ONCE NEW GIRLS TURNED BESTIES
Ashley Arrabal and Brooke Vega were once the new girls in town. They attended Coral Shores High School when a mutual friend introduced the two when they were 16. Arrabal had recently moved from North Carolina at the time. Vega was relatively new herself having come from Wyoming six months before Arrabal.
Twenty-seven years later, the two reminisce about the young and just-want-to-have-fun days. They’ve been a part of each other’s lives from their teenage years through some big moments during adulthood.
“She (Arrabal) was there holding my hand as I was giving birth to my first child,” Vega said.
“She wrote a letter so I could adopt my daughter,” Arrabal said.
Their bond flourished over the years between their mutual interests and spending more than 18 years together working at the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative. And their similarities make them quite the dynamic duo in the Upper Keys. Arrabal, current senior accounting manager for Florida Keys Electric Cooperative and Vega, now a real estate agent, are both Rotarians who volunteer their time and energy for the greater good in the community.
They’ve done just about everything together, from CrossFit and yoga to watching football games and going on work trips. The two took a break from the hustle and bustle of their weekly lives to answer questions about one another.
If I started a cult, what would our daily ritual be?
Ashley about Brooke: She would have us get up and run and workout or something.
Brooke about Ashley: She would probably want to pray with me.
If I went missing for a day, where would you check first?
Ashley about Brooke: Her mom’s.
Brooke about Ashley: Probably her house. She’d be locked in her bedroom. Or your office at work.
If someone asked what I’m NOT good at, what’s the first thing you’d say?
Ashley about Brooke: If Brooke wants to do something, she’s going to do it. But Brooke cannot control her facial expressions. You look at her and you’re like ‘Oh, f*ck. Keep it together Brooke.’
Brooke about Ashley: She’s not good at not crying. She’s not good at holding her emotions.
If I randomly sent you a text that said “I just did something” what would your first guess be?
Ashley about Brooke: My first guess would be … She’d say, ‘I adopted you as a dog, I need another reference., Or, ‘You’re going to get a text or call from the animal shelter because we’re going to adopt a twelfth dog.’
Brooke about Ashley: “Brooke, I just adopted twin infants.”
If I forgot everything tomorrow what’s the first thing you’d tell me about myself?
Ashley about Brooke: That she has a big heart. Deep down she has a really big heart
Brooke about Ashley: I would also tell her that she wears her heart on her sleeves and everyone knows how much she gives.
Which animal gives the same vibes as me?
Ashley about Brooke: I have to say a dog because she’s loyal and she loves. If she loves you she loves you. And I feel dogs are like that … They want to love and give love.
Brooke about Ashley: I’d call you a dog too. Do you want me to call you a female dog?
You’re like a golden retriever.
If you had to sum up our friendship in one moment what would it be?
Ashley about Brooke: You are my secret keeper.
Brooke about Ashley: She’s a sister. Maybe not my blood sister. But she’s my sister. We’ve been in each other’s lives since we were 16.
In your opinion, what is the most “classicly me” thing I’ve ever done?
Ashley about Brooke: She holds things in and tells me at the last minute, then it’s done. When she tells me, it’s done. It’s for real.
Brooke about Ashley: She gave her kidney away and she adopted Mariela, which we all knew she was destined to be her own mother, but couldn’t have her own kids. Giving her kidney away so her cousin would be able to get a kidney, that’s a classic Ashely. Or randomly going out to buy toys for kids who didn’t have one.
Do I follow my heart or my head more?
Ashley about Brooke: It depends. Brooke has a huge heart. If she knows she needs something, she’s going to do it. But she’s naturally smart and doesn’t have to work at being smart. She has a balance, not sure which one rules; it depends on the situation. She’s pretty balanced in that, I don’t think one outweighs the other.
Brooke about Ashley: It’s definitely her heart.
What’s one quality we each have that makes our friendship work so well?
Ashley about Brooke: Brooke is loyal, I’ve tried to break up with her before. We had fights but I never can let her go because she’s touched my soul. She’s loyal, I know if I need Brooke she’ll be there no matter what. Brooke about Ashley: Our loyalty to one other.
The Twin Tides: Capt. Katie and Capt. Dawn are Florida Keys legends
By Jen Alexander
If you saw them from the shore, you might think you were seeing double: sun-bleached dreadlocks, loyal dogs at their heels, and the effortless command of their respective vessels. But for Katie McHugh and Dawn Davis, the resemblance isn’t just a coincidence, it’s a 12-year sisterhood forged in the turquoise waters of the Florida Keys.
They are two of the region’s most formidable 100-ton boat captains and scuba instructors, living a life defined by diesel engines, spearguns and total independence. They are two bad-ass chicks whose odyssey began with a literal “icebreaker” involving a cold beer and some stray lettuce in a tooth, and has evolved into a bond so deep they can practically finish each other’s sentences.
Whether they are giving guys a run for their money, hunting invasive lionfish, sharing a sunrise dog walk, or trading “twin” humor that only they understand, Katie and Dawn prove that some soulmates aren’t romantic — they’re the person holding the dive flag while you’re underwater.
As the interview begins, the “twins” are chilling out and holding matching Yeti cups with funny stickers all over them, their dogs are under the table licking each of their second “mom’s” legs.
If I started a cult, what would our daily ritual be?
Katie about Dawn:
“Walk the dogs, feed the dogs, swim with the dogs. Then it’s more dogs, drinks and diving, and probably eating some iguana pot pie Dawn made and some spearfishing in there too.”
Dawn about Katie:
“First comes the dogs, then comes the pee-pee, then we go diving. And now I guess we shoot lizards and eat iguana pot pie. Definitely dogs and diving, every day.”
If I went missing for a day, where would you check first?
Katie about Dawn:
“She’d be underwater. If she was truly missing, I’d look for her on a dive.”
Dawn about Katie:
“Same. If she disappeared for a day, I’d assume she was underwater somewhere diving.”
If someone asked what I’m NOT good at, what’s the first thing you’d say?
Katie about Dawn:
“Definitely killing cockroaches. I barehand those suckers while she’s screaming. But she’ll catch my rats, so it evens out.”
Dawn about Katie:
“This question isn’t fair, because she’s good at everything. The only thing I can come up with is squatting dudes. She thinks she can do it, but her knees and ankles can’t take it, especially on land.”
If I randomly sent you a text that said “I just did something stupid,” what would your first guess be?
Katie about Dawn:
“Getting a mangrove stuck in her butt going after a lizard and ripping herself open. Something wild and slightly dangerous, for sure.”
Dawn about Katie:
“For her, it could be damn near anything. But my first guess? Tackling Big Bird on Duval Street.”
If I forgot everything tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d tell me about myself?
Katie about Dawn:
“I’d probably start with, ‘You sure do have a pretty mouth.’ Then I’d tell her that if she doesn’t get her $#!t together, her mind won’t amount to a hill of beans. Then I’d smack her a little and snap her out of it.”
Dawn about Katie: “I’d tell her she’s the baddest m0&^%$#@!*^r I’ve ever met and that she’d get her memory back way before her sense of smell.”
Which animal gives the same vibes as me?
Katie about Dawn:
“A shark. She’s smooth one way and rough as hell the other, just like a shark in the ocean.”
Dawn about Katie:
“An octopus. Because they punch things for fun, they’re crazy smart and they know exactly how to handle the mates they don’t want.”
If you had to sum up our friendship in one moment, what would it be?
Katie about Dawn:
“What a long, strange trip it’s been. She’s the best dive buddy ever. I trust her with my life. Any of our spearfishing days together, whether that was heading out blasting music, hunting, then mixing cocktails on the way home, stopping to watch the sunset at Captain Jack’s boat. Underwater we move like a school of fish. We don’t need hand signals; we always know where the other one is, and we always show back up.”
Dawn about Katie:
It would be the first time I heard her communicate to me through her regulator underwater: “Are you f#&$@#g kidding me!” We understand everything we say to each other. She’s my best dive buddy ever and the best captain to be on a boat with.”
In your opinion, what is the most “classically me” thing I’ve ever done?
Katie about Dawn:
“Showing up to work after getting her tooth knocked out, wearing her bathing suit inside out and my boyfriend’s size-14 flip-flops. She just overcomes and shows up anyway.”
Dawn about Katie:
“Getting naked. That’s classic Katie. She’s the one who will strip down for a laugh or a dare without a second thought.”
Do I follow my heart or my head more?
Katie about Dawn:
“Head. One hundred percent.”
Dawn about Katie:
“In the moment, it’s her head. But at the end of the day, she’s all heart. Like, 100,000% heart. It really depends on the situation.”
What’s one quality we each have that makes our friendship work so well?
Katie about Dawn:
“We’re the same person in different bodies. We admire the hell out of each other, who we are, what we do, and the badassery we bring. We accept each other completely and always have each other’s backs.”
Dawn about Katie:
“We’ve known each other for 12 years and only had one five-minute fight. We rebuilt the Keys together after hurricanes, ran boats, fixed them, even sank one and came back from it. We make it easy for each other to be our feral selves and still know, no matter what happens, the other one is there: loyal, solid and all in.”
In a world that often tries to anchor women down, Katie and Dawn have spent 12 years choosing the open sea and each other. They are more than just best friends or dive buddies; they are a two-woman fleet, navigating the highs of successful charters and the lows of rebuilding after hurricanes with the same unwavering grit. Whether they are swapping size-14 flip-flops, outsmarting octopuses or simply moving through the deep blue in a silent, synchronized dance, their connection transcends the traditional. It is a friendship built on the rare kind of trust that only exists when you know exactly where your partner is without ever looking back.
As the sun sets on another day in the Keys, these two captains remind us that life’s greatest adventures aren’t found in the destination, but in the feral, loyal and “all-in” soulmate who’s steering the boat right beside you.
Sue Puskedra and Amy Jamison
By Erin Stover
If you were to ask Jane Fonda for her thoughts on female friendship – and frankly, wouldn’t you like Fonda’s perspective on most things in life? – she would impart the following wisdom. In a recent Upworthy interview, Fonda shared, “Women’s friendships are very different from men’s friendships. Because you guys, you kind of sit side by side and watch sports or cars or women. Women sit facing each other eye to eye, and they say, ‘I’m in trouble. I need you. Can you help me?’ We are not afraid of being vulnerable.” While part of her statement may read as an unfair generalization of men, the core remains true with research backing up Fonda’s thought, asserting over and over that women’s same-sex friendships are typically more emotionally intimate and vulnerable than men’s, which creates a stronger support system.
Dr. Sharon Malone has extensively studied the science of female friendship and concurs, “those of us with a community of friends will likely endure life changes more easily.” Even the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found correlations between companionship and increased longevity, stronger immunity, delayed cognitive decline and lower instances of obesity, depression, heart disease and suicide.
Of course, if you still don’t believe it, you could simply turn to a classic Keys pair of friends – Sue Puskedra and Amy Jamison have known each other for fourteen years. The pair initially met and bonded over the love of their pups, shortly after Sue had moved to the Keys on the tail end of a divorce. She had a new puppy and a new lease on life after 34 years of marriage. All that was missing was connection in her newly adopted home. So, she started going to the dog park, where both dogs and humans clicked instantly. “Our dogs became the Luke and Laura of the dog park. They never wanted to leave so we would stay until the lights came on.”
Over the years, the pair offered support and encouragement, but also supplied one another with a steady stream of comic relief. Eventually, they added a layer to their friendship, venturing out as business partners on both Puskedra’s business, Susie’s Estate Sales and on the organization of the longstanding Keys social networking event, Girls Night Out. If you ask the pair what galvanizes their relationship into a lifelong connection, they’ll both point to their Hurricane Irma “evacu-cation.” With the storm barreling down, somehow Amy’s calm approach and Sue’s no-nonsense organization got them on the road – with three dogs, two rabbits, a cat and a (human) neighbor in an “unreliable” car. After much back and forth, they left in the middle of the night, making it to Jacksonville for a brief reprieve before having to head on once the storm changed direction. Eventually, the road to misadventure led to New Orleans where they ate, drank, laughed and bonded over antics like sneaking rabbits into the Ritz Carlton. Today, the pair are still laughing – on a break from working together – as they answer questions about one another:
If I started a cult, what would our daily ritual be?
Amy: “If I had a cult, it would revolve around beagles. My daily ritual would be to just get all the love and attention each morning.”
Sue: “I would help people and animals, sleep, and then start all over.”
If I went missing for a day, where would you check first?
Amy: “I would find Sue at her storage.”
Sue: “I know where should would be. She has a secret beach that she goes to for hours and hours. I don’t know exactly where it is, but I have a good idea”
If someone asked what I’m NOT good at, what’s the first thing you’d say?
Sue: “Amy is not good asserting herself or taking credit, she’s horrible at being in the spotlight.”
Amy: “Sue doesn’t know how to take time for herself. She’s always doing so much for others.”
If I randomly sent you a text that said “I just did something stupid” what would your first guess be?
Sue: (laughs) “You went and bought two more tortoises”
Amy: “It would be more ‘your’re not going to believe this’ but I booked a sale on top of a sale.” (Sue laughs, “I can’t say no!”)
If I forgot everything tomorrow what’s the first thing you’d tell me about myself?
Amy: “I would tell Sue she can do anything she puts her mind to, and that she does it great. I would tell her she’s the most generous spirit I’ve ever known. You’re driven, you give back tenfold.”
Sue: “I not only could it tell but I could show her. If you look in the dictionary under nicest person in the whole wide world, Amy Jamison’s photo would be there.”
Which animal gives the same vibes as me?
Sue: “Amy is definitely a puppy – ready for adventure and whose purpose is to make people happy”
Amy: “Sue is definitely a worker bee—determined, hard working, works harder than all of us combined, takes care of the whole hive”
If you had to sum up our friendship in one moment what would it be?
Sue: “I had to put one of my dogs down and Amy was there every step of the way. That one moment personifies our whole relationship. She’s always been there when I need her.”
Amy: “The one that sticks in my head is the evacuation – Sue stopping me in my tracks and saying ‘we’re leaving now.’ Sue always takes care of me in every way. It defines her and is a huge part of our friendship.”
In your opinion, what is the most “classically me” thing I’ve ever done?
Sue: “I had to put (my dog) Ernie down and Amy had two appointments and couldn’t come for it, which I completely understood. I came out of the vet and there’s Amy standing there. She canceled her second appointment so she could be there. She’s always there.”
Amy: “My husband often travels for work and I get overwhelmed. Sue tells me everything will be fine and calms me down. She makes me realize that nothing’s that important.”
Do I follow my heart or my head more?
Amy: “Sue is a combo, head for work – constantly thinking logistics, heart in daily life – all the giving back, how she treats staff, customers”
Sue: “Amy is always with her heart”
What’s one quality we each have that makes our friendship work so well?
Amy: “Definitely our sense of humor, our work ethic, caring”
Sue: “Amy and I are total opposite ends of the spectrum in regards to religion and politics. We respect each others views and don’t let it get in the way.”
