This Week on the Island 04/29/2007

'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.----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The picture this week is a friend riding on top of the Hummer in the Conch Republic Parade Thursday night.

This week I was too busy to read but I did do some Sudoku's.

The Weather: Near 70 at night and the mid 80's in the day. Wonderful weather for 'Conch Republic Days'.

-------------------------Conch Republic Days (continued)---------------------------------

On April 23, 1982, the Federal Government blocked the road (US1) coming into the Keys at the intersection of the Keys and the mainland at Last Chance Saloon. They used the US Boarder Patrol to do it. Key West succeeded from the Union, since it was obvious that the US Government considered the Keys to be outside the US. We declared war and immediately surrendered and applied for $1 billion in aid to repair our war torn country. This week we begin the celebration of that formation of the Conch Republic. "We Seceded Where Others Failed'.

Saturday - early - The Seven Mile Bridge run. There were 1,500 runners this year. (How far did they run?)

Sunday - 12:00 noon- Conch Cruiser Car Show - Schooner Wharf Pictures at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ThisWeekontheIsland/
- 1:00 Pm - Can't stop dancing party - Green Parrot

Monday - High Noon - The reenactment of the actual secession at Mallory Square.

Tuesday- 3 - 5PM- Fashion show at Blue Heaven
9PM- Captains Meeting for the Bloody Battle at Schooner Wharf

Wednesday-7PM- the Bed Races pretrial at Shanna Key Irish Bar
- let's not forget Wednesday night bikini bull riding at Cowboys

Thursday - Noon- Scooter Poker Run at Island Dogs on Green Street
7PM- Worlds Longest Parade (from the Atlantic to the Gulf down Duval)
9PM- Parade Party at Schooner Wharf

Friday - 6PM- The Bloody Battle Party begins
- 7PM - The reenactment of the Bloody Battle at sea by Mallory Square (the cannons frightened the dogs)
- 9PM- The Victory Party at Schooner Wharf

Saturday-10AM-5PM - Craft Show on Green Street
noon-5PM- Duval Bar Crawl (do the Duval crawl)
2-5PM- The Bed Races on Duval Street
5PM - Party at Hog's Breath
2 - 7PM- Fiddlers Contest at the Green Parrot
7PM The Pirates Ball and Pig Roast at Schooner Wharf

Sunday - 1PM - The Wreakers Race
7PM-Wreakers Race Awards Ceremony at Schooner Wharf
9-11PM- Stargazer Cruise on the Liberty

------------------Wreakers-------------------------
Key West was once the richest city in Florida. Ships would wreak on the reef that is 7 miles off-shore. A cry of 'Wreak Ashore' would be called across the water front. Captains and crew would race to rescue the goods on board the sinking ship. The first ship to the wreak became the Captain of the wreak. The large buildings along the waterfront were used as storage for all the goods. The goods were resold and the 'bounty' divided. The U.S. Government installed light-houses and the Wreaking Days came to an end.

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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