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 Hope Sunshine, who is an artist and boat captain. She creates murals, paintings, fishing gear and functional art and is currently running a commercial vessel fishing for stone crab and lobster. She lives on a 38-foot sailboat and if she’s not working her many jobs, she’s fishing, spearing or just plain snorkeling. Most people say she’s a part-time provider of bad jokes and a full-time ray of sunshine.
HOPE SUNSHINE
How long have you been in the Keys and what brought you here? I’ve been in the Keys for about six years now. I left North Carolina on my boat right before COVID hit and washed up here.
Sunrise or sunset? Sunrise, for sure. You get to watch the world wake up, and you’re bombarded with rays of warmth just beaming onto you. It’s slow and creeping and I wish life always moved at that pace.
If you could have any superhero power, what would it be and why? Underwater breathing. I’d never come back to the surface.
What’s your hype song and your sad song? Hype song: “Take a chance on me” – Abba. Sad song: “Air That I Breathe” – The Hollies.
Does your family have a favorite song/movie/show to watch/listen/dance to together? Movie: “Twister.” Me and my sisters quote Dusty WAY too often.
What’s one small thing you would never want to live without? One small thing I would never want to live without is autopilot for the boat.
What’s your favorite smell? What’s your most hated smell? My favorite smell is the exhaust of a 1975 Johnson two-stroke outboard. The worst smell is old cowhide.
What’s your go-to excuse when you don’t want to leave the house? My dinghy won’t crank!
What’s a hill you’re willing to die on, even if you’re wrong? If you don’t put your time into learning how to fish down here, you shouldn’t be running a charter.
If you had to give a TED talk on a totally random topic, what would it be? What the ocean teaches you about control and why you don’t have it.
What’s a talent you don’t put on your résumé because it sounds fake? Will say yes first, then somehow make it work.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I was a professional slalom water skier. I won states eight times in a row.
Know someone who would be a good “Neighbor of the Week?” Email keysweeklyjen@gmail.com.
