Well, at least the first doses. Florida last week announced opening up ages 60 – 64, so the wait is over! Lori & I both received appointments for the first day of our age group eligibility. We actually ended up with two sets of first dose appointments. We canceled our Walmart appointments as (besides not being fans of Walmart) getting rental cars is difficult with tourist season in full force. We kept our local Publix grocery/pharmacy appointments as we could simply walk there from our marina. We also have our 2nd dose appointments scheduled so we can begin to relax – a little.

In the meantime, we have just enough time for a 3-week cruise across Florida! We had hoped to be across to Sarasota Bay celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary last May, but COVID put a halt to that.

There is a short-cut across Florida thru the Lake Okeecobee Waterway for boats without tall masts (there is one low bridge along the way). On our last trip to the west-coast 10 years ago we were on our sailing catamaran so we had to go down & around the Florida Keys. This time we take this shortcut.

After 4 months of being mostly hunkered down here are our marina, it will be great to be underway once again!

Do we stay … Do we go?  Bahamas? … Florida’s west coast?  Wait here until after my birthday for the vaccine?  With it looking as though Florida will lower the vaccine age from 65+ to 55+ any day now (even before my birthday), we decided to stick it out here so Lori & I will both be able to get the vaccine.  On the other hand … we needed a break!  So not looking to do a several week cruise, we decided on instant gratification with a road trip to the Keys. 

We found a small, 10 cottage COVID-safe “resort” with efficiency kitchenettes on Tavernier.  With peak season in the Keys, we had some difficulty finding a good match, but Island Bay Resort fit the bill very nicely.  The owners, Mike & Carol, have spent 21 years turning basic ’60’s “cabins” into cute little cottages with many amenities & beautiful grounds.  Just what the doctor ordered!

Our “big” excursion was to nearby Islamorada for lunch at Lorelei Beachside Restaurant. Our last time here was by boat picking up take-out by dinghy exactly a year ago just as the pandemic was hitting Florida.

None of you will be surprised that our road trip included donut shop stops both ways! Heading south we detoured to Mojo Donuts in Hollywood, Florida.  While we have stopped twice before, it’s been several years … we had forgotten how good they were!  Sooo many varieties & really great without being too sweet.  It’s probably good that Hollywood is a 4-hour round-trip drive from Vero Beach!

On our way back north, we discovered a newer, highly rated donut shop.  Wow!  The Salty in South Miami is pretty much the most gourmet (& priciest!) donut shop yet!  In addition to being pieces of art, the brioche dough is delicious with all of the glazes & toppings made in-house.  In just 6 years, they’ve expanded to several locations around southern Florida & now even into Texas.

Now back aboard (rested & stuffed) in Vero Beach, we’re still keeping our plans flexible. While it’s getting too late this year for us & the Bahamas, we may cruise over to the Florida west coast in-between shots, or slowly make our way north towards St. Augustine … we shall see!

Russ