Life in Marathon

So we have been parked at a marina now for two weeks, after spending a week in Key West, Florida.  We found Key West to be very touristy and very expensive so we moved on after seeing a few things and trying to do some fun stuff with the boys while we were there.
Marathon is another cruiser’s hangout and as you motor into the channel, you pass a mooring ball area where there are over 50 boats moored with probably another 100 or more boats sitting at various marinas.  Now some of these boats have not seen open water in over a year and the owners are obviously living aboard as full time residents of Marathon.  Some look completely abandoned.
Viatori parked at Sombrero Marina and Resort

Viatori parked at Sombrero Marina and Resort

The view out into the mooring field of Marathon

The view out into the mooring field of Marathon

We have attempted to get back into the homeschooling for an hour every morning.  The boys did nothing while we were in Cuba and it is time to get back to work, no summer holidays here!  We are eating on the boat and trying to limit our lunches or dinners out to one each a week.  It has been great to eat apples, regular bananas, carrots, peaches and oranges again and having the grocery store within walking distance has been perfect.

Dockside Tropical Cafe.  We can take the dinghy here and they have pretty good food, Happy Hour and a kid's menu.

Dockside Tropical Cafe. We can take the dinghy here and they have pretty good food, Happy Hour and a kid’s menu.  When we first arrived in July, they had a week of live music.  Kinda cool.

We have also been tackling some little boat projects that have been neglected in the last six months while we have been living on board.  Little fixes, like a broken door catch, greasing hinges on cupboards that have swelled and gotten rather squeaky with the humidity and now we have found water in our bilge (the belly of the boat) ahhhh!  We have been cleaning that up a little bit every day and trying to eliminate where this water is coming from.

Even on a newer, highly maintained boat there is always a chore or little job to do.  Often it is rather complicated and requires more than a simple patch and you get to crawl into a back lazerete, sweating out your eyeballs to find the real source of the problem.  Not me, thankfully…poor Richard!  Good times!
Doing dishes.  The boys enjoy listening to stories while they work...we have been reading Judy Blume books, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and then Superfudge.

Doing dishes. The boys enjoy listening to stories while they work…we have been reading Judy Blume books, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and then Superfudge.

Everyone gets involved!

Everyone gets involved!

Matthew's creation.  James washes and Mattie dries.  OCD or engineer's brain?

Matthew’s creation. James washes and Mattie dries. OCD or engineer’s brain?

Ethan puts away all the cutlery.

Ethan puts away all the cutlery.

We haven’t done much exploring of Marathon as we are without any kind of transportation besides our feet and they can only take us so far.  You can take a taxi for $5 per person anywhere around Marathon which we might do if we are need of any other services.  Right now we are within walking distance of the Publix grocery store, a Kmart and a McDonalds, which have all served us well so far, but if we need anything else we have to get creative.
Celebrating a a couple of birthdays with our friends from the boat, Shambala and new friends we met.

Celebrating a a couple of birthdays with our friends from the boat, Shambala and new friends we met.

There is a turtle hospital here that is supposed to be cool and a dolphin research center that we have heard good things about and a few other day trip things that we can do, but for now the boys are happy to play Lego, read and look at books, do some school and hang out at the pool.
Our pool!

Our pool!

Hanging out at the pool with our friends from the S/V Shambala and Orenda.  It's a great way to beat the heat and burn some energy!

Hanging out at the pool with our friends from the S/V Shambala and Orenda. It’s a great way to beat the heat and burn some energy!

James swimming for the bottom of the deep end of the pool.

James swimming for the bottom of the deep end of the pool.

Ethan jumping!  He is getting so brave and swims without a life jacket as well.  He makes a really big splash, hence my awkward face!

Ethan jumping! He is getting so brave and swims without a life jacket as well. He makes a really big splash, hence my awkward face!

Matthew making a pose for Dad underwater.

Matthew making a pose for Dad underwater.

L

P.S.  Our posts are typically behind our real life.  We have been back in Florida since the beginning of July.  Just in case some of you are trying to do the math, so to speak, and are thinking what the heck?

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