What's up with up with Florida......

[Hansom-Man]

So, I was thinking I'd pack up the kayaks & dive gear and head off to the Keys for a week or two in November. Sadly, all of the waterfront locations I've looked into either won't take a 23 foot rig or not pet friendly. From the campground responses I've had it seems that they believe size equals stature or some nonsense. Now I see why all of the state parks are booked up so far in advance.

Looks like we'll be rethinking our travel plans to get some diving in this year. I really did not want to have to get on a plane & kennel the hounds for our big vacation this year. If I have to go through that kind of hassle, I'll be heading for belize or somewhere else instead.

[RamblinManGa]

Hi from GA. . . just one of the many things to not like about Florida these days. AND, most beaches do not allow dogs on beach at all. We went to a state park in the panhandle which allowed dogs, but we weren't supposed to take them to the beach, which was IN the park. Go figure.,Regards, Craig

[jjustice]

Lived in So FL in the mid 1980s when the motto was "see it as a native" with metal bars on the windows and doors. Fl new saying is "bring your money but leave behind your life and play in our sun until you run out of $$ then get out!" I won't go back to FL.

[mojo]

Did you try Boyd's in Key West?

[Hansom-Man]

yeah, I guess enough time has passed since our last visit that I had forgotten the negative things. We were on a sailboat charter in Charlotte Harbor / Boca Grande area when Katrina rolled through the gulf. It was hell trying to find safe harbor, let alone trying to get fuel afterwards. Shoot, the hurricane missed the area by a large margin and all of the fuel issues were caused by hoarding as everyone believed that the gulf coast was somehow going to run out of oil with New Orleans out of commission.

Oddly enough many of the marina we were trying to get into gave us guff because we were only sailing a 30' craft. It was a recent build Island Packet, clearly not something that sailed in as part of a flotilla or anything. Ugh. That experience & snooty yacht clubs were one of the main reasons my wife & I sold our boat got out of sailing altogether.

I guess I'll keep my AS coastal ventures here in TX. Sad, cause I hear the wreck diving in FL is pretty good.

[c_lewis77]

Hansome: I hear the wreck diving is airstreams is exciting as well!
LOL!

[Jim Clark]

A 30' Island Packet got no respect, they must not know boats.

Jim

[Melody Ranch]

Where are you from??? The Woodlands is three hours from great beaches and kayaking/canoeing lagunas right here in South Texas. Cheaper and no BS like in FLA.

[AirHeadsRus]

Originally Posted by jjustice

Lived in So FL in the mid 1980s when the motto was "see it as a native" with metal bars on the windows and doors. Fl new saying is "bring your money but leave behind your life and play in our sun until you run out of $$ then get out!" I won't go back to FL.

Good idea, just stay home and mail us your money!

[overlander63]

Now y'all know one reason we no longer live there...
I don't see it getting any better, either. One would think the way the economy is, and the way places in Floriduh are crying for business and money, they'd kiss your feet to get you to go there.

[Hansom-Man]

Melody Ranch,

I know we're close to some righteous water here in the Great Republic. I've grown so fond of the Rockport / Aransas area that I'm considering storing "The Glamshell" there long term as an excuse to go more. I'm actually having a bit of a TX watersports rennaisance since the DW got me a sweet fishing yak after seeing the fun I had renting one recently.

Windsurfing S. Tex is one of the things that really warmed me up to the people of Texas when I moved here 17 yrs ago. Texas is now home and we were really happy to come back after working overseas for 3 yrs.

The only thing I'm missing is some good / easy diving. After many years of trying, I finally got my wife into diving. Unfortunately, she cut her teeth diving in the Red Sea, Seychelles, and Pemba Island (Tanzania). We're certainly not really snobby about where to dive, its just that she gets really uncomfortable with more challenging sites that our region has to offer. Personally, I hate flying to dive since I almost always use my own gear (one too many dive days ruined by malfunctioning resort gear).

In all likelihood I'll probably camp/fish more in S. Tex like you suggest and suck up the flight to Belize or Roatan. Would have been nice to have it all in one spot, but thems are the breaks.

[mojo]

Now what's wrong with Florida?
It's a tropical paradise and it's so close to the USA.

[DaveFL]

Originally Posted by Hansom-Man

Melody Ranch,

In all likelihood I'll probably camp/fish more in S. Tex like you suggest and suck up the flight to Belize or Roatan. Would have been nice to have it all in one spot, but thems are the breaks.

We were in Roatan in Jan, compares to the keys of 30 yrs ago, but bigger fish and easier to get to the reef. You don't even have to speak spanish, as the school kids and most adults can speak English. US dollars converted to 17 limpuras. Too bad the flights are only on one day a week and equal the cost a weeks motel stay in the keys. Maybe when Cuba opens up you will be able to do it all with one easy flight.

[SilverRanger]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Now y'all know one reason we no longer live there...
I don't see it getting any better, either. One would think the way the economy is, and the way places in Floriduh are crying for business and money, they'd kiss your feet to get you to go there.

I can understand that. I lived there in the 70's, and loved every minute. Visiting/camping there... not so much.

[Hansom-Man]

Thanks for the tip Dave. I dived Belize (Cay Caulker and Ambegris) doing reef research 20 yrs ago. Caulker was uber rustic and had 2 eating estabishments (restaurant does not reaaly apply). You could get 2 lobster tails w/slaw, fries, & 2 belikans (local beer) for lees than $4. many nights we ate in the hoises of local families for a $2 honorarium and what ever catch we had speared or trapped that day. When all else failed you could nab some crab claws. The place was full of stone crab and none of the locals really ate them. :-).

I still consider that one of the best trips of my life.