Summer in Key West

Things are winding down here on the island. Five more days of school and the kiddos will be on summer break. I'm pretty sure the sports teams are finally done for the season (Conchs REALLY like their baseball!), and the last few weekends have featured the dance recitals and end-of-year concerts that mark this time of year. For the grown ups, the start of summer can be marked in ample parking spaces, even downtown, and 'no wait' service at local restaurants....even the really popular ones. It gets really quiet in Key West. And it's nice. Many locals work in the service industry, and lord knows they rely on visitors for their livelihood. But I know the servers I've chatted up lately are looking forward to a break. And maybe a little time off. They deserve it!

The humidity starts to amp up this time of year, there is no doubt about that. I think most people who don't live here think Key West summers are unbearable, but they aren't. Seriously! We always have a breeze, and even in July the average temperature is 88. It gets much, much hotter in most areas of the country. I know, I know.....but that is a DRY heat. Well, I'm here to tell you that I will take Key West's sultry, even summers (there is a 10 degree or less difference in highs and lows) over the rainy, cool June and scorching July and August of Maryland and other Mid-Atlantic states. Those weeks where the temp reaches 100 and the grass turns brown....yuck! And talk about humid.....ever been to Washington, DC or NYC during a summer heatwave? It gets pretty nasty many other places, if even for a short while.

Here we know what we are getting, and it's just part of island life. Summer in Key West means hot days, sultry nights, and calm waters. It means rains that seem to come out of nowhere, drenching the earth and then leaving as quickly as they came on. Grab a cold drink, take an afternoon siesta, and a dip in the pool at midnight. It's all good.