2010 Super Boat Parade

Every year in November, the Super Boats come to town to race, show their boats, and generally have a powerfully good time.  To kick off the week long roster of events, there was a Super Boat parade on Sunday afternoon.  This is a great way to see the boats up close, and to see the accompanying owners, navigators and friends.

The parade was promptly at four pm, and lasted ten or fifteen minutes.  Owners has to pay a few hundred bucks to be in the parade, so not all boats were represented.  It was a low key parade with thin crowds, with everyone in a mellow good mood, some throwing leftover beads from Fantasy Fest.  One boat in particular stood out, almost literally:  it was an orange boat so wide it had to be placed on its side to fit on the trailor and to be able to fit into traffic.  But the angle of the tipped boat actually allowed us to see it better, and appreciate the scale of these monstrous machines.

It’s kind of like a monster truck rally, only with boats.  Some of the Super Boat engines have I think upwards of 3000 hp in their combined engines!   The Super Boat in the picture, CMS, actually lost function of one of its engines during the race.  That was especially unfortunate for them, since they were favored to possibly win the event.  The winner, by the way, was a boat called Twisted Metal.

One thing we noticed this year, different from previous years, was the absence of helicopters.  At least we didn’t see any the whole week, and usually it’s hard not to notice them.  We think they are for taking pictures and video.

Singers at the Womanfest 2010 Street Fair

Post-Labor Day in Key West is when restaurants close up shop for a while, and owners take their yearly break from life in the Southernmost City.  It’s the start of the off peak season, but not for those who come to town for Womanfest 2010.  Each year in September, a week long celebration of Women takes place, in one of the most low-key festivals to hit the streets of Key West.

The events feature mellow gatherings, cocktail parties, and a street fair.  While the bull riding event at Cowboy Bill’s isn’t exactly mellow, everything is done in the name of good-natured fun and games.  This is no man-hating event for lesbians only.  It’s Woman fest, and although there are more lesbians in town this week, most events welcome everyone.

There was a street fair on Saturday from noon to 8pm.  The 700 to 800  block was closed to car traffic and vendor booths were set up.  Jewelry was sold, a local bank sponsored something that gave away free lei’s with employees yelling “free lei, free drinks” but it wasn’t clear what the catch was.  A girl bank set up on the little sound stage in front of Aqua but soon after they finished their mic check, a downpour came out of nowhere.  Everyone had a good time at Womanfest 2010 anyway.

The World Sailfish Championship sponsors set up a series of connected tents that almost totally cover Mallory Square. Only members can get in, but others are welcome to come to the live band event on Friday night, which is usually a very good show. Inside the tent, there is gourmet food, including shrimp raw bars, wine events, and one gala dinner event after the last race of the week, Saturday night. Prize ceremonies take place in the big tent, with bikini babes, big name sponsors, and everything else you’d expect from a grand event involving lots and lots of money, like this one.

The rules of the tournament are serious, and there are many ways to get your sailfish catch disqualified. These days you have to get your catch on video, or mini DVD. If it’s not recorded, it doesn’t count! Boats leave the docks at 7am and have to turn in their DVDs each day by 5pm. Winner of this year’s World Sailfish Championship released 22 sailfish and won over $340,000. See what we mean by big? This is for serious fishing teams with serious piles of cash, since just to enter you pay $7,500. No wonder they treat the entrants so well, with shrimp dinners, bikini babes, and live music!

The protest lasted less than one day, and it was half in jest, but the message was real. Border Patrol stations set up within state boundaries was an infringement and Conchs weren’t going to stand for it. The “Conch Republic” you’ve heard so much about was created out of this border controversy. They still issue passports and Conch Republic Independence Celebration hangs on as one of the favorite holiday weeks in Key West. There are annual events, and most of them take place in Key West, although it’s a celebration for all of the Keys.

Probably the most popular event of the entire Conch Republic Independence Celebration, at least for tourists that is, is the reenactment of the “Bloody Battle”. Anyone with a boat can join the battle, which takes place in Key West harbor. Boats cruise back and forth and whip rotten food at each other, simulating the Great Battle for Independence of 1982.

To enter, captains must attend a mandatory “Captains’ Meeting” the night before. Mainly, this is to make everyone aware of the rules of the battle. Throwing dangerous things at other boats will get you banned from the battle. Visitors can watch from shore, either at Mallory Square, or at special viewing parties hosted by the luxury waterfront Key West hotels like the Westin and Pier House.

This weekend was the annual Key West Seafood Festival in Bay View Park. All Manner of seafood was represented along with live music and plenty of distractions for children.