23 November 2015

Fort Lauderdale, FL

After Rivera Beach we moved south, we anchored in Lantana near the bridge and continued the next day through Del Ray and Boca Raton. Through here and into Fort Lauderdale are beautiful homes and large motor yachts. We anchored in Sunrise Bay for the night and the next day sailed out of Port Everglades. 

We sailed the ocean to Miami. The day was glorious, light wind and bountiful sunshine. We left the harbor and entered the ocean we noticed a submarine. It was doing surface maneuvers, we had difficulty knowing which direction it was going until a police boat came by an told us we needed to go east to sea  two miles. 

As we enter Governor’s Cut, the entrance to Miami harbor, we were followed by a huge container ship and struggled to stay out of it’s way. We were hailed by a Miami Police boat who told us we could not enter through the main cut because of the many cruise ship’s departing and we had to take the long way around. The huge container ship had passed us by then and we followed it until it reached the terminal and watched it be turned in the basin. One massive tug attached a line to the stern of the ship and another was at its bow. The one behind reversed its engines and pulled right as the tug on the bow pushed. It was amazing watching the big thing be turned in its own length. Powerful tugs. Smaller craft passed between it and the terminal bulkhead as we decided to wait and watch.

We anchored between Miami and South Beach. Saturday we’re off to South Beach we go, well… not as nice as we were lead to believe. Ocean City, Maryland is better. We later heard the nicer area is further north. We had a  little rain so we had dinner at a Turkish Restaurant which was good and back to the boat. Sunday we went to the Miami Yacht Club for lunch and football. Monday we took the dink to the Miami side and again were not impressed, a large city, not many “local” bars. It does have an area very much like Harborplace, downtown Baltimore.Again, we may have been to far south in the downtown area.

Done with Miami, we left for Key Biscayne. We anchored in No Name Harbor, a state park. It is very protected from weather from all directions. They have free pumpouts but no water. We had to get water at the dockside restaurant at $0.25 per gallon which they time on a stopwatch at 6 gallons per minute, funny. It seemed funny to us to have the restaurant manager standing on a deck timing us with his iPhone.

Wednesday we used the dink to go out to “Stiltsville”, seven structures built on stilts about a mile out between ocean and bay. Apparently began in the 1930’s started to circumvent laws, once the home of clubs, illegal liquor, gambling and prostitution. Many of the structures have succumbed to storms but 7 still remain. They are gayly colored and some are available for rental from the park for weddings and parties. We then went into the many canals on Key Biscayne, the average income is one million dollars per year, once home to President Nixon’s southern White House, beautiful homes. Back to the boat, Robin did laundry at the state park, yes they actually had one washer and dryer in a park. In the morning, a large dolphin chased bait fish around and under the dink and right at the back of the boat. Very exciting since it was so very close and Bella was sitting in the dink.

We left Biscayne with the intent of going to Key Largo but after checking the weather we decided to head back north since weather conditions were perfect for a northerly sail. We have to be back at Stuart for the rudder repair by November 30th. We have to go out into the ocean between Miami and Lauderdale because of a bridge we can’t pass under. We had favorable winds and sailed back to Governor’s Cut, Port Everglades and anchored in Lake Sylvia in Lauderdale. The Gulf Stream is close to shore here and between good wind and the gulf we averaged almost 8 knots. We stayed here last year waiting to cross to the Bahamas. Mark on “Sarafina” came, we had buddy boated with him on the ICW for a while and had cocktails.

We spent the last few days shopping, more boat supplies including alcohol, and some provisions. We went to the movies to see “Spector”, the new Bond flick and watched the Raven’s against St. Louis yesterday. We will grocery shop for Thanksgiving fixin’s today and start back toward Stuart tomorrow. Gorgeous morning here today, feels like fall, a cold front and only 76 degrees……sounds pretty good to our friends north but cool to Skip. 

Miami skyline

A few of the beautiful homes near Lauderdale

Stiltsville

Why do they allow crab pots in the middle of the ICW?

Oh, it's a coconut

Portuguese Man a War on the beach

Miami Art? (note the size of the fig leaf)

Stiltsville

Stiltsville story

Stiltsville

Ducklings racing for the bridge

Key Biscayne

12 November 2015

Palm Beach, FL

Well, we had the boat hauled at the Hinckley yard in Stuart, the rudder shaft is bent, they didn’t think straightening it was a good idea. We called Catalina, which is in Largo, and they will have to build one, that will take about 3 weeks. While the boat was out we also noticed the new bottom paint was flaking away. We were advised by Interlux to try Micron 66, it’s not working. Ed Harwood called the Baltimore rep and it sounds as though they are going to make good on the paint, they will supply us with 4 gallons of CSC. We are going to continue cruising south, Lauderdale, maybe Miami and the Keys, and then go back north when the rudder is ready.

We caught up with Bev and John Stehman in Stuart and had a wonderful evening together, we will see them again when we go back to Hinckley. The boat will be on the hard for about 4 days and we will have to find a hotel that is pet friendly. We dinked to “Hole in the Wall” at John’s suggestion, a neat little bay with fish jumping everywhere. 

We left Stuart on Saturday and anchored in Peak Lake, again at John’s suggestion, and walked over to the ocean side and spent a beautiful day on the beach.

We were shocked by the news of a boat fire at Bowleys and are saddened by our friends losses, fortunately no one was injured. We understand the Bowleys staff, led by Ed Harwood, did a stellar job, training does pay. I hope all of our Bowleys friends will let them know.

Traveling through Jupiter, are the most inconsiderate boaters we’ve ever encountered. No speed limits, they’ll head straight at you and turn at the last minute. Even paddle boarders get no consideration. Usually boats will give sailors a “slow pass” to limit wakes, but not here. We did see Annette and Harry of “Island Breeze” whom we had met in the Bahamas last year.

We stopped at Rivera Beach Municipal Marina for 2 days, laundry, a stop at the VA Hospital for Skip. The Doctor there had done his residency at University of Maryland Hospital, nice guy, good conversation. Skip did some boat maintenance and we visited the “Boat Owners Warehouse” for some spare parts. We met Roosevelt the dockhand again, he’s a great guy, and will do anything he can to help.

Wednesday was Veterans Day, thanks for all of the well wishes. We understand Randy Robinson, Jr.is home from the Middle East, thank you Randy for your service to your country. Mom and Dad must be glowingly proud.

A Haitian supply boat ran aground and sank at St. Lucie Inlet

Nice homes, more pictures to come. There is sooo much money in South Florida

Interesting clouds over Stuart

Jupiter boaters

Mega Yacht row, more pictures to come

These are at an island much like Hart Miller, there are mooring balls and these floating huts stay there.

Roosevelt, Dockhand Extraordinaire

Flaking paint

Stuart, FL

3 November 2015

Anchored in South Daytona and motored sailed to Titusville. On the way we were boarded by the local police, they wanted to check our overboard holding tank valve. It was closed of course but they suggested we drill a hole in the handle and wire tie it in position.

We spent 2 days in Titusville near Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. A launch was scheduled for Friday and we decided to stay an extra day to watch it. We needed our propane tank refilled and walked a mile to the  refill station only to find it was no longer there. We walked back to the marina and were told there was a refill station just a block up from where we went. I turned around and started walking back. I was picked up by a local who told me he was a boater and he would take me. As we traveled he told me he was retired on a disability due to Alzheimer’s. He took me to “Bob’s Gases” and dropped me off. Bob’s gasses only refills fire extinguishers, I was informed “Bogg’s Gases” was about a mile away. Off I go again. I returned to the marina, well exercised, and Robin and I walked BACK to town for lunch and a visit to the Titusville Space Museum. This is a small museum, not the one at Kennedy, run by volunteers, many of whom had worked at the Space Center. The exhibits ranged from the beginning of the early satellite program through the current International Space Station. It was fun and informative, our guide had worked on many of the projects and spent 3 hours talking us through.

Friday we sat on the boat in a good position to watch the launch of an Atlas V carrying a GPS satellite, only to find the launch had been rescheduled for the next day, we moved on. We anchored near Melbourne, Fl and went to a bar on the water, had dinner, and listened to a great band.

Saturday night anchored, and Sunday on a mooring ball in Vero Beach. We met Mike and Deb on “Resolve” out of Annapolis who we had met last year in the Bahamas. We went to a sports bar on Sunday to watch the Ravens beat San Diego, the Steelers lose to Cincinnati, and Jeff Gordon win at Martinsville, sensory overload trying to keep up with it all.

Monday we motored to Stuart, Fl, anchored for the night. We will have the boat hauled today at the Hinckley yard to see if we can straighten the rudder post. 

There was a dolphin there a moment ago, we have a lot of these photos but Robin keeps trying...

A tire from the Space Shuttle

The Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center

What we could see of the launch 50 miles away

A playground for pirate children

Guard Dog Bella on the lookout for the dangerous dolphin

Skipper at the helm

A boat/supply ship that ran aground in the St. Lucie Inlet