There are so many characteristics of Key West that make it so strangely unique...all of which are perpetuated, preserved, and celebrated by the creative and colorful souls that inhabit our tiny island. This page is here to celebrate Key West's endearing and oh-so-appropriate nickname "Key Weird," along with those beautiful souls that keep it wonderfully weird.
Derik Reay (A.K.A. D.Reay)
Q: What makes you weird?
A: “That’s a dangerous question to ask…”
Q: What made you choose Key Weird as your home, and where are you orginally from?
A: “From Ohio. My best friend lived down here, and started going through a divorce, so I quit my job and moved down to hang with him through that. Now 13 years later, he’s in Philly with his second wife and their two kids, and I’m still here.”
Q: What is your favorite part of Key Weird?
A: “The people.”
Q: What was the weirdest job you’ve ever had?
A: “Hmm…i’ve had a LOT of jobs…an eclectic mix of normal and weird jobs…the WEIRDEST is probably [shameless self-promotion] co-founder and co-owner of Chicktatoes® —a company producing a one-of-a-kind cheese-stuffed chicken nugget breaded with hash browns.”
Davin Rose
Q: What makes you weird?
A: "I can tell by the way people look at me after I talk sometimes, that I might be a little weirder than I think. I once slept on the floor for an entire year to learn humility…it worked. I sometimes drive the scuba van around the island with my dive mask and regulator on…it’s fun to make random people at stop lights smile. My FAVORITE weirdness is diving in the rain and looking upward. The rain looks so peaceful from the other side of the water line…same rain, different perspective.”
Q: What made you choose Key Weird as your home, and where are you orginally from?
A: “I’m originally from Western Nebraska. I’ve had the good fortune to live in several states since, but it was the state of Tennessee that propelled me to Key West. I was working as a Spanish tutor for the owner of a brewery off the beaten path. He had a blue water sailboat sitting on a trailer in his yard, and it looked a little out of place to me, so one day I asked him about it. He asked me, in return, if I had ever heard of the Atocha treasure, and I told him 'No.’ Turns out, Del was one of the original crew members working on Dauntless when they found the Atocha. Over pints of beer, we would exchange lessons in language and ocean life. After about a year of small talk, old photos, and getting to hold very REAL pieces of treasure, I had to at least get a closer look. I spent a month traveling up and down both coasts of Florida, before I finally decided to attend an ASA sailing school in Key West. I came down, completed the sailing courses, and never left. I still have a cabin in the woods of Tennessee…the shelves are covered in dust, the window sills with spiderwebs, and the rooms filled with ‘things’ I never really needed to begin with. It’s weird to find the ocean in the woods of Tennessee, but that’s just how it happened.”
Q: How long have you lived in Key Weird?
A: “About a year. The Zombie Bike Ride (held on October 20, 2019 this year) is my arrival anniversary.”
Q: What was the weirdest job you’ve ever had?
A: “Elementary School Teacher. No, Snowboard Pro. No, Diving Boats. No…the weirdest job I ever had was the one where they wanted me to sit at the same desk all day talking on the phone and typing on the computer. Even though nobody could see me, they still wanted me to wear a collared shirt, tie, and dress shoes! I have two normal jobs now. Neither one requires a shirt or shoes.”
Q: What is your favorite part of Key Weird?
A: “The artistry of it all. It’s like living poetry.”
Kate Kowalski (A.K.A. Mermaid Kate)
Q: What makes you Weird?
A: “Alphabetically or in order of annoyance? What makes me normal?”
Q: What made you choose Key Weird as your home, and where are you originally from?
A: “My love for the ocean and desire to be surrounded by her beauty. I’m originally from Phoenix, AZ.”
Q: What was the weirdest job you’ve ever had?
A: “Most people find it weird that I’m a real life mermaid.”
Q: How long have you lived in Key Weird?
A: “Since 2012 I’m a fresh water weirdo.”
Q: What is your favorite part of Key Weird?
A: “My favorite part of living here is being part of the community. I’m constantly running into friendly faces and have a great group of people to call a family.”
Name: Your Face