunset from Mallory Square you will notice some small islands to the left of Sunset Key. These are mangrove islands and the whole area is part of the Federally protected Key West National Wildlife Refuge. Since September is the slow month of the year, Danger Charters had a special for locals to go to this area for sailing, kayaking, and snorkeling. The normal cost is $75.00, we got to go for $10.00 each. Jo and I had a lot of fun. The whole area is only about 10 feet deep and the water is beautifully clear. There is one Key named Destroyer Key. it was created when a Navy Destroyer went aground and they couldn't get it out. They dug out and blew up all the coral around the ship and pushed it to the side so they could remove the ship. Destroyer Key is two mounds of coral with a channel between them where the ship was stuck. By the way there are 860 named keys in the Florida Keys.
Doug Bennett
Key West, you have got to love it.
This week end was the 31st annual Poker Run. About 10,000 cycles started at Miami on Saturday and came down the Keys across the 42 bridges to Key west for the week end. There were five stops along the way where each participating gambler got a Poker card. When they got to Key West they turned them in for prizes. It is a $10 cost for each participant. The profits are split between the Key West Rotary's charities and the Diabetes Research Institute. Duval street is blocked from Front Street to Flemming. There are parties in all the clubs to welcome the bikers. I personnally enjoyed the Tattoo Contest. Some of those tatoo's must have hurt. The bikes are backed to the curb with the front facing the street. There are about 250 bikes on each side of the street per block. I think all 10,000 bikes must have made it here.
When you watch the sunset from Mallory Square you will notice some small islands to the left of Sunset Key. These are mangrove islands and the whole area is part of the Federally protected Key West National Wildlife Refuge. Since September is the slow month of the year, Danger Charters had a special for locals to go to this area for sailing, kayaking, and snorkeling. The normal cost is $75.00, we got to go for $10.00 each. Jo and I had a lot of fun. The whole area is only about 10 feet deep and the water is beautifully clear. There is one Key named Destroyer Key. it was created when a Navy Destroyer went aground and they couldn't get it out. They dug out and blew up all the coral around the ship and pushed it to the side so they could remove the ship. Destroyer Key is two mounds of coral with a channel between them where the ship was stuck. By the way there are 860 named keys in the Florida Keys.
Doug Bennett
Key West, you have got to love it.
posted by Doug Bennett at 9:22 AM
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