Terry wanted to stop at this spot in the upper Keys to get a drink at a 3 story high Tiki Bar. I ordered a Margarita and Terry had some frozen pink drink. Once I had finished my drink I got antsy and wanted to sketch. I walked to the docks where all the charter fishing boats go out.
Terry and I had taken a snorkeling charter from this marina some years ago. I spent most of that snorkeling trip on my back on the upper deck of the boat, with numb extremities, hoping I would live to feel firm land beneath my feet again. We had gone out with a group of scuba divers. After all the divers had left I was encouraged to jump in the water since then I wouldn’t be rocking back and forth. The struggle to get my flippers and mask on made my sea sickness worse and just before I jumped off the boat, the last of what was in my stomach came flying out onto the churning ocean. I fell forward into the filthy water. The flippers I had rented were to big and one slipped off my foot and drifted down to the distant ocean floor. Once in the water I found myself surrounded by jellyfish which proceeded to sting me every time I touched one. Needless to say I don’t really have fond memories of this particular dock although I was eternally grateful when I finally made it back to land. Before I finished this sketch a huge truck parked in front of me blocking my view. I filled in details that could still be seen. So much of the trick about sketching on location is learning to accept setbacks and avoiding frustration. It started to rain so I declared the sketch finished and I ran for the cover of an awning.
