Bahia Honda

I’d showed Stephanie how to water the crabapple and other new trees we’d planted, but it poured all night, and our lawn was absolutely squishy with standing water when I went to pick lettuce in this morning. Not a problem. We were going cabin camping in the Keys. All would be well.

We left the house at 9:00 AM, stopped for a pretty good bagel, and cruised on down the turnpike, looking forward to our late lunch at Island Fisheries. Maybe even a beer and stone crab claws in the upstairs bar. I looked forward to the Keys relaxing chill. Nine hours of driving later, which should have been six, we wolfed down our takeout lobster reuben and coconut shrimp on the porch of our cabin at Bahia Honda, exhausted. Not the waterfront lunch I’d imagined.

Two miles north of Homestead, traffic had stopped. From there, we crept along, knowing there must have been a terrible crash up ahead. Made it to the RaceTrac for gas, and got back in line. Good grief, how bad was the accident? Finally, we saw a small fender bender. Yes, now traffic would start moving. No, it was still stop and go. All the way to Key Largo. And just as bad on the northbound side. Eventually, at the four-lanes, it thinned out. There wasn’t an accident, just too many cars on the road. I guess people were coming down for Presidents Day, and other people were heading home after the weekend.

The Keys certainly don’t need stimulus money. All the restaurant parking lots are full, and the beaches packed. “No Vacancy” and “Now Hiring” signs are everywhere. Old buildings are repaired and painted; new construction continues. Even the trees, so damaged in Hurricane Irma, have mostly filled in.  Business is booming.

Bahia Honda

The horrendous drive was worth it (although I was having my doubts when I turned on my wipers to clean my windshield, and one of the blades flew off. I’ll deal with that tomorrow). We are in the Keys. The beach awaits me. All of our group have had both our Covid vaccine shots, and we are ready to gather. Still no hugs, and still some trepidation, but we are together for the first time in a year.