Sailing off of Key West - It's an inspiration!

Some of my songs, such as Liveaboard, Sailing, Garrison Bight, Life On My Terms, Dockside Bar, Yeah, A Harbor, Yesterday Today and Tomorrow, Wahoo Sunrise, to name a few, are songs of mine about being out on the water. Be it sailing, fishing, living, hanging out in a bar dockside, it all revolves around the lifestyle of being in and around the water.

I've always lived in close proximity to the water. There's just no way I could live in a place like, say Kansas for an extended period of time. I've always loved being by the sea.

For the last ten years, I've lived on an island which is well over one-hundred miles out to sea, Key West. I try to get out on the water whenever I can! After all, that's what Key West IS! There is nothing like being out on the water!

It amazes me that so many people come here and don't get out on the water! I have a friend who bought a house here and over several years of coming here as a vacation, then several more as a homeowner, never got out on the water! Once she did she said, “How did I not do this before?”. She's addicted to it now!

A sunset sail in Key West lasts about two hours...

We are very fortunate and have been out on boats of friends of ours many times over the years. Yesterday we were out with our friends Tadd and Lindsay, aboard their 48' Catamaran, Makara! Thank you Tadd and Lindsay! Makara is available for charter! Contact them for April availability! The boat will be leaving until December, however, you can certainly book in advance!

Contact here: https://www.facebook.com/worldsailingadventures/ 

There was a strong thirteen-knot wind with gusts to twenty. The seas were rough and the water was the most amazing shade of green.... Here it is! ENJOY vicariously!

It's no wonder the sea inspires such inspiration for so much of my music!

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Thank you for reading my blog! Please check out my book "Time Traveler - The Oddities and Adventures of a Key West Bartender". Follow Mark Straight's continuing journies and friendships from current Key West, back to historical Key West and elsewhere!

 Order paperback or download here! Paperback comes with a free download!

19 Five-Star ratings!

https://www.amazon.com/Time-Traveler-Oddities-Adventures-Bartender/dp/154977770X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510587586&sr=1-3&keywords=time+traveler&dpID=51-oZioDBAL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Also, my first book, Bar Stories, is now available in paperback!

Available on Amazon! 18 Five-Star ratings!

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The Wrecker's Race!! Top priorities when visiting Key West included!

The Wrecker's Race!



"Sailing"  from the album "Shanghai'd and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)

To hear and download my music

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/keywestchris

(also available on iTunes, and CD Universe! Search "Key West Chris")


The Wrecker's Race!



In Key West every year there is an on going event called "The Wrecker's Race". It is held over four months every winter. The reason it's called The Wreckers Race, is because part of Key West's history is steeped in salvaging wrecked ships that were destroyed when they hit the reef, several miles off shore. When this would happen, those in Key West would sail out to the wreck, save the crew and then proceed to unload the ship of it's cargo for themselves.

While this sounds like looting, it's actually not and was 100% legal. As soon as the ship hit the reef and was destroyed, with the hull torn out and the boat sitting on the reef, the insurance paid for all of the cargo, as well as the boat itself. During this period in time, Key West was the richest town in Florida! This took place up to about 1890.

It's the most natural thing, when living on an island, to go sailing! There are sailing and yacht clubs around the island, as one might expect. Many people live on their boats here as well. In short, the water is the crux of the reasons Key West exists. Everything revolves around the water here. Yes, we have bars. Alcohol is the biggest business economically in town, but bars would never be here were it not for the water. The main reason bars are here in the first place was to give a recess to those in the fishing business. Way, way, way back Captain Tony's Saloon doubled as an ice house for the fishing industry. Word had it that in the early 1800's the water came right up to Captain Tony's... it wasn't Captain Tony's then of course and I don't know what it's name was at that time. However, sailors would come in on their off time for some beer or rum and who knows what else?



Captain Tony's Saloon, Greene Street, Key West, Conch Republic.

If you are coming to Key West, here are your top priories:

1) Get out on the water

2) Go see Hemingway's House

http://www.hemingwayhome.com/

3) Catch Barry Cuda at B.O.'s Fishwagon Friday's 6 - 9

http://www.bosfishwagon.com/friday-night-jam-session/

4) Get Out on the Water

5) Catch Bill Blue for a Soundcheck at the Green Parrot 5:30 - 7 Fridays
 http://www.greenparrot.com/key-west-live-music/

6) Get out on the water

7) Catch Michael McCloud at Schooner Wharf  Wednesday - Sunday, Noon - 5
http://www.schoonerwharf.com/entertainment.htm 

 8) Get out on the water

9) Relax at The Cork and Stogie
https://www.corkandstogie.com/


So hopefully you get the idea that heading out on the water is imperative when going to Key West? If you don't get out on the water when you're visiting Key West, you just don't get it. Hey, you're on a tropical island that is in the United States, yet at the same time it's a different country, The Conch Republic! Why would anyone not head out on the water here? Hello. This island is 107 miles from the mainland and is where the Gulf Stream originates, as the waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico merge and bring temperate weather to Ireland and Great Britain. There are even palm trees on the south coast of Ireland! Guess where the seeds for those got their start?



(Palm Tree in Ireland)

So, it goes without saying that getting out on the water is seriously what you want to do in Key West!

Every year, The Schooner Wharf Bar holds "The Wrecker's Race" and everyone on the island is grateful for it! The race runs from Key West to the Sand Key Light, about seven miles west of Key West. It's held once a month in January, February, March, and April. I've had the pleasure of being in the race around five times or so and this year I was invited by the boat Blue Ice, a 47 foot (16M) sailboat, to join them with Captain Bruce at the helm! What a wonderful time and day we had!

Pictures speak better than I ever can, so enjoy and a big thanks to Evelina, the owner of Schooner Wharf Bar who organizes all of this and also Captain Bruce and the crew of Blue Ice! A great list of passengers as well. Everyone had a complete blast too! The icing on the cake (Blue icing?? HA HA! ) was that we finished second in class!!!!

The Blue Ice is available for all sorts of endeavors! Check them out on their website for more!

http://www.blueicesailing.com/





Blue Ice at the dock before leaving



At the dock



Leaving Key West Bight



A beautiful sailboat visiting from the BVI



Captain Bruce at the helm, leaving Key West Bight






There's a party below decks as well!



The America cutting through the water!






Our sails



The host of the event, Evelina at the helm!



Aboard Blue Ice in the race!




Thank you for reading the blog! The next should be up within a couple of days... Big, Fun news on the way!!!


Thank you!!!

To hear and download my music

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/keywestchris

(also available on iTunes, and CD Universe! Search "Key West Chris")

Three Sailing events in one week! Many Captains!, Plus Intro to The Key West Songwriter's Festival 2012

SUNSET SAIL ^ Listen to “Sailing” while you read the Blog!^ What a great week on the water, here in beautiful Key West! I am truly blessed with great friends who own boats! On the 25th, Captain Larry Poff and his able mate Michelle Dougan, hot off of their two month sail to the Bahamas, took a group of us out for a late afternoon sunset sail aboard his Morgan 41 sailboat Transition. There’s really something that is so relaxing and fulfilling about being on a sailboat. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy powerboats as well; however a sailboat is so peaceful, cutting through the waves using only the wind. It’s a very natural experience. Also, one can’t help both admire the expertise of the captains involved. Sailing may be fun, but it’s also work that requires a great knowledge of the sea, the wind, and how to deal with both in a million different circumstances. When I was young my dad had a sailboat; a Kells 24, I believe it was. The Lilly M, named after my mom. He always told me “Aboard a boat, there can only be one captain” . Aboard Transition, Captain Larry Poff is the undisputed captain. On his way back from the Bahamas Larry ran into a storm between Bimini and Florida which has sustained winds of 60 knots (65mph/106kph). He got back safe and sound. That says it all for me. Nature doesn’t wait for you, so If Larry says “jump”, I say “how high?”. The sail that night was superb. Beautiful sunset as well! I tried to film it for the blog, but fellow passenger Pat (Paddy) Lynch kept busting my chops about throwing me in. I was laughing my ass off. Then he started making noises like he was getting sick… then he actually DID start to get sick! Oh The Humanity! The Battle Collage photos by Rachel Siegel! Thanks Rachel! A Couple of days later I was aboard Aurora, for the Conch Republic 30th anniversary battle re-enactment, also known as “The Bloody Battle. It’s theConch Republic Navy, Air Force, and Army vs the Coast Guard. The invitation came weeks earlier from Captain Blackheart Charlie and Rachel Siegel. Some may know Blackheart and Rachel from the cover of my CD “Shanghai’d and Marooned in Key West (things could be worse)” Blackheart and Rachel are the two pirates on the right of the CD cover picture dragging me into Captain Tony’s Saloon…. Hum.. There are a lot of Captains in this blog, huh? I arrived at the dock prepared and met with the rest of the crew, which consisted of Captain Wasabi and his wife Captain Kristie “Mamasabi” Metcalf. Also aboard were Sandy Martin Layfield and Venessa. Captain Blackheart called a meeting before we left port explaining the hazards involved and how to handle them aboard Aurora. Safety issues. Very important on a boat indeed! Also discussed were the rules of engagement; what can and can’t be used as weapons. We arrived at the area where the battle was to take place (in front of Mallory Square) and eventually the other boats involved arrived as well, including USCG cutter Sawfish. We all did an inline parade past the dock at Mallory, then turned around. The Sawfish (the opposition) pulled up next to us and we opened up on each other. We had two very good, strong hoses. The Sawfish had at least six, maybe eight. It seemed like forever while the Sawfish and the CRS (Conch Republic Ship)Aurora were engaged, but we never gave up. At one point at least three of Sawfish’s hoses were trained specifically on me. After what seemed like an eternity, it got to the point that I couldn’t breathe and I handed my hose over to Captain Wasabi, who continued to fight on. Finally, other ships of the Conch Republic came and also took on the cutter. Meanwhile, from the air the cutter was bombed with toilet paper by the Conch Republic Air Force, while shore batteries of about five mortars and cannon blasted away with black powder. Eventually, after about an hour, the Sawfish retreated back to it’s dock at Trumbo Point and the Conch Republic Navy started hosing itself. I must say that the crewman on the Appledore was the one I had the most admiration for. They only had one weak hose and he attempted to give us a go with it. Wasabi and I both trained our hoses on him. The guy wouldn’t give up. He just stood there with his weak hose and we blasted him forever. Hats off to that “Never Say Die” Crewmember of the Appledore! In the end it was a great fight and we all ended up at Schooner Wharf at 7:30 for the surrender. On stage the Conch Republic Navy accepted the Sawfish’s surrender and invited the captain and crew to join the Conch Republic Navy, which they did. The only poor thing about it all was the sound system at the surrender ceremony. You couldn’t hear a thing they were saying. Sir Peter Anderson came across like a champion; however everyone else might as well have been speaking without a PA at all. You couldn’t hear a thing. I was going to video it, but it was useless. Later, my pals in “Captains of the Devil’s Triangle”got up to sing some pirate songs, and it was the same issue with them. Nonetheless, it was a great time indeed! A very big thanks to Balckheart Charlie and Rachel Siegel for having me as part of the crew! Long Live The Conch Republic! (Note: Because of the poor quality of this year’s ceremony I’m using the video from 2010 which is audible) Sunday was the Wrecker’s Race. Back aboard Transition, with Captain Larry and Michelle. This was the last of this year’s Wrecker’s Races, as they are held on the last Sundays of January, February, March, and April. We were in the January event, however with Larry and Michelle in the Bahamas in February and March, we kind of book eneded the event. What a great time, as always though! This time the sea was a bit rough. We also had some squalls around in the area, which Captain Larry expertly managed to avoid. Despite all the rough seas, no one fell overboard however! :-)On board Jeep Caillouet coined the word of the day: "Spinnaker". At the awards ceremony, the same issue plagued the those on stage as did the night before; You couldn’t hear anything. Someone seriously needs to tweek the mics for events like this at Schooner's. I'd be happy to lend a hand. Wrecker’s Race: KEY WEST SONGWRITER’S FEST The Key West Songwriter’s Festival starts on Wednesday, May 2 and runs through Sunday, May 6th. I’m thrilled to be in it and will be playing on stage with none other than Misty Loggins! We’ll hit the stage on Friday, May 4th at 1PM at the Best Western Key Ambassador , which is by the airport on S. Roosevelt. About 140 Songwriters, most of who are in from Nashville, will descend on Key West. The vast majority of gigs around town are free. Only the ones at The San Carlos Institute, The Tropic Cinema, The Studios of Key West, and the Sunset Sails are charge events. All of the rest are free! That’s over thirty locations, hosting multiple events each! This is the largest and most important musical event in Key West every year. Additionally, virtually every music exec, producer, promoter, and publisher based in Nashville will be in town along with the songwriters! It’s going to be a BLAST!!! Buckle your seatbelts! Check the link! http://www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com/ Key West Chris' music is available for download at iTunes,CD Baby,CD Universe, Rhapsody, Beachfront Radio, and for physical copy at Green World Gallery, The Cork and Stogie, and Key West Bait and Tackle