The Florida Keys – USA 10/1/17 – 13/1/16

Next day we headed for the keys. First stop was to the a key lime pie factory/shop called the blond giraffe. This was first established in Key West and was a vegetarian restaurant. However, after winning the first ever Key Lime Pie competition they decided to concentrate only on the pies. They then moved to where they are now. The pie is wonderful.
We arrived at our hotel in Long Key, The Lime Key Bay Resort. Lovely place, pool, spa, nice rooms and with a great Italian restaurant next door. Once unpacked we headed for the pool and spa and had a nice chilled out afternoon in the sun.
Next day we headed out early to get to Key West for a 2 hour 26 mile jet ski tour we had booked. Key West Water Tours was located just before you get into the town proper. Once decked out in wetsuits we boarded the jet skies for lengthy safety talk and then we were off. Me and Roy on a ski and Fiona and Steve on another and a further 4 ski’s in our group. We idled out of the marina and then let rip. The first part was great, really flying along, getting wet, bouncing around and getting a bit wet. Then we hit the Atlantic and it all went wrong for me. I lost control of the jet ski and thought I was going to tip us out, from then on in I just lost my confidence completely. I was terrified as we carried on, bouncing so high we left the seats, getting drenched, couldn’t keep the engine revs up as hands kept slipping off throttle and each time nearly tipping the Jetski. Roy was fantastic, even though with me shaking and crying he gave me lots of encouragement to keep going. We started back and once again I just couldn’t continue so I stopped, refusing to move. One of the 2 women behind came up but her mum had lagged behind, the tour leader came back and went off to find mum but he came back alone, she had disappeared. The guide sent for his colleague who guided us home, after telling me I HAD TO MOVE. The poor girl who’s mum was missing was in a right state. It was a good 30 mins later she was finally spoken to by the tour guides to say they were headed in. Apparently mum had waited a bit after dropping behind and had wondered off to a water taxi for instructions and had got lost. The tour really needed someone at the back as we were pretty spread out. All in all, I hated it, I had been on a jet ski before but on still water, not in the atlantic choppy waters which is altogether bloody awful.
A couple of beers and a burger later we drove to Key West. What a fantastic place, tree lined streets, museums, great shops and restaurants and quirky bars. We strolled around the square then headed for the sunset bar to wait for sunset and it didn’t disappoint. We had a quick stop at the southern most point in the continental USA. Great town, another we could well have stayed longer in but we preferred to stay mid keys to visit a couple of other places.