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| Andy and I |
Where to start...ummm ! Guess I will start with the facts.
We are arrived at Sigsbee Navel Air Station on December 1, 2013 and departed on March 24, 2014 for a total of 118 days.
At Sigsbee Navel Air Station you can only be on full hook ups (FHU) for two weeks if there is a waiting list. Once their is a list the rotation begins. This year the rotation began on December 4, 2013
We were on FHU for 60 days, dry camp for 51 days and in storage for 7 days while we went on a cruise.
When we arrived at Sigsbee, December 1, 2013, we went straight on FHU, Rock Pile, until December 18, 2013. Afterwards, we went to dry camp, front row on the water, from December 19-22 (4 days).
On December 23 we were back on FHU, Rock Pile, for two weeks December 23, 2013 to January 4, 2014. Andy was happy to be back on FHU for Christmas and New Years. Dang, I planned that well ! lol
Jan 5th, my birthday, we headed back to dry camp, on the front row by the water, until January 14, 2014, (10 days).
On January 15th we headed back to the rock pile, FHU, for two more weeks. January 15-29, 2014. After our time on FHU we received our eviction notice. We are heading back to the front row, on the water, in dry camp.
This time we were in dry camp from January 30th until February 8, 2014, (10 days). We knew we would remain in dry camp until we put the RV in storage for our cruise vacation with Dennis and Beth.
On the morning of February 9, 2014 we put the RV in storage until we got back from the cruise on February 15th, (7 days).
Once you take the motorhome out of storage you go to the bottom of the FHU rotation, we knew this beforehand. When we came back from the cruise there were 234 people ahead of us waiting to get to FHU.
This time we were in dry camp, lucky again being on the water, from February 16th to March 9, 2014, (22 days). This is the longest dry camp you could experience on any given year if you arrive in late January or the first three weeks of February.
We went back to FHU, in Hollywood, from March 10th to the day we left on March 24, 2014, (14 days).
There are three places you can go that have full hook ups on Sigsbee.
1. Rock Pile - just like it sounds. Rocks everywhere. No trees! The sites are small and feels like you are a sardine. Andy's least favorite...she would rather stay in dry camp. I myself don't care...at least we have electric, water and sewer. We stayed here three times...6 weeks.
2. Hollywood - Site are bigger, some breathing room with not so many rocks. Have palm trees for shade. Much better than the rock pile. We stayed here once, our last 2 weeks.
3. Circle - The nicest and newest sites. Lots of room. The Cadillac of the sites at Sigsbee. Never lucky enough to get one of those sites.
I must say the rotation is fair for all ! I didn't, at anytime, think others were getting special treatment. They have their rules and they pretty much stick to them.
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While in dry camp you can run your generator from 0700 until 2300 during the week and on weekends until midnight. Some people leave their generator on all day which I didn't understand unless they have health issues. However, most people ran it in the morning and in the evening for a few hours.
Did I run the numbers on our use of the generator and a few other things. Of course I did....you know me !!
We ran the generator 3.8 hours a day for a total of 198 hrs. I looked at the generator manual and it read, at half load it comsumes half a gallon an hour. So therefore, the cost of running the generator was 99 gals @ $3.70 gal is $366. So the cost of running the generator while in dry camp was $7.10 a day.
While in Key West we spent $125 on propane. $125 divided by 118 days is $1.05 a day. We used the propane for cooking, hot water, and to run the fridge while in dry camp.
The camp ground fee is $13 a day while in dry camp. By adding the daily costs, propane $1.05 + gas for generator $7.10 + camping fees $13 = $21.15 a day.
The fee for a full hook up site is $23 a day.
The total cost to stay for almost four months, 118 days, in Key West on the Military base was $2,534.
Monthly $633, Weekly $158, Daily $22.62.
Not bad when the average civilian RV Parks are running $110-140 a day in Key West, Florida.
BITS AND PIECES
People ask me what is it like staying on Sigsbee Navel Air Station and being in Key West !
I averaged the temperatures we had by 118 days and it was 76 degrees during the day and 72 at night. Wind can be a problem at times, especially if you are on the waterfront row. I would say about 25 days we had higher wind than we would have enjoyed. Not bad since we were there 118 days.
People were always very friendly on or off base. Why wouldn't they...we are all retired or are on vacation. People are quick to chat and/or invite you for happy hour.
We have met so many wonderful people. It would be impossible to mention them all. You know who you are. Thank you for helping making out trip wonderful !
I want to take the time to thank Judy, Richard, Marylin and Ray for taking me, when we first arrived, by the collar and showing us around Key West. Because of those wonderful people we met so many fun loving people. WE DID HAVE SOME FUN TIMES TOGETHER ! Special thanks to Judy our Entertainment Director.
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| Judy and Richard...ahhh..Love Birds ! |
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| Ray and Marylin |
To our very close friendship with Barney, Melody, Kieth and Bert. I value our friendship and our trust in each other. We have laughed, cried and even got mad together. We have shared our families and our secrets. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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| Cave woman..well, eating like one...Bert! |
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| Funny man with no shirt...Keith ! Manly Man ! |
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| Mrs. Melody and Mister Barney |
Thanks must go out to my buddy Mark and his wife Pam. Because of you Mark I was able to fish my butt off. Andy should be thanking you because I was a mess before we met ! Being on the water and fishing keeps me calm..believe it or not ! Maybe next time we wont need SEATOW !
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| Mark and his Little Fish ! |
I also must say thank you to Buzz and Camille for keeping me out of trouble and informed.
You really get to know people while in dry camp. We have met people that will be our friends for life. A lot more time is spent outdoors since you can't hang out in your air conditioning RV and watch TV all day....not that I do !
Overall, we really enjoyed dry camp. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The longest we dry camped before was just 4 days.
If you like to bike around town this is the place for you. We rode our bikes to Duval Street, fom Sigsbee, a few times. It only took about 20 minutes. From Trumbo, another military base, it only takes 10 minutes from the front gate and maybe 5 minutes from the back gate. Bikes and mopeds are everywhere.
Restaurants are great ! Even "Sunset Lounge" on base has great food and entertainment. Spent many Thursday evenings there with friends.
I asked Andy to name the three best things about us spending the winter in Key West... not in any order! Very close 4th, weather!
1. Tammy 2. Group-meaning friends 3. Food
I asked myself the same question and after thinking and thinking and thinking...not in any order !
1. Weather 2. People 3. Fishing
What a great place to spend the winter !!! Always places to go and people to see. If you are bored...you choose it !
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