Paradise, with friends

Tiny sea turtle at the Turtle Hospital, Marathon

Life is different here in the Florida Keys. You look at the sea, the sun, and you shrug and say “what can go wrong?” It’s been a couple of years since we headed down the Overseas Highway in search of adventure, and this time it was for a writer’s conference, always a good time to connect with friends. We had the opportunity to visit the Turtle Hospital in Marathon (amazing what one person’s need to do good can do!) and Pigeon Key Historical Site. I went hiking to track down rare flora at Crane Point Hammock and Curry Hammock State Park. In the interim, the car went ka-put and had to be fixed (thank you, Andy & Dave, for such a quick turnaround!), the power at the hotel failed and took 24 hours to come back on, and Internet access is sporadic – a nearby network is  not guaranteed.

But we’re here at Hawks Cay with good friends to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association, and I couldn’t help but lounge around the pool and look out over the sea and just be happy to be out in the sunshine enjoying a sliver of paradise. Now that the conference is a wrap, time to pack up and head home after sampling some more of what our unique Florida Keys have to offer.