Departing Key West.

After checking luggage for my evenings cruise back to Fort Myers Beach I walked almost 5 miles along the Historic Seaport Marina Harbor Walkabout, Duval Street and a few other places I wanted to revisit in Old Key West. Late in the afternoon on my way back to get my luggage it started to rain, I therefor had to do some bar hopping along the Historic Seaport Marina HarborWalk between downpours to prevent from getting drenched on the way to the Key West Express dock before departing back to Fort Myers Beach.

Jack did not eat and/or imbibe in every establishment Jack took pictures of while in Key West. Also establishments which did not practice outside social distancing were avoided.

We should always pay tribute and honor the Margarita on Jack’s special day of celebration. Jack so deeply respects and values its place in our history that he never attended school on February 22. He always celebrated National Margarita Day. FYI, Margaritas that have been continuously refrigerated will typically keep at best quality for about 4 to 6 months! What a cocktail! I’ve never stored one anywhere for that length of time, so I can not verify that statement.

Jack’s first visit to Key West was in 1970, which was years before Key West became a tourist destination. A bunch of guys from Chicago rented boats at a marina and went camping and fishing around Marquesas Keys.

As rain let up I continued down the Harbor Walk until another squall hit and I ducked into Dante’s Key West Pool Bar & Restaurant for my last rum drink in Key West. I had always had some type of sea food for dinner throughout my stay in Key West, knowing it was fresher than I would get in Illinois. I had chosen not to order fried Calamari up to this point in time because they are available in Illinois. I succumbed and had an order at Dante’s Pool Bar during this down pour. It was the best Fried Calamari I’ve ever had!

This is usually a “Party” pool, but since it was raining hard only a couple of us old guys were at the bar.

Earnest Hemingway moved from Key West to Havana Cuba in 1939. Alice, Barry, Jimbo and Jack visited his home and boat Pilar in 2016. Click here to review this trip.

My original plan was to take a day cruise (70 miles in the open ocean) to the isolated Dry Tortugas National Park and the 16 acre Fort Jefferson (largest brick structure in the Americas). I waited too long to make reservations, the reason for extending my time in Key West at the Ibis Bay Beach Resort. These cruises were canceled because of choppy waters from Small Craft Warnings.

This is where, Ernest Hemingway went fishing many times and John James Audubon made several of his drawings for the “Birds of America” folio. Also this is where doctor Samuel Mudd was imprisoned after being convicted of conspiracy in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Mudd helped provide medical care during a yellow fever epidemic at the fort and was eventually pardoned by President Andrew Johnson for his efforts.

Numeric Orange Balloons correspond to those shown on below map.

Click the below photo to view Uncle Jack’s Key West.blogs.

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