Dog Days

August 20, 2018

 

Kathy and Meredith

Dog Days

The month of August is always a hot and pretty slow moving time in the Florida Keys. There are a few activities that are ongoing and some special events that try to lure tourists, mostly in state visitors heading down for a quick weekend, but mostly the month is a pretty slow paced time. In the past, many restaurants and stores would close down during the slow months of August and September, but now only a few places still honor that tradition.

 

This month also marked my 54^th birthday and while I am not usually all that big on marking such occasions, this year is interesting because I have officially past the mark where I have lived more than half of my life in Key West. That is pretty cool to me and I must say I have mostly loved every moment that I have spent here. I have met some of the most wonderful, creative, interesting, wacky and loveable people ever and I have been truly blessed to call this island community my home for 27 years.

 

 

August does have a few events that keep things interesting. One of the largest is the annual Lobsterfest which marks the opening of the commercial lobster season with a large street fair along Duval Street, which is closed down and lined with vendors and food booths by local bars and restaurants serving up lobster themed dishes. The lobster season opens every year with a two day mini-season in late July then for commercial fisherman in early August.

Florida spiny lobster is absolutely delicious and I love going down and eating lobster in various forms during lobsterfest. Lobster rolls, lobster tails, lobster mac-n-cheese, they are all available and always delicious. The event is always brutally hot and this year was no different. 

 

George

This month also sees the beginning of school once again and that means the start of High School football season, this year there was a national showcase game held at Tommy Roberts stadium between a team from Huntington Beach, California and South Dade High School in Miami. The Conchs also started their season with a 17-14 come from behind victory over Gulliver Prep.

Dani

This month also saw the opening of a brand new bar owned by our friends Chris and Marky called General Horseplay. Located in the former location of Red’s Place, the bar has been completely gutted and rebuilt and looks beautiful. I made my first visit to the bar for Marky’s Zombie for Mayor event that is anticipation of the Zombie Bike Ride which is going to be held in October.

 

Finally the month of August saw the completion of another successful season at work as our research vessel the R/V Hercules returned to Malta after a very successful season doing archeological work in Albania and Sicily. Possibly our most successful year ever as we found a number of bronze rams and other items from the battle of the Egadi Islands which closed out the first Punic War in 241BC.  I am including a few photos from the boat of our crew in action.

Peter