We discovered the hard way that there is a lot of shoaling for a 300 yard circle around Fl R "2". When one of the motor boaters saw us stuck on the sand bar just south west of the red marker he told us that we need to stay 300 yards away from the marker. Later I read in the Embassy Guide that boats need to give that mark a wide berth to avoid the shoaling and that the charted ship wreck, due west of "2 " mark is an anomaly and no one has ever hit anything in that area.

We wanted to get up into Newfound Harbor because we knew a couple that retired on Big Pine Key and had in Judy’s earlier life conducted marine biology classes at the campground located on the north eastern tip of Big Pine Key for many, many years. Judy took the class as part of her masters program during Christmas vacation of 1982. Our whole family came down for the class and we got to use a large tent from the university. I even brought my M scow along and had lots of fun sailing it close to the shore, as there were never any large waves. This class gave us lots of confidence and a healthy respect for the life in the ocean and particularly the reefs.

We called the professor. He remembered us and invited us for a fantastic supper of pork tenderloin with green beans and mashed potatoes etc. etc. etc.. Before supper, Captain Jack took us on a tour of Big Pine Key so we could see the world's only key deer once again. They are pretty tame now. After supper Captain Jack told stories about his encounters with the hammerheads and the dolphin escorts along with other encounters. We got back to the dinghy a bit late and discovered that the marina had locked up the eight-foot high cyclone fence, so we had to improvise on regaining possession of our dinghy. Fortunately, the marina left a 4 x 4 ft wood, pallet outside the fence. I was able to lean the pallet against the fence and by climbing up the pallet I was able to straddle the eight-foot fence and climb down the other side. I took the dinghy several city blocks out to where the road was close to the canal allowing Judy to step in the dinghy.

The next day Captain Jack invited us for a guided tour of Key West. This time we parked the dinghy at slightly more friendly spot on Little Torch Key. We took a lot of pictures in Key West and had a nice dinner at the Outback. We were told it is best to eat at the national restaurants, as Key West did not enforce any city codes on restaurants.

The hammerhead that Captain Jack was telling us about, but this one was on the side walk in Key West the next day.