1/2/2013 Our Ride on the Glass Bottom Boat

(Key Largo, FL)

John Pennekamp State Park has a concession area that runs snorkel trips, diving trips, rides on a glass bottom boat to the coral reef, a gift store and snack bar.

This afternoon we went on the glass bottom boat.  When we first called to get reservations we were told they were full but that they had a standby list.

Dian and I went to the concession stand at 2 p.m. to see if we could get on the boat this afternoon.  This is something we all wanted to do today because tomorrow the three of them are going out on a head boat for four hours and they didn’t want to go again in the afternoon.
So we got there 15 minutes early and the wait started.  We lucked out!  A lot of people made reservations but then didn’t show up so we were able to secure four spots for the 3:15 tour.
I get seasick.   We checked the conditions and the seas were calm.  That’s a good thing.  I also bought one of those motion sickness pills that they had on the counter.  The man assured me it would work with no problem.  Alrighty then!  Dian paid for the tickets for her and KK and I handed over the paperwork we had for free rides because we volunteer in the park.  Just one of the perks.

Three o’clock came and we walked up to the dock area and got ready for our ride on the Spirit of Pennekamp.



We were able to get topside and were lucky enough to even get seats with some persuasion.  Actually it didn’t even take any persuasion.  There were a half dozen people sitting in a section that would easily fit eight.  There were spread out very comfortably and when KK and I were looking for a place to sit I noticed the wasted space.  I walked over and they all looked at me so I just announced that they could all slide down the seat and they did.  I did hear one lady say, “Who is she?” and her friend replied, “I don’t know and I can’t believe we all moved because she said so.”

So we got on our way….



We passed a lot of birds sunning themselves.

Dian checking to see where we were.

So I’m doing just fine, enjoying the ride, not even thinking about being seasick, its all good.

And then….

And then one of the workers on the boat got on the loud speaker and told everyone that if they get seasick that NOW is the time to take their motion sickness pill not in forty five minutes when we get out to the coral reef because by then its too late.  Ok, fine.  Now don’t talk about it anymore.  Yeah, in a perfect world!  She would not shut up about being seasick.  Actually she referred to it as stomach awareness.  She must have used that term a dozen times.  To the point of pointing out that she had stomach awareness bags if anyone needed one and if you did please go to the back of the boat because she didn’t want everyone needing one because they were too close to you when you were being very aware of your stomach.

Let me tell you, after listening to her for 10 minutes I could have been standing next to The Grinch, the Jolly Green Giant and the Incredible Hulk and you would be hard pressed to determine who was greener!  The trip was totally ruined for me.  There was no way I could have gone inside now to look at the glass bottom.  If you get seasick you understand that.  I had to keep my eye on the land as my focal point to keep from needing one of those stomach awareness bags.

I did pass the camera inside to Dian who sitting down in the well to take pictures.



This one was taken from my vantage point.  I took it during one the few moments I was able to look down into the water.  The water was truly crystal clear.



On the way back I snapped this picture of Dian and KK’s shadow on the side of the cabin of boat.



While we didn’t have a true sunset we did see the sun settling in the western sky.



We spent the evening watching TV and talking the night away.