Boating — Dry Tortugas: Shrimp Boil and Key West
Early one morning in the anchorage at the Dry Tortugas a polite knock came on our hull. Soft Cajun voices were heard over the transom. When we went on deck we met several large Cajun Shrimpers stuffed into a very small john boat. They asked if one or more of the “Dead End Canal Yacht Club”members could lead their boats around the east reef into the anchorage. They wanted to play tourist.
The break in the East reef is tricky but we all knew the way. After a little negotiating, several of our boats lead them in. After they wandered the fort for several hours they called over couple of our dinghies and summarily dropped two large garbage bags into the little boats.
In one black garbage bag was nearly 30 pounds of jumbo headless shrimp and in the other was at least three times that amount of boat grade, small to large, mixed together. We were pleasantly shocked and concerned about storing all that shrimp for the return trip.
The first night we ate as much as we could of the jumbos but were stuffed before the boat grade had been touched. “My boat can take 10 maybe 15 pounds if we go straight home,” said Run-aground Ralph. Since we were going to Key West we decided to have a party.
Boston Bob circled the anchorage in his dinghy and extended the invitation. We met two hours before sunset for a shrimp boil. Every participating boat brought some contribution and our feast was mammoth. Even the rangers came by to peel the fresh boiled shrimp. It was a grand gathering but soon it was time to go.
Several club members were cleaning up when one ranger spotted a black garbage bag hung on a remote grill. ‘Wooden Boat Steve’ agreed to take it home with him in his towed 12′ Boston Whaler. He and several other sailboats were leaving in the morning. He doubled, tripled and quadrupled bagged the black bag containing shrimp shells and such.
Boston Bob would later relate that they motored nearly all the way home because there was no wind. He was within sight of ‘Wooden Boat Steve’s’ boat almost all day. “Steve’s small boat was covered with birds. They ripped those bags open and sat on that dinghy all day long. Birds would fly in and scrounge around and other birds would circle. And they all contributed to a thick coat of Guava. I think he might have to sandblast it off!” A wonderful party but a terrible hangover.
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Several large powerboats always needed to refuel in Key West and many of the club members went with them. The seventy mile run is a piece of cake. It takes two to four hours depending on the speed of the boat. During most of visits we stayed around the Historic Seaport so we could be close to Duval Street but not too close. The Key West Express docks in the bight and it’s arrival along with a major renovation of the area has pumped up the once seedy part of town.
We especially like ‘Turtle Kraals Waterfront Restaurant and Bar’ and have come to terms with the history of the place. Kraal is a Dutch word for corral and Turtle Kraal’s is on the site of a large green turtle cannery that closed many years ago. No, they don’t serve turtle sandwiches and the restaurant and bar are now part of the rescue of the endangered species.
In the museum there is a tank that sometimes holds an injured green turtle and around the restaurant there are poster sized photos of the long ago green turtle pens. Somewhat like eating amidst an old rendering factory but with nice music.
We don’t ride the Conch train anymore or go to the aquarium but we do try to catch the little show at Mallory Square (what’s left of it) and at least one sunset. I’m not trying to discourage you from visiting all the tourist traps at least once but after a while, geez!
Us old guys are happy watching the loonies from a sidewalk cafe or following the cruise boat pub crawls. In recent years we just had our happy hour at Rick’s Bar (cheapest place to drink) and it’s a dandy. There are scantily clad waitress’, music by local bands, salted peanuts in the shell, pigeons flying about and local dogs but the best fun comes when the cruise boat pub crawlers arrive. I can’t say more because this is a family newspaper but, geez!
Since most of our readers go to Key West on the fast ferry we are sorry to report that most of the fun gets rolling at “Ricks and Durty Harry’s” after the boat has departed on it’s return trip, oh well. The resolution to that dilemma is to stay overnight or maybe two and party hardy. A great side trip would be on the Ferry to the Dry Tortugas National Park so you can confirm that the old boatguy isn’t pulling your leg. Come back soon! Next week ‘Tim the Restorer.’