Image Of The Week: Defrosting In The Keys

World-class waterfront cities don’t get any prettier than Oslo, Norway. It’s a remarkable blend of natural and manmade beauty.

They also don’t get much colder in February. When Nicolay Rylander, one of the organizers behind Neptun Club’s Arendal Poker Run and his wife, Miriam, left the famed city for a nine-day vacation in the Florida Keys, the daytime high was -4 degrees.

Even at 60 mph in a Cigarette Top Gun on a cool morning in the Florida Keys, Nicolay and Meriam Rylander were plenty warm. Photos copyright speedonthewater.com

“It’s been a brutally cold winter,” said Rylander with a big smile on his face.

Why the grin? Rylander and his wife were riding from Duck Key to Coconut Grove in the 38-foot Top Gun Flight 1130 Cigarette owned by Florida Powerboat Club head Stu Jones on Sunday following the 2024 Miami Boat Show Poker Run.

The two organizers got to know each other a few years ago when Jones and his wife, Jackie, took part in the Arendal Poker Run.

Florida Powerboat Club head Stu Jones was the consummate host for his Norwegian friends.

Now it was Jones’ turn to play host, and he did a fine job. He even included a lunch stop for the Rylanders at Gilbert’s Resort and Tiki Bar in Key Largo.

For their own good reasons, the couple chose a table in the sun.