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Victoria and I had a cabin reserved at Key Lime Sailing Club in Key Largo for Christmas, 2004. We left Richmond on Dec. 17 and stopped in Charleston to check on Rosita. From there we drove to St. Augustine where we spent some time back in the 80s. The city had a great display of Christmas lights in the central square downtown.

We spent two days near Stuart Florida while I interviewed for a possible position in Juno Beach. We arrived at Key Lime Sailing Club on Key Largo on the 21st and settled in.

KLSC is a small eclectic collection of cottages on the Sound side of Key Largo. The beach and dock face Northwest with a beautiful view of Buttonwood Sound. The cottages vary from our one-room structure to small houses divided into duplexes. The cottages are “Keys style” eclectic and funky although some people might not be as complimentary. The atmosphere is low key, island style that may be a little tattered for some but fits our expectations of the true "keys" lifestyle.

Our cottage, the Sailfish, was closest to the beach and had its own Tiki Hut for outdoor dining. The compact kitchen unit was a combination two-burner cooktop with a sink and a small refrigerator under. The roomy exterior shower was in an enclosure out the back door. Despite the tight quarters, we were very comfortable and enjoyed the breezes and waterfront view. It reminded us very much of living on a cruising boat.

There is a larger Tiki hut at the dock for the other guests to use. Three 22 foot boats are tied to the dock with two others at anchor. The boats are older Catalinas, a Morgan, and O’Day, that have been reconditioned. Al, who runs the place, takes a personal interest in maintaining the boats and they are sailable but they are not in top condition. There are also a variety of dinghys, canoes, kayaks, and other water toys to play with.

Al gave us a handheld VHF, a TowBoat card, and a five minute introduction to our boat which was at anchor. The boats are typically “assigned” to a guest on a first-come basis, but the arrangement is flexible and guests can arrange trade-offs between themselves if the wish.

We sailed the O-day a couple of times before a rare Northwest wind and chop settled in sending several boats ashore and keeping us all off the water for a couple of days. Several of us spent time helping Al get them off the beach and keeping the others from beating themselves against the dock.

Al is another one of the “Keys” characters I have come to know and like. He is retired from his previous career and now takes various jobs managing small hotels or resorts. He has a power boat he restored, has done some sailing and cruising, considers himself a people-person, and loves to talk. He’s proud of the fact that there are no keys to any doors on the site, “We’re in the Keys, Man!”

One beautiful sunny day, we rented a powered skiff from a marina and enjoyed a tour around the islands. The crystal blue water was gorgeous. We poked into the mangroves on a side channel and shut the boat off to enjoy the sounds and sights of the many birds. We drifted silently into a mangrove and sat there. Looking around, I noticed the branch that was directly above the bimini on our boat. Astounded, I got Victoria to look. There was a beautiful iguana sunning himself on the branch. He was easily over three feet long and seemed to ignore our intrusion. We named him the “King of the Mangroves.” Not relishing the possibility that he could easily drop onto the bimini or into our boat, we quietly maneuvered away and left him in peace.

Overall, we were happy with our experience. The Keys, for us, is a funky, laid-back place and KLSC went right along with that image. We would go back again someday. Others who are into the Key West party atmosphere, or who are particular about their accommodations, may not like it as well.

We also, explored Sarasota on our way home. It is a beautiful place with lots of marinas and places to anchor. We are considering moving there in the next year or so.

The highlight of this trip – Victoria and I became engaged on Christmas Day!

For more info see www.keylimesailingclub.com