It was another hot day but now, returning northeast, I had headwind. I stopped several times at beaches and spent a lot of time in the shallow water. It was 30 degrees, the same as in the air so I could snorkel many hours.
I also found coconuts. The water inside was warm and sweet and the white meat was soft and delicious.
A girl at a beach recommended me to join a boat trip to a coral reef where I could do some serious snorkeling. I decided to do that next day.
It was really nice!
Day 268, 110 km
The boat-trip started in the morning and costed 20 USD.
We left the shore and went out about 45 minutes on a catamaran, while the crew gave us useful information about snorkeling.
The water at the reef was not so warm, but still about 24 degrees C. It was amazing to see the reef! I saw a least ten or twenty different species of colorful fish in different shapes and sizes. They were not shy at all, I almost could touch them. And the corals were very beautiful!
Unfortunately I could not take any pictures under the water.
I was very happy after the trip and decided to see if there were any yachts going from the harbor to Europe. But I only could find yachts I possibly could buy and sail by myself.
I continued northeast. The roads on the Keys are very bicycle friendly and I met several bicyclers. Most of them were only biking for some hours. Even the Sheriff had a bike attached to the car!
I In the late afternoon I came to the bridge going back to Florida City. I did not want to leave the Keys so I decided to take the alternate route via the old route 904. That gave me some more miles northeast. Then I took the small toll- bridge leading to a restaurant called Alabama Jack's. It was a very popular place. A lot of people were eating there and the atmosphere was great. They also played live music there, so many people were dancing.
Finally I went back to Florida City and from there to Miami.
Late in the evening I arrived at Sanford's house, where I planned to woof (=work as a volunteer) for a week.
Day 269 to 274, 110 km
I spent the week doing some garden work and mainly painting trimmings and doors inside the house. That is things I love to do! I also did some sightseeing and investigations if there were any going yachts from Miami to Europe, where I possibly could work as a part of the crew.
One day Sanford and his girlfriend Nan took me out to Everglades National Park.
There were alligators everywhere! They were allowed to walk on the same paths as the visitors and they also did. So you really had to be careful not to stamp on them.
At one point I saw at least 40 alligators at the same time!
Here you see Sanford and Nan talking about the alligators.
On the way home we stopped at the Gator Grill.
San invited me for a Gator soup. The meat tasted like chicken.
In San's garden we cut down three banana trees (they anyway die after they have bananas),
and made delicious smoothies with sun ripe organic bananas.
Bananas actually don't grow on trees. The plant is a herb where all leaves go down into the earth. They grow very fast and the leaves grow so close to/around each other so the look like a tree.
Today I will begin my journey north towards New York. Now I hope there will not be any more blizzards there!
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