Friday, September 26, 2008

Twists and turns

As usual, life in Alaska continues its unpredictableness. We changed our plans a bit and we're not moving to Biscayne after all. We're going someplace even better -- and even more remote (in many ways) than Gustavus!

Instead, we are headed to Dry Tortugas National Park, a tiny island 70 miles west of Key West. We get to live in a fort built in the 1800s. Part of the time, we will live in an apartment in Key West, where I can participate in the area's love/hate relationship with chickens (I would be on the "hate" side of that fence).

This is, however, contingent upon Robin's background check clearing. After 27 years with the park service and recently getting his security clearance from the Coast Guard, TSA and FBI, the park service has deemed that is not sufficient and that ~they~ need to do a background check on him. (My fingerprints from March never did clear -- I think they lost them.)

Anyway, lots of snorkeling, fishing and kayaking is still in our future ... only it will be on an island that is a 2 hour ride from the mainland instead of 15 minutes.

7 comments:

David said...

Humidity! Eeeewww!

KIA said...

Yeah, I am sure I'll really look like a madwoman with my hair all big and frizzy, wielding a machete and going after chickens running at large.

The Big Guy said...

Greetings!

I'm a long-time volunteer at DRTO...
I hope it works out for you guys come out to Garden Key.
I volunteer several times a year (when my schedule permits) and have worked with some great NPS staff and other awesome volunteers-

I'll be down in December to do some camping, and probably in January for one of my volunteer stints...

Based on your previous blog entries, it looks like you'll fit right in...

take care-

Jay

Doogman said...

ARRR!!!! THE DRY TORTUGAS!!!!!!!! Ye scurvy dogs, ye'll not escape me tharrr.. arrr...ha...arrrr.... I'll chase ye down, give ye a broadside right in the poopdeck, that'll teach ya there's no running from Long Doog Silver!! ARRRRR!!!!!!!

Doogman said...

ARRR

Anonymous said...

Ooooohhh... I want to visit!

KIA said...

Garden Key will be the place to be!