Florida National Parks Day 7 - August 25, 2015

So this day was a complete “audible”.  We didn’t decide to do this until Thursday.  This morning the four of us got up and left before 7am, stopping at a Dunkin Donuts/gas station in Marathon for breakfast.  Then we drove all the way up the keys to the Everglades National Park.  As is our tradition, upon seeing the park entrance sign, we pulled over to take a ridiculous number of pictures of us in front of the sign.   Well this time when we pulled over, our rental car died.  And I mean died.  Plus the key was stuck in the ignition.  And I mean completely stuck.  I said we needed to go ahead and take the picture and as soon as we did, Nick got on the phone with Thrify and I got bug spray out of the car – the mosquitos were horrible.  I went back to Grant, who was still standing on the NP sign and told him to get down.  So he jumped, fell on his arm, and started screaming.  I think there’s a good chance that he broke his arm.  All of this shit went down in a matter of about 15 minutes – it was scary.  We were setting up a little spot on the other side of the road when I got back into the car for something and realized the door dinged.  We started the car back up just fine and were on our way – there is a defect with the anti-theft system of the car.   

Grant however, was not okay.  We stopped at the Everglades visitors center, got our magnets, etc. then drove a short ways to the Anhinga Trail trailhead and took a short hike.   

But oh my gosh – we saw 7 or 8 alligators – some sleeping, some on the move, some eating… it was spectacular – and holy cow was it hot and buggy.  There were giant grasshoppers everywhere which were benign but gnarly!!  We also came across a tiny tree frog.

After our short walk we got back in the car and drove the short 20ish miles to Biscayne National Park, 95% of which is in water.  So we just stopped at the Visitors Center, got what we needed, rocked in some rocking chairs on the porch of the Visitors Center then left.   

We were to a restaurant on the beach which is on an adjacent county beach – not in the national park.  We had a nice view from La Playa then we started back towards the house. 

Grant’s arm was still hurting so we stopped in Marathon at Burdines, a cool restaurant overlooking the water, a mangrove orchard and a gas station.  We just got dessert there (and an Advil for Grant).  He and I shared a fried key lime pie, which was delicious.  Nick got a regular key lime and Ryan a chocolate covered frozen banana.  

We got back to the house around 5:30 and the four kids watch Spy Kids for the millionth time while the adults just relaxed.  

As I’m writing this, the kids are asleep but Grant’s arm is still hurting.  We leave tomorrow to go back to Dallas and school starts a week from today.  It’s been  and is going to be hectic when we return but this past week was great.  My kids have now been to 16 national parks in nine states and they are 7 and 9 years old.  NOT BAD!!

P.S - written several weeks later - Grant went to the doctor and his arm was not broken - just badly sprained.

Florida National Parks Day 6 - August 24, 2015

Today was the first day that we actually went to a national park – this was number 14 for the kids.  We left the house by 6:30, drove back into Key West, parked in the same garage at Grinnell and Caroline street and waited to board the Yankee Freedom ferry that would drive us the 68 miles to Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park – an area made up of 7 little islands.  

We left at 8 and rode the ferry for 2.5 hours, eating breakfast on board.  The kids played Yamslam, which is basically Yahtzee, and really enjoyed being on the boat.  

Once we arrived we got the obligatory map, magnets and hatpins, then we walked the top of the fort.  The view was spectacular – probably the most turquoise water I’ve ever seen.  

Here's a whole bunch of amazing pictures:

 After that it was back to the boat for sandwiches then on to “South Beach” for snorkeling.  This was Ryan’s first time snorkeling and she was a pro – took to it immediately – and there was some really neat stuff to see, especially along the moat wall and by what used to be an old dock.  Grant hated it and pouted.  His mask was either too loose so that it let water in or it was “too tight” so he mostly stayed on the beach but Ryan explored a lot.  We got to snorkel together some, holding hands while we did it.  It was an awesome experience and something I have no doubt, Ryan will do again and again and again in her lifetime.  

After showering off we got back on the boat and headed back to Key West.  We didn’t get back until 5:30 – it was a long day but AMAZING.  

The Brekkens stopped to pick up pizzas from Mangrove Mamma’s and it was delicious.  We ate then basically went to bed because we were so wiped out. 

Florida National Parks Day 5 - August 23, 2015

This morning started out badly.  During the night someone stole the kayak the kids had been using and enjoying so much.  I went on a 30-minute paddle trip on the rescue board to see if it washed up somewhere along the shoreline but it hadn’t.  So the kids were limited in what they could do.  But they made the most of the yellow rescue board.  D and Drew caught a lobster and later in the day Drew and Ryan caught one – they had SO much fun out there.  

Around 5:30 we headed back into Key West and found a much cheaper place to park but it did require a bit of a walk.  We ended up eating at Conch Republic Seafood Company, which was good, then we walked the several blocks down to Mallory Square so that the kids could watch the street performers and the sunset.   

The first street performer we saw was a guy with a guitar and a dog how would go around and take tips out of peoples’ hands so Grant gave the dog $1.00   

Here's the sunset

 

 Then we came to an old, crude juggler and tight rope walker.   

But the best was Jace who was a great juggler who juggled fire and axes on top of a really tall unicycle.  Grant was entranced by it all but later was upset that we didn’t stay longer and see more people.  He was also pissed that we didn’t buy him anything. 

 After a long walk back to the car via Duval Street, we went home, showered and went to bed. 

Florida National Parks Day 4 - August 22, 2015

This morning I got up and “ran” about three miles and swam home.  Ryan and I went out on the kayak and saw a giant sea turtle right under our kayak.  It was amazing.  We mostly stayed around the house today – the kids kayaking, fishing off of the pier, building sand castles.   

Then, because we’d enjoyed it so much a few days before, we all returned to the Sunset Grille in Marathon so that the kids could swim and we could enjoy a nice lunch.  It was very hot but a storm rolled in causing the pool to be off limits for bit due to the lightening.  But we all had fun.   

Afterwards we ran back to Publix to get some things for dinner including a birthday cake for D Brekken (today is her birthday).   For dinner we had fajitas and ate cake.  It rained really hard during the night.