Key West Aug 1-12th good or bad idea?

GEtting married the end of July & we are trying to figure out where to go.  I took her to the Key's on our first trip together we are thinking of heading back down that way for our honeymoon.  Has anyone been down there the first 2 weeks of August?  Is there any reason we shouldn't go?

I have always wanted to snorkel/dive in the summer since that is suppose to be when the ocean is the calmest.  Also fiance loves fishing so we wanted to do a charter thingy.... I get motion sick REALLY EASY so since the ocean is calm (usually) we figured it would be a good time to try that.

Any reason we shouldn't go?  Mosquito's or anything like that down there?? 

Any suggestions on camping areas on the water?  We have a 38ft RV so Bahia Honda is out of the picture.  I have always stayed at Boyd's campground on Stock Island next to Key West.

thanks for any info!!

Any reason we shouldn't go?

Click to expand...

That is hurricane season and more than usual are expected this year.  That could really mess up a honeymoon.  Worse yet, the oil spill might spread a lot by then and it could really mess up south Florida.  Not sure I'd want to go to Florida in August.  We were there last July and it was HOT!

ArdraF

ArdraF said:

That is hurricane season and more than usual are expected this year.  That could really mess up a honeymoon.  Worse yet, the oil spill might spread a lot by then and it could really mess up south Florida.  Not sure I'd want to go to Florida in August.  We were there last July and it was HOT!

ArdraF

Click to expand...

X2... HOT, HOT, HOT, BUGS BUGS, BUGS in Aug. never again. In the winter we stay at Sunshine Key Resort on Big Pine or the KOA on Sugarloaf.

Spend a lot of time in the water to keep your core temp down. Then the humid heat of the tropics will feel good.

Transderm scop (Dr's perscription required) best seasickness treatment.

Mosquitoes and no-see-ums will be a problem.

I've never had much problem with mosquitoes in Key West itself, but they would be a problem in any of the mangrove swap areas.

Temps will be in the low 90's, which is real hot if you aren't accustomed to that sort of thing. Stay out of the direct sun when possible and drink plenty of fluids (beer & margaritas count).

Come to Michigan. Our lakes contain, no salt, no sharks, no oil. We have a lot of inland lakes and of course the big lakes too. The black fly season in the Upper Peninsula is over by mid June but alas we do have mosquitoes.  We have some great state parks as well as privately owned  RV parks, lots a Wineries, quaint towns an villages and a semi reasonable sales tax.  We have a lot of great sandy beaches on the great lakes too. We have the most shoreline of any of the 48 states. The temps are not that bad in the summer and usually with reasonable humidity. Thats why the snow birds come back to Michigan to spend the summer.  ;D

thanks!!!  bugs/mosquito's are a concern, I thought I heard about them as well as the no see um's........ hmmmmmm

Yea, oil could be down there & since we have a RV, if the oil is spotted we could cancel.  I thought I wanted to spend time down there before the oil ruins the area for the rest of our lives

Hurrican's I also figured if one was forming we would just go elsewhere........

We were considering Michigan, the U.P. actually.  We were also considering upstate NY. 

Russ' recommendation for Transderm scop is a good option. OTOH it does have some side effects. An option we prefer is an electronic anti-seasickness band such as this. More info here. No prescription required, drug-free, and they do work (we've been in some rough seas). We have the ones with replaceable batteries, and they're a bit expensive, but disposable versions of the same product are (or were) approx a third of the price.

We bought ours several years ago at West Marine Products. Cost approx $150 each at that time, but well worth the money. Disposable ones at that time cost approx $50. WMP isn't known for the best prices, except when they have a sale on. Shop around, and you'll find better prices.

No problem! Great time to go. Let er rip! If you have to evac for a 'cane, they'll give plenty of notice and you won't have to pay turnpike tolls. We go to the Keys all the time in the summer. Water can get pretty choppy when the wind comes up in the afternoon or with pm showers. Do your on-the-water stuff in the morning and save the afternoons for napping, tanning and pub crawling.

thanks again..... I am reading up on the suggested anti sea sick stuff.  Dramamine (sp) screws me up even more then vomiting off the side of a boat so a drug free option would be pretty awesome!!!  I was going to take ginger pills.... maybe I will do both and but that watch thingy....

If you can't take Dramamine, you might try Bonine.  Lorna finds it very effective.

Ned said:

If you can't take Dramamine, you might try Bonine.  Lorna finds it very effective.

Click to expand...

Marlene likes Bonine also. Many fewer and lesser side effects.

Like others have said - it's gonna be hot. Air conditioning isn't a luxury; it's a necessity - or you'll slowly bake like a potato while in your R.V. I've never had problems with bugs except for the expected sand fleas on the beach. I worked as a mate on a charter fishing boat down there back in the 90's and can confirm what BruceinFL said about the ocean - even calm morning waters tend to get choppy later in the day and you'll find swells no matter what out in the deep. A trip to the Dry Tortugas might work as it involves a bigger boat, a large cabin with AC for the trip if you don't want to be out on the deck, snorkeling when you get there if you want, and some neat stuff to look at. Again - it's HOT.




Did I mention it might be a little hot? 

I'm living fulltime in my RV, in the Keys.  It's hot, but most of the time there is a nice breeze.
There is NO oil here...yet.  We enjoy the ocean everyday.
As for a honeymoon, you might want to check out Blue Water Rv Resort. It's 10+ miles from
Key West, but very nice.  Boyds is always a good choice too.
As long as you are not going to sleep in a tent, you should be fine.
Come and enjoy the Keys.

Bahia Honda is not out of the picture for your RV. There are sites where you would fit. Problem is Bahia Honda is so popular at all times of the year that it's hard to get a reservation but not all sites are reserveable. It is possible to get a walk-in site so call them to see if any are available on your way. Our favorite place is Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge. It's close to Bahia Honda for the best beach in the Keys and an easy drive to Key West. Family owned with campsites and also rooms. Boat rental available there and great people, Key deer walk thru the campsites so they don't allow pets. Catch a boat from the south end of BPK to Looe Key for snorkeling. Just Google Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge and Looe Key for more info.

I use Transderm Scop I believe its called, for seasickness.  I get it bad.  One trip I took on a ferry at Cancun, I could do nothing but lie down, it was terrible.  These are patches you put on the day before.  I've been on a couple of cruises since and did great.

Seasickness is a disagreement between what your inner ear senses and what your eyes perceive.  Besides the drugs, ginger caps, and wrist bands there are a couple of other things that some folks have had success with. 

Saltines and Ginger Ale will work for some folks. 

But the one thing that might help the most is being outside and keeping an eye on the horizon (doing something helps too).  If you are sitting inside the boat and have no point of reference for your eyes you are almost certainly going to have some motion sickness.  I've been outside in 30' seas and have had zero problems, but if I go below to do something I might start to feel queasy.

Steve 

thanks again everyone for the great info!!!!  I ended up booking a spot last friday at Blue Water RV Resort, the pics they have on their site look nice but I couldn't beleive how much the sites sell for...... OUCH!!!

I will check out Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge & possibly stay there on our next trip........ or even our first night down there depending on how far I go each day.  Presently have 3 days to make it to the camping area from when we leave from Dayton OH (40miles north of Cincy) & we thought we weren't sure how early we can leave sunday (wedding is in the backyard of my funeral home & we have chairs/tents/tables to put away).  Hopefully we can leave early enough to make it there monday evening but who knows.

We are talking about going the the Tortuga's again, I took her there Nov or 07 & we both want to go back.  Another .5 mi on the boat & I would of been yacking off the side of the 60-80ft boat we took, the sweats were hitting me really hard.  We had 6+ft seas if I recall & several people were sea sick so I was proud I wasn't the first to feel the symptoms.  I do have to stay outside & look at the horizon or I am screwed which makes it impossible for me to fish unless someone else can tie the hook & also throw some bait on for me.  Hopefully the seas will be calmer & I will be able to make that trip again, I will load up on ginger pills & some of the other drug free remedies. 

Does just Ginger Ale help people or does it have to be that + saltines?  I am allergice to wheat (most alcohols are a no), yeast (yea, no beer), whey, soy & some meds..... 

The RV site asked for a 20% deposit & stated 72hr cancelation policy in the summer.  So if the oil does happen to go that way we will be able to cancel our trip there if needed.......

thanks again everyone!!

Just buy some fresh ginger at the grocery store.  Cut off a slice and just suck on it.  Lots less expensive than pills!  Learned that trick from an Aussie tour boat captain when one of the pregnant women was starting to feel queasy.

ArdraF

Oh, the Dry Tortugas National Park.... Bird watchers heaven....