This Week on the Island 08/06/2006

'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.
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Key West: The picture this week is (1)(1865) Front Street looking toward Duval. All of these buildings were destroyed by the great fire of April 1886 when most of Key West burned to the ground. Picture (2) is that same area today with White Fish Blue Fish (used to be Billie's Bar) on the left and Hog's Breath and Wachovia on the right.

The Weather: It look like 'Chris' never made it to hurricane status but it should be here this week end.

This weeks book was 'True At First Light' by Ernest Hemingway (Copyright 1999, 38 years after his death.)

We have had beautiful sunsets this week. There is a lot of dust in the air from the Sahara Desert in North Africa.

I have been riding my bicycle over to Smathers Beach (out near the airport) and I have been kayaking a bit this week. The temperature is in the high 80's and beautiful with a good breeze. It feels good to lay on the beach under a palm tree and watch the Atlantic or kayak in the clear waters and watch the many different colored fish.

---------------- the cost of living in Key West--------------
I have people write to me asking about the cost of living in Key West. Well you may want to consider moving here and renting before you even think about purchasing a home. Renting a one bedroom apartment, less than 1,000 sq ft, will cost you about $1,500 a month plus utilities. To purchase a home you will need (1) Homeowners Insurance, ours was a little less than $2,000 this year, (2) Flood Insurance thru FEMA, ours was about $1,500 this year, (3) Wind Insurance, ours was about $10,000 this year, and let's not forget (4) taxes, ours was about $4,500 this year. Total that up and divide by 12 months and that is about $1,600 a month and this stuff keeps going up each year. Now throw in your Mortgage Payment (the average house in Key West is over $600,000, over $1 Million in Old Town) on top of all that and you can understand why people are leaving the Key's. I bring this up because Citizens Insurance (the only choice for wind insurance) has been told they are charging about 50% too much.

Did you ever think 'What if the hully gully IS what it is all about?'

'The Battle of the Bars' is scheduled for Sunday on Lazy Lane behind Schooner Wharf. More next week.

Key West, You have got to love it
'Meet me at the end of the road' - Conky Tonkin'- Jimmy Buffett
Doug Bennett
Lat 24.5597N, Long 81.8016W

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