How does a week in the Florida Keys sound, with a private cottage and your own dedicated sailboat , all for a reasonable price with unlimited access to canoes, stand up paddle boards, and dawn to dusk sailing?
I hesitate even as I write this post because I’m afraid this helps publicize a hidden secret that I’d like to keep. But we’re about sailing, and this is a destination that deserves publicity.
My son and I spent a week down in Key Largo at the Key Lime Sailing Club and Cottages, and had an incredible time sailing, snorkeling, exploring, kayaking, and touristing. The cottages are reserved for a minimum 5 day stay, which is about the perfect amount to see the area and enjoy a Keys vacation.
There are several cottages, and rather than try to rate them on a hotel-star scale, I’d describe them as legitimate laid-back keys style. Each has a kitchenette and varying sleep arrangements, and eclectic style, and beach-life construction. Very casual, but serviceable and clean. What drew us in was that each cottage comes with it’s own Catalina 22 sailboat, ready for adventure every day of the week, and it’s only an hour and a half from Miami.
The staff are very friendly and accommodating. They love their jobs, relish the Keys lifestyle, and want guests to leave happy. There’s a minimum proficiency required to take your sailboat out, but no worries if you’re rusty or even want lessons because they have lessons and even certifications available during your stay.
We filled out a brief sailing resume online, and looked forward to a great week of sailing. On the following 5 pages I’ll share the adventure in detail. We arranged for a late arrival on our first night due to flight schedules, and got dinner at the Lazy Lobster restaurant.
Read on to day 1 at Key Lime Sailing Club & Cottages…