I first learned about Key West from some friends I worked with at a print shop in Greenwich, CT. I loved to fish and often went fishing after work on Greenwich Beach with the park pass my boss let me borrow.
They raved about the island and the friendly local people. They also said there were many opportunities to fish, and the water was clear.
Living in Connecticut my entire life I never realized that the good ol’ USA had a place where the waters were teeming with colorful fish and the water was clear.
I touched down in Miami in 1991 with a few friends from CT. We drove down to Key West and stopped at Bahia Honda State Park for a visit. The water was crystal clear, even at the dock next to the consession stand. There were parrot fish cruising the edge of the concrete dock. Amongst them were snapper and baitfish. I was in awe at the beauty of this one moment by the clear blue water.
Back then the only way to make a call besides the giant toaster-sized cell phones was by pay phone. There happened to be one next to the dock.
I called the boss and told him I needed to stay an extra few days, somehow he understood why… having been to this place before.
I won’t bore you with the details of my trip, but that first trip changed my life forever. I was in love with the Keys. I needed to find a way to get there and stay – perminantly.
There is a lot more to the story so stick around and come back often to this website and learn more about this magical island.