Hello again from Saddlebunch Station.
I'd like to report to you that I'm slacking bigtime and the slow-paced life of the Keys has spread warmly over me like those nice pain-killer pills. But it wouldn't exactly be true. In fact, I've heard truer fish tales at the Stock Island shrimp pier. More precisely, I got exactly the challenge I sought when I began rattling the bars of my cage and leaving Orlando.
The high cost of living is one thing, but frankly it's no worse than San Francisco, and in many ways a lot better (insurance and fuel here are much cheaper, and rent probably is too, if you don't go waterfront). No, what's biting me, is the thrill of staging and selling a condo 375 miles away. Already, one trip to Orlando was made to hire handymen and bring back more left-behind crap, and it resulted in a lot of progress. The place is painted, other minor details are fixed, and some people are hard at work cleaning and throwing away everything else I left. Unfortunately, those demands, combined with extensive full-time work, took their toll to such an extent that I was unsurprised to discover, upon returning home, that I had some bright-white hairs on my 31-year-old head.
For a few days, I did what I hope most humans would do (at least for my sake), I drowned in the deep waters of self-doubt and worry, until sometime Saturday when I realized it, and began pulling myself back out. Now, thanks to some rest and cleaning (exerting control over one's environment to calm bad feelings, really works), I'm at least ready to face the mess for another week, and I'm going to put up a good fight. I hope.
A good part of the relaxation therapy was Mission Five, a wonderful kayak ride across the bay. Let's see if I can put up a map for you.
There we go. The mission went from Bay Point, across the bay to Blue Water, and into some serene mangrove forests with passages too narrow, and water too shallow, to be accessed by anything but a kayak. At first glance, perhaps not as adventurous as trips all the way out around the Point to Wells Key, but I guess you had to be there. The serenity of the mangroves is quite overwhelming, and I'm sure this place, like Abba Zabba, is one that will be revisited.
I should also add that I found this link to be very helpful in my quest to determine more about the history of the Saddlebunch Keys. It answers at least some of my questions about the area's origin, at least the Blue Water side. I imagine Bay Point has a similar history, but so far, it isn't telling. I still have to find a library or a longtime resident to get more historical context.
My morning's almost gone, and work is beginning to call, so that's it for now. I'll let you know if I survive.
-Chris