Marathon, Florida has a large community of seasonal and full-time boat residents. Many of them live aboard boats attached to Boot Key Harbor’s hundreds of reasonably priced ($225/month) mooring balls.
Boot Key’s residents commute by dinghy to a shoreside dock / restroom / shower facility where many boaters keep bicycles as their only transportation to shopping, restaurants, and recreation.
At 9:00 every morning on VHF channel 68, a volunteer moderates a lively radio chat room covering these topics for anyone within radio range:
- Announcements (weekly schedule for city park pickle ball/yoga/bocce groups, one-time events like “VHF radio bingo”, and lots more)
- Welcome to boats arriving
- Goodbye to boats leaving
- Comments, questions, needing help, lost & found
- Buy, sell, trade, giveaway
- Trivia questions
It is a corny, fun, informative, truly local event. Many of the messages are between boats on the mooring field, hoping to borrow a tool, tout musicians at local haunts, or sell spare parts. The best offer on today’s “Net” was a used 12V-to-110V power inverter for $5 or two beers. It was lapped up immediately!
Our new dock neighbor and friend Steve says that he has no reason to listen to Cruisers Net but can’t not do it because it’s like watching a train wreck as it happens.
Enjoying Marathon!
Sounds like a hoot! Let us know if anyone is selling a GB. Don’t hurry home – 9* F yesterday. We’re in Cali – couldn’t take another snowflake.
Yes, it is always interesting to tune in! Every once in a while there is quite the discussion of traffic laws or upcoming CG enforcement of dinghy lights at night.
Rick & Rhonda, we had a great time visiting you two in Marathon yesterday! Great food, great wine and great friends!