We started our second year of nomading adventures relatively close to home. Well, at least in the same state. There’s been a cold snap across the entire country, and Florida has not been immune. So we went south. As south as you can go while still staying in the US. We went to the Keys for the weekend, staying in Key West for two nights, and then spending the afternoon on Sunday snorkeling the coral reefs of the John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo.

I did some meal planning and prepping, and I spent Friday morning getting the van loaded up with the necessities. (Well, most of them. I did manage to leave behind my carefully packed bag full of swim/snorkel/beach gear.) We jumped in Louie, our sweet little RV, Friday afternoon. I was in the driver’s seat while Larry worked at the table for most of the ride down. I am so very smitten with this van, it’s not even funny. It is so comfortable to drive that I sometimes forget I am in a house on wheels.

It was dark by the time we made it onto the Keys, but we found our campsite easily enough. We tucked into our slot, heated up our dinner, and then went to bed tired from the drive and anticipating an early wake up.

While it was still very dark out, we pulled out of the RV site and made our way to Smathers Beach. We grabbed our beach chairs and coffee cups and headed out to the shoreline to wait. Nautical sunrise was gradual and beautiful. The shadows and shapes gave way to the light in due time.

Since we were already up and out, we headed over to the southern most point and got pictures with the famous buoy and the infamous roosters. It was a beautiful morning in a beautiful part of the world. By the time we got back to the van, showered, dressed, ate, snagged some new sandals, and collected the rental bikes, an afternoon rainstorm was moving in. It was a delightful reprieve to be snugged up in the van, listening to the rain.

The storm didn’t last long. Once it cleared, we hopped on our rental bikes. With those, we pedaled all over the island, admiring the neighborhoods, the architecture, the flora and fauna (seriously lots of chickens and roosters). We were reminded of New Orleans, and felt there was a distinct kinship between the two cities. We locked the bikes up on Duvall Street and wandered a bit by foot. We found delicious key lime pie at Mathersons, and snuggly six-toed kitties at the Hemingway House. We admired the lighthouse and snagged a cortadito at Cuban Queen Coffee. Back on the bikes we headed to Zachary Taylor State Park and admired the scenery as the afternoon made its way to early evening.

With the sun sinking lower we made our way to Mallory Square. We wandered through the Memorial Sculpture Garden, and made our way to the waters edge with the rest of the crowd. The cloud bank kept the sunset from being crazy gorgeous, but it was still magnificent to be there watching it. Afterwards we were lured by the siren songs of an excellent bar band, so we stopped to watch one of their sets. Afterwards we made our way back via bikes. This time, it was evening, and the neighborhoods took on a different, even more appealing feel. The almost full moon played through the lingering clouds. We rode through some back streets admiring warm lights spilling out of homes, the palm shadows dancing in the breeze, the quiet sounds of laughter and people having dinner, and walking their dogs. It was gorgeous.

Sunday morning we woke early again and recreated our beach-side sunrise coffee. The clouds were still lingering, so it was a gentle sunrise. We sat listening to the surf, slowly watching our surrounding come into light and focus. There was a coconut by the water’s edge, and we spent the time watching the tide play with it. Once the sun had fully risen we once again took a spin through the old town, enjoying it pre-crowds. We found the Mile Marker 0 and took the required photos with it. Then we made our way back to the campsite. We did our chores, returned the bikes, and prepared Louie for departure.

On our way home we stopped on Key Largo at the John Pennekamp State Park. We bought our Florida resident state park annual pass, and we headed. Larry booked us tickets to go snorkeling out on the reef. This is more meaningful than it might initially sound.

You see, almost 24 years ago, Larry and I were at this very state park, and we went snorkeling. I was almost 8 months pregnant and VERY large. I was still afraid of deep water and really did not know how to swim. I had also, just the day before suffered a huge disappointment by being denied a chance to swim with dolphins because I was pregnant and the dolphins can hear the two heart beats, which may make them freak out or overly curious, either way they didn’t want me in the water with them. So the consolation prize was a chance to go snorkeling. The water was a bit choppy. There were a lot of barracuda. There were a lot of jelly fish. There was also, apparently, a nurse shark that they did not tell us about. Nurse sharks look a lot like great white sharks to the untrained and nervous mind. I spotted the shark and panic started to set in. What if sharks can hear two heartbeats too?! I pulled Larry up by his snorkel and shouted SHARK. Larry is excellent in a crisis. He very calmly said to me, “Ok, here’s what we are going to do, we are going to make our way back to the boat and….” I didn’t let him finish. I heard “back to the boat” and I took off, dodging barracuda and jellyfish like I was playing a video game. Larry said from his perspective it looked like I had developed a cartoon waterwheel on my fins and spun away at full speed. I did what you are not supposed to do: I broke our buddy system. I essentially left him for the shark. When he finally made it back to the boat he was very mad.

We laugh about this now, and the tale is canon in our family’s history. But this weekend I got to take a Mulligan. I got a do over, and things couldn’t have been more different. The sea was milk glass. I was definitely not pregnant, I no longer have fear (just respect) of deep water, and I am a capable swimmer, snorkeler, and even a novice suba diver.

Because the weather was so cooperative we were able to go to the area known as Dry Rocks where the submerged statue, Christ in the Abyss, stands. We were able to explore coral reefs for over an hour. So many fish and sea life and so many varied coral. It was magical! Unfortunately, I did not have my underwater camera so I’ve no pics from that afternoon, but it was stunning! In the way back into shore we even had an encounter with a small pod of playful dolphins!

Once back, we dried off, ate a little and then headed back north and made our way home. We spent the bulk of the drive dreaming and scheming what the rest of 2025 is going to look like for us. I am very excited at the things we have lined up!