Glass bottomed boat

On our last morning at Key West, we signed up for the last excursion on the glass bottomed boat to the coral reef.  We waited in line for an hour before we were allowed to go aboard.    

In Gucci and Prada, we blended seamlessly with the other passengers. 



We passed the wharf and the marina, and picked up speed as we passed the cruise ship Oriana, docked like a floating hospital in the deep port of the tiny key.

                                      
                                       It was a very long ship.



We passed the sandy end of Key West, only 90 miles from Cuba.

When we got to the coral reef, we went below.  The view to the reef from the windows was obscured by sand that had been stirred up by a recent storm, but the crew did an able job of describing the coral and fish that were visible.

As we headed back to Key West, the crew served tiny glasses of champaign.  The passengers partied on the deck as they waited for sunset.  As soon as the sun slid below the horizon, most of the passengers took the stairs below to find warmer quarters.

But the best was yet to come.  The sunset was spectacular, and we had it mostly to ourselves.