Key West Welcomes Diana Nyad

Diana Nyad's crew of boats comes into view along the horizon

 

Key West Welcomes Diana Nyad in Classic Conch Style

 

One of the strongest athletes in the world is a 64 year old woman. She just accomplished what no human has ever done before, and the culmination of her lifelong dream was witnessed by thousands in Key West today.

On her fifth attempt, Diana Nyad made history by swimming 110 miles from Cuba to Key West. She started her journey 53 hours earlier at the Hemingway Marina in Havana, Cuba, a fitting place to begin the epic swim that would end on a stretch of Smathers Beach shortly before 2:00 pm local time.

Thousands of people were on hand to witness Diana's arrival and cheer her through the final grueling strokes that would bring her to shore. Locals and visitors gathered along Smathers Beach and waded out into the water to support her heroic efforts. Conch shells blasted out a local welcome as the crowd clapped and cheered. Colorful pride flags waved among American, Cuban, and Conch Republic flags as Key West's One Human Family came together to witness history. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation, and Diana surely felt the positive energy radiating from those of us watching with awe and admiration.

When Diana came ashore, she had inspirational words for the crowd and for those watching around the world. "I have three messages. One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you're never too old to chase your dream. Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team."  

These are important lessons for all of us to remember, and her words showed that this was about far more than an incredible athletic achievement. This feat was about pursuing a dream through any adversity, and about persevering until the dream is achieved, a message that resonates deeply within us all. 

Royal Palms Realty salutes Diana Nyad and her dedicated crew for this amazing accomplishment. 

Welcome to Key West, Diana!

Please See Below for Photos and Videos:

Anxious for a first glimpse of Diana Nyad, a crowd gathers on the beach well before her arrival

American, Cuban, and Conch Republic flags wave among the excited crowd 

 

Key West shows its colorful pride as thousands gather to welcome Diana with cheers and admiration

Diana Nyad enters the final homestretch of her epic swim

Original footage of Diana's approach

PBS NewsHour footage of Diana's arrival

Key West Traditions: Blue Porch Ceilings

There's a lot of blue in Key West... the sea, the sky, the ... porch ceilings?

 

This KW Golf Club home's blue porch ceiling provides the perfect backdrop for starfish accents

When I moved to Key West and began searching for my dream home, one of the first things I noticed was the propensity for homeowners to paint the porch ceilings blue. In my neighborhood, the Key West Golf Club, it is actually a requirement that porch ceilings are painted a soft custom-mixed hue, called Shipyard Blue. I love the charming effect, but I have been curious about the origin of this practice. My quest led me to discover several possible answers, ranging from ghostly superstitious to aesthetic to practical...

Both upper and lower porch ceilings are painted blue in this Old Town Key West home, providing dramatic contrast (and maybe even protection from ghosts!)

1. Haint Blue -- The tradition seems to have begun in South Carolina with a custom passed on by African descendants. African legend states that ghosts, or haints, cannot cross water; therefore, they are fooled by the blue ceiling color and will not pass into your home. The superstition caught on throughout the South, and eventually so many people practiced the custom that any shade of blue used for porch ceilings became known as Haint Blue. In Key West, it's theorized that the tradition evolved in the same way from African descendents who migrated from the West Indies. This Southern tradition remains alive and well in the Southernmost City. Perhaps because Key West is one of the most haunted cities in America, people have been more inclined to continue the custom, or maybe it just caught on and became "the norm" for more practical reasons...

 

The porches of the Banyan Tree Resort in Old Town Key West have blue floors and ceilings -- aesthetically pleasing and double the ghost protection!

2. The Birds and the Bees (and the spiders and the wasps) -- Ghosts aren't the only ones being fooled by the blue porch ceilings. Apparently the color trick also works for flying creatures, who see the blue and think it's the sky. This prevents them from building nests or spinning webs. Some people claim that this "sky effect" even works as an insect repellant, keeping flies and mosquitoes up toward the ceiling.

Surrounded by tropical foliage, the blue porch ceiling of this Old Town bungalow may keep the bugs away

3. Why Not? -- After all, blue is one of the few colors that is universally well-liked. Blue is calming, much like Key West itself. With such beautiful weather year round, locals spend a lot of time relaxing on their porches, and blue ceilings can enhance the feelings of relaxation. A blue porch ceiling can even extend the feeling of daylight as the sun sets and basks Key West in vibrant colors...

Key West Sunset: 8/26/13

Whatever the reason behind the tradition, the blue porch ceilings are just another one of Key West's many charms. And I sleep soundly at night, knowing that the four porches of my Conch house are painted blue, working while I sleep to keep ghosts and spiders at bay!

Blue porch ceilings warding off spirits and spiders at my KW Golf Club townhouse

Please visit us at KW Royal Palms Realty for more information about properties for sale or rent in Key West...

Come home to paradise today and turn your dreams of tropical living into a reality!

Social Media Connections

KW Royal Palms Realty has new Social Media Connections!

You can connect with us through a variety of social media platforms:

 

Like us on Facebook to get live updates in your News Feed. Never miss a newly listed property, a featured listing, or a blog post! You can even search the Key West MLS in 13 languages directly from our Facebook page.

 

Follow us on Twitter to get updates when new properties come on the market, when new blog posts are added, and when new videos are posted to our YouTube channel.

Follow us on Pinterest to keep up with photos of properties for sale or rent and interesting photos around town and from daily life in Key West.

 

Join our networks on LinkedIn to learn more about the professional experience of our luxury real estate specialists:

Scott Forman's profile

Rob Severin's profile

Sara Hallett's profile

 

 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to check out our videos of featured properties, virtual tours, and Scott's video blog about buying and selling Key West luxury realty (coming soon!). 

We believe strongly in Key West's One Human Family motto, and we are proud to introduce our new profile on Gay2Day. We look forward to building this social network presence in order to better serve Key West's LGBT community. #LGBTkeywest

Key West has a vibrant Russian community, and we are pleased to connect with our Russian visitors and residents with our new profile on Одноклассники. Join our Group to follow our blog!

 

We have several hash tags registered on Tagboard. Connect with us by using: 

#floridakeysrealtor  

#keywestMLS

 #keywestluxury   

#LGBTkeywest 

#keywestluxuryhomes

Of course, you can always visit KW Royal Palms Realty for more information about buying or listing a home in Key West. Simply fill out our Contact form and let us know how we can help you to find your dream home or list and market your property. We are here to serve you and we look forward to connecting with you in Cyberspace and in Key West!

Come home to paradise today and turn your dreams of tropical living into reality!

Featured Luxury Listing: Key West Elegance

Featured Luxury Listing: 1327 White Street

  Sold 4/29: $1,240,000

Update 4/4: Sale Pending!

Price Reduced 3/14: $1,299,000

This historic gem is located on a quiet stretch of White Street in Midtown West, neighboring the fashionable Casa Marina District of Old Town Key West. This Victorian style home was built in the 1880s and has been beautifully preserved and lovingly restored. This home offers a perfect combination of classical 19th century architecture and every modern luxury a discerning buyer would expect.

Tropical landscaping and covered off-street parking

Late 19th Century Architecture

This 4 bedroom 4 bathroom home offers 2,800 square feet of living space. The property features restored Dade County Pine throughout, as well as Heart Pine floors. Crown molding and cathedral ceilings add dramatic effect to the spacious interior. Numerous windows and French doors let in plenty of natural light.

French doors along the great room open up to the pool and jacuzzi.

The family room showcases the beautifully restored Dade County Pine.

Crown molding accents the dining room and foyer.

Restored Heart Palm flooring throughout the house.

The kitchen features granite counter tops and modern appliances.

The large master bedroom suite with a walk in closet is just one more feature you will fall in love with. There are also three other bedrooms, so there's plenty of room for guests, an office, or a growing family. 

 

    

    

        Master Bedroom

    

        Master Bedroom

   

      Master Bathroom

        Guest bedroom

    


         Guest bedroom

       Guest bedroom loft

The backyard has a deck, tiled patio, swimming pool, and jacuzzi, surrounded by brightly colored flowers and swaying palm trees. There is also a 350 sq ft treetop deck off the third floor with stunning views of the tropical foliage. Both features are perfect for entertaining your guests and family. 

Swimming pool and jacuzzi

Back patio, tiled deck, and rooftop terrace overlooking the property

Enjoy the view from the rooftop sundeck

 

Catch some rays as you gaze out over the treetops

$1,400,000       MLS# 117945

Would you like to set up a showing or learn more about this home? Please complete the "Contact Us" form on the right, or visit us at Royal Palms Realty for more information about this property and other homes for sale in Key West.

 

Come home to paradise and turn your dreams of tropical living into reality!