Susann D'Antonio the Winning Hag

Big Pine Key resident, Susann D’Antonio was the winner of Pretenders In Paradise. She was dressed as a blonde sea hag driving a 10-foot-tall blue and pink sequined replica steam engine and she drove it right into victory lane.

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Susann D'Antonio the Winning Hag

Big Pine Key resident, Susann D’Antonio was the winner of Pretenders In Paradise. She was dressed as a blonde sea hag driving a 10-foot-tall blue and pink sequined replica steam engine and she drove it right into victory lane.

Read More Here

Windsurfer Spends Night Offshore

A 55-year-old windsurfer was rescued after 18 hours in the Atlantic clinging to a crab pot about a mile off the Florida Keys, the Coast Guard said in a prepared statement on Wednesday.Greg Lepock, 55, was reported overdue to the Coast Guard by his wife Cindy Gavin shortly after 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the Coast Guard said.

A helicopter and a rescue boat were launched to search for Lepock. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office marine unit also assisted in the search. Rescue crews searched until 4 this morning when the case was suspended until daylight.At first light, the search continued. The helicopter located Lepock at approximately 8:24 a.m. and directed the rescue boat to Lepock's location, a tethered crab pot a mile off-shore.According to Lepock, he had grabbed and held onto the crab pot throughout the night so he would stop drifting.Within minutes the Coast Guard took the cold and tired Lepock to the Big Pine Fishing Lodge and transferred him to local EMS.

Time to Repeat History?

The railroad right-of-way was converted to a vehicular highway after the 1935 hurricane destroyed 40 miles of track. A $3.6 million bond issue was repaid with two tollbooths. The tollbooth shown at right was at mile marker 32.7 on Big Pine Key about a quarter of a mile south of the Spanish Harbor Bridge. It was as far north as possible so the Key West property owners on Big Pine Keys would not have to pay the toll.

The toll was $1 (this was still in the Great Depression and with inflation would be about $14 today) and 25 cents for each passenger other than the driver. In 1953, Monroe County residents were issued a free toll pass (windshield decal) and the tolls lifted on April 15, 1954. Today the tollbooth would have been located about where the Key Deer underpass is.

Maybe it is time to Repeat History.

Big Pine Key Sperm Whale Bones

National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency, could charge Monroe County's director of Growth Management, Ty Symroski with violating the Endangered Species Act for collecting some bones from a decomposing whale carcass near the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge.

However, officials will say only that they are investigating the disappearance of bones from the 30-foot sperm whale. Those caught taking bones or teeth from the dead whale could be fined between $500 to $2,000, according to the agency's fee schedule. Bobby Dube, a public information officer for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said Friday. "It is illegal to possess parts of endangered animals even when they are dead."

The whale originally stranded off Big Pine Key in July and died several days later. Read earlier posts here.

Symroski boated to the area. Symroski said he took a huge, smelly rib bone and some vertebrae. "They were really cool," he said. "I used to go beachcombing on Sanibel Island and when I saw the whale was decomposing, I went out there." He said there was nothing indicating people should not disturb the carcass, no buoys or signs.

When he returned to shore, a Monroe County deputy stopped him. "It was about noon, they took our names and asked us where we worked," Symroski said. "They said to check with National Marine Fisheries." The next day, Symroski spoke with George Garrett, the county's Marine Resources director. "George said this is pretty serious. He said you're going to have to bring the bones back." "This was a stupid Sunday afternoon thing, thinking you're picking up something on the water and finding out it's a federal offense."

Symroski said he hopes this incident will alert people to the law, "because they are doing a good job of keeping people uninformed," he said, referring to Marine Fisheries. "They are leaving the bones out there to pick. I don't know why they couldn't get out there and collect the bones. They moved the body once," he said. "They chose to ignore it and now I'm going to be publicly embarrassed. I'm chagrined, but a little pissed and feel like I was set up. They should have properly disposed of the carcass in the first place."

Kudos and Whiners

Do you have something to say, about Big Pine Key, the Lower Keys or (as you will see if you visit the site) anything from world politics to alien abductions, all you need to do is e-mail your observation to Big Pine Key Kudos and Whiners. Or you can simply read the gossip others have contributed.

They welcome all anonymous contributions except those of a negative personal nature, in which case your email address may be added to the posting (depending on Eds mood). Be forewarned there are some posts that may not be suitable for all.

Key Deer Rut

It is Key Deer Rut season. The rut is a period when the biggest and strongest male (stag) rounds up a group of females (hinds) for mating. Of course every other male deer wants to do the same, but there's only so many females to go around.

In order to maintain control over a group of females the stag must constantly drive away rivals. The stag announces his superiority over other males by constantly bellowing. Sometimes shouting is not enough, and when contenders approach the females they need to be chased off. Ocasionally fights between males can break out, and this can lead to some serious clashing of those antlers.

This is also the time when humans are sometimes threatened. If you see an antlered Key Deer run across the road, while you are driving, slow down and watch for the stronger stag who will be chasing the first out of his territory.

You can check out a couple of Key Deer battles here.

Walgreens Tries Again

As reported in June Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Richard Payne Monday ruled in favor of a settlement agreement to allow Walgreens to replace the old Scotties building on Big Pine Key. They return now with a court order directings the county to issue the necessary permits.

In a mediated settlement, Circuit Court Judge Richard G. Payne directed the county to approve a "major conditional use" permit, subject to 13 conditions, allowing Walgreens to demolish the existing Scotty's hardware store on Big Pine Key and build a 16,510-square-foot pharmacy in its place. The Walgreens would be next door to a CVS pharmacy, and some Big Pine Key residents have complained that they do not need two large pharmacies on one island. Others have welcomed the competition for CVS.

The major conditional use order will be issued at Wednesday's meeting in Marathon, according to Aref Joulani, county director of planning. Cameron said the judge has ordered what's to be done and there's nothing the county can do other than follow his order.

The Complete Story