Oct 14, 2013, we fly all 4 to Marathon, FL, close to Key West

Today we fly south to the Keys, and have lunch with Donald, the older son of MaryAnn and Bill, who lives there and works on a Dolphin Research Center.
Before we leave Bartow, FL, cranes are greeting us on the runway

All onboard seem to enjoy the ride south

while we fly over huge orange groves

soon we reach the tip of FLorida, and we have a 25 NM portion of water to cross till we reach Marathon, 

where Donald waits for us

Turning Base to Final on Runway 7 in Marathon FL (KMTH)

and taxiing to the tarmac, while we agreed greeted by the lineman with the Follow ME car (golf cart)

All kind of flying devices are to be sen on the tarmac, float helicopters, Boeing Stearman for tourist - sightseeing tours, Florida authorities checking the waters around the Keys

and old airplanes att he Mararhon museum

You can leave your car during summer at the parking lot of the airport, they will take car of it while you spend the summer up north, and will have it prepared, ready for you when you fly into Marathon to spend the winter down there.
Is this a premonition of our next Project???

Donald takes us to his home in Marathon, where nice flowers grow in his garden

Donald loves animals, he keeps 2 snakes at home

Lunch is on the seafront

Watch the T-shirt Bill proudly wears after so many years 

Law enforcement also on water, making sure no one fishes crabs before the season starts on Oct 15 

 Is this my new winter residence on the Keys?
Below the Dolphin Research Center where Donald works

Perfect blue water along our way back from Marathon.
we have planned to follow the Keys till Miami, and follow the shore line up north

 A small private airfield at the top of the Keys, south of Miami

 The Miami skyline far away while we fly at 500 ft northbound

 and slightly further north, we fly along Miami Beach, just over paragliders being pulled by boats

 are the building too tall or are we flying too low?

 To avoid traffic in Fort Lauderdale, the Tower requests that we fly at 500 ft or below.... what a pleasure to be asked to be low, we can admire the views

 After Fort Lauderdale, we turn inland towards Bartow,

 but after 2 hours in the air, we land in Okeechobee, FL, as we need a small leg stretch, and to call home to check if all is OK

photo courtesy of Bill McMullen

 The sun starts to be low on the horizon, time to fly on back home, for the last leg of this 3 weeks long adventure, and to land in Bartow with daylight

the last landing of this trip,at Bartow, on Rwy 27R. The emotion makes me shake the camera, and to come in for landing a little too high (see all the PAPI lights being white, whereas they should be 2 red and 2 white...), just as the sun sets.

 and for dinner, guess what???   Here how they looked before and after being cooked on the barbecue.

and dessert being Bill´s Special ice cream.....