If you want to see and experience the Key’s true lifestyle then Capt. Bill, Katrina, Sunset Villas and Conch Key is a sure bet. When the wind is laid you will find your hosts fishing or snorkeling. If it’s breezy, then they will likely be working on a boat or improving their little slice of paradise – as the years go by this job becomes more and more challenging as most say the location and setting is almost impossible to improve upon.
Capt. Bill was born on the Chesapeake Bay, but spent his summers fishing and growing on the waters of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. On the Outer Banks he worked on one of the local fishing piers and mated on fishing boats out of Oregon Inlet. To expand his horizons and knowledge he went to Virginia Tech where he earned a B.S. degree in Biochemistry. This is also when and where he met his lovely wife and lifetime business partner Katrina. After college Bill went to work with Boeing and Halliburton, finishing his career as Corporate Manager of Regulatory Affairs. During his corporate life Bill was able to make some great friends and see the country and the rest of the world. Based on these experiences and his new lifestyle, Capt. Bill explains that the Gulf side of Conch Key is the best place in the world to live. They have raised two children and a number of other critters on this small island and have never regretted their grand adventure.
Katrina was born in England to a German mother and Australian father. Still an Australian citizen, she moved with her family to Northern Virginia. While at Virginia Tech she studied Chemical Engineering and earned her degree Magna Cum Laude. After college she went to work with the Dow Chemical Company finishing her career as Commercial Manager - Hydrocarbon Feedstocks. After moving to the Key she worked for the local school district where she assisted deserving students get into college. Now retired from the school district, Katrina focuses her attention to detail (a rare commodity in the Keys) to help ensure that the time time spent by guests at Sunset Villas is fun filled and tailor made.
Their Mission Statement is Simple - It’s All About Staying Healthy and Having Fun.
The Owners
The Island
Conch Key is only about 12 acres in size, and is a quaint and historic commercial fishing island - you won't find a Ripleys Believe It or Not or T-Shirt shops on this island. Conch Key is also centrally located right in the middle of the Keys making day trips to Key West (to the West) or John Pennekamp State Park (to the Northeast) a breeze. The island is also just 1.5 miles from Hawks Cay resort, which has bars and restaurants galore.
The island is known for it's tight knit fishing community, its charm and its long list of colorful Conchy characters. Most long term locals have nicknames - and are collectively referred to as ConchKeyStadors. The Article below was written in 1973, but much of its content would still apply to this eclectic little slice of paradise.
The Island
Capt. Bill is also an accomplished author, and his book Pirate's Hell was written right here on Conch Key. Copies of Pirate's Hell may be purchased in paperback or electronic format at Amazon.com