Whole Pig and Random Pics

DeLuna's Bar and Grill is located at Stock Island Marina, just a quick walk around the corner from where Viridian is tied.  We have noticed that in order to survive as an eatery on Key West you have to get creative and think of unique things that set you apart.  The competition for customers here is very intense, but that creates excellent menus and the owners have to be at the top of their game at all times.  

DeLuna’s is a Cuban family-owned business.  Two generations work here as cooks, waitresses and bottle washers.  Today they had a handwritten poster nailed to a post advertising whole, 120 lb., fire-roasted pig plate special for $8.00.   Who could resists that, especially since most people have had their fill of seafood.  The only thing that was working against this strategy was that the wind was blowing away from the marina and out into a mangrove forest, where only the alligators and iguanas could smell it.  Nevertheless, word traveled fast-up wind, and we staked out our place in line and soon had our platter of succulent Cuban-roasted pig with Cuban-spiced black beans & rice and yucca root. (Yucca root is also referred to as Cassava, Medioc or Mandioca and Tapioca throughout the tropical regions of the world it is grown in.  In the United States, the name “tapioca” most often refers to the starch and other derivatives made from the root.)  We were not able to finish our lunches due to the HUGE portions, but what we did manage to eat kept us till next day.

That's the "pig" news of the day and here are some random views around the marina.

 Checking the hind quarters

 Checking the front quarters

DONE!

Why didn't we just half a plate?

 Guineas taking a dirt bath

 These things can swim like a fish!

 6 ft Tarpon fish cruising under the docks

 See the owl silhouette by the post?  Apparently this is a bird magnet rather that a bird repellent.

 These young men crew a crab boat with 500 pots deployed in the Atlantic Ocean off shoar east of Key West.  They run them every 3 days.  On the off-days they take on fuel and earn money with their boat in other ways.

 Santa Claus is coming!

Coconut Row is probably the oldest dock on Stock Island.  Lots of liveaboards here.

 Coconut Row

 Mooring balls on Coconut Row

 Just a pinch between cheek and gum

General Patton's boat When & If

 Meg and "Salt" the Looper dog