Baby, It's Windy Outside

Baby, it's windy outside. To say the least.

Got up today hoping to get out on the water but my snorkel boat trips were cancelled due to high winds. Damn! Better to cancel then to get out there and be stuck in a vomitorium. Nobody likes that - except for maybe the fish. 

Even yesterday it was kickin'. As I rode out to Stock Island to do my weekly kayak tour, the bike ride wore me out more than the kayaking. I weaved my guests in and out of the mangroves to save the lady who'd never been in a kayak before from experiencing tipping over. She did manage to get more water in her kayak than I ever thought possible. 

It's been quiet here lately. The calm before the perfect storm...Christmas week. "What are you doing for Christmas?" I am frequently asked by my non Key Westers.

"Working!" 

I've gotten so used to working on holidays now, it doesn't even phase me. In fact I kinda like it. We've all been waiting for people to arrive down here it feels like a typical holiday anyway. Wondering if anyone will show and when. They're starting to trickle in bit by bit.

At home these days, I'm beginning to be surrounded by tourists. I moved into a cool little compound of cottages which was a majority locals to one tourist cottage. The tide has suddenly turned and now I'm gearing up for being a lone local in a sea of tourists. It'll be interesting.

If they are anything like my current tourist neighbors Dory and Greg, I'll be happy. Nice New Yorkers who brought the perfect guest. Their Great Dane, Reykjavik. Dory drove him down in a Mini Cooper. And if the name sounds familiar you'll thank your 6th grade social studies teacher like I did. His name is the capital of Iceland which I screamed out when I first met him. 

This week we got some new visitors in the other cottage. A group of five Ukrainian boys from Indiana. If that doesn't spell trouble I don't know what does. They've been clinking their vodka glasses on the back porch every day and yesterday they got scooters. They're only here for 10 days but I imagine that it'll end with one of them taking care of the llama at the prison petting zoo.

Since the boat got cancelled I ran around town doing errands, one of which was stopping by the library. I went to unlock my bike when a beach bum who was locking up gave me an update. Screw the NBC nightly news with Brian Williams. My most reliable news source these days are the bums. 

"The town is getting packed. There's a line of cars backed up on Truman!" 

And the tourist tsunami begins... Good.