No matter how many individuals appear in the pages of each edition of Keys Weekly, there are always so many more of our community members who deserve to be recognized. In an effort to shine a spotlight on more of the incredible individuals who live and work in these islands, Keys Weekly is proud to present our Neighbor of the Week feature, dedicated to celebrating a community member with each issue.
Our neighbor of the week is Candace Mo Ree, a boat captain and musician who often performs at Dockside Boot Key Harbor. In her spare time she loves to snorkel and play guitar. She also loves to restore and renovate things, so you may find her in the middle of a DIY project at any time.
How long have you been in the Keys and what brought you here? A sailboat! Around 14 years ago, after a minor cancer scare, I got rid of everything, quit my job, bought a boat and headed south. I used to travel seasonally between here and the Chesapeake, but four years or so ago I gave up the sailboat life and have been here year-round since then.
What is your favorite thing about living in the Keys? The reef, no question. I have seen the coolest things out there. Even when I am snorkeling closer to the island, there are lots of cool things to see. It is my zen.
What’s your hype song and your sad song? I don’t know if I have a hype song. There are so many great songs in the world, it’s hard to pick favorites. I can’t even pick a favorite genre. It just depends on my mood. For the saddest song, I would say “Stop This Train” by John Mayer. My dad passed away at 69 years old, and the line about “turn 68, you’ll renegotiate” in that song guts me every time.
What was in the last Amazon delivery that arrived at your door? Electrical accessories. It was an order of ring terminals and heat shrink.
What part of a boat do you relate to the most and why? Definitely the anchor, because my heart remains anchored in the beautiful waters. I also relate to the rudder, because I want to make sure I keep my life heading in the right direction.
What’s the weirdest question someone has asked you while at work? Someone asked me before we left the dock if they could smoke a cigarette while they were in the water at the reef (since they aren’t allowed to smoke on the boat). So, yeah. And by yeah, I mean no. We wouldn’t allow it anyway, but it was 2- to 3-foot seas out there that day.
Would you rather always have to sing instead of speaking or always have to dance everywhere you went? Definitely sing – it gives me joy.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? It would be to make people see and accept the truth. Can that be a superpower? There is so much BS flying around nowadays, and I feel as though we would do better if we all knew what was true and were straight with each other. I prefer things to be honest and direct. To paraphrase the quote, it’s “better to have a hard truth than a sweet lie.”
If you were a salad, what type of dressing would you be? Probably a vinaigrette, and no doubt it would be a bit salty.
What are your top three bucket list vacations and why? I would love to visit the Mesoamerican Reef and do some snorkeling there. In the U.S., I have never seen Redwood trees, so I would love a trip to the Pacific Northwest to catch the Pacific Starlight for a scenic ride, and hike out to some giant trees. I do want to see some of Europe, maybe on one of the river barge cruises, or one of the legs of the Camino de Santiago.
What Netflix series did you last binge watch and why? I don’t watch much TV, so I guess the last time I binge watched a show it was “The Last Kingdom.” I love historical fiction, and they did such a great job with Bernard Cornwell’s books.
Know someone who would be a good “Neighbor of the Week?” Email keysweeklyjen@gmail.com.
