This Week on the Island 09/09/2007

'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.
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The pictures this week are Atlantic Shores (1) going (2) gone. Another condo project going up, another Key West destination gone.

No book this week:

The Weather: It is still hot during the day, but has begun cooling off some at night. September is the height of hurricane season.

It was Labor Day 72 years ago (1935) that the great Labor Day Hurricane came ashore at Islamorada in the Matacumbe Keys. ( http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1K1A ) It was the strongest hurricane ever to hit the U.S. This was before hurricanes were named, but it had a wind speed of 200 mph. It killed 423 people, many of them WWI veterans working on the new railroad to Key West. Many are buried at a mass grave at MM81.8 under the Florida Keys Hurricane Memorial.

This is not to be confused with the great Miami hurricane of 1926 ( http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/newpage/Okeechobee.html ) that pushed the waters of Lake Okeechobee into the surrounding sub divisions. Over 1,000 dead. Lake Okeechobee has a dike around it now.

Some friends from Michigan stopped by to say hi on Wednesday. The dogs ( Sassi and Wyleigh ) and I were going for our lunch time walk.

This week was Womenfest ( http://www.womenfest.com/ ) and was over 3,000 strong. Pearl's Rainbow was the center for events this year since Atlantic Shores is gone. Lots of happenings all over the island.

Howard Livingston and MM24 ( http://www.milemarker24.com/ ) played at Schooner Wharf Friday night. They will also play at MOTM (Meeting of the Minds) the annual gathering of ParrotHeads in Key West in November.

George Strait ( http://www.georgestrait.com/ ) is recording at Shrimp Boat Sounds. (Jimmy Buffetts studio on Lazy Lane.)

Friday night there were lots of pirates headed to Jim Croce's Pirate Soul Museum ( http://www.piratesoul.com/ ) on Front Street.

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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