Exploring Palm Beach

We have spent the last few days here at the Lake Park Marina, in Lake Park, Florida.  Lake Park is a small town in Palm Beach County.  The marina is quite nice, with much less hustle and bustle of the larger (and more expensive) surrounding marinas.  The Hertz car rental office is within walking distance and we rented a car to explore the area.  Friday night we dined at Seasons 52 which is an upscale restaurant on the AICW.  It has a piano bar, and I enjoyed myself a little too much! 

This is written by Alexis-Today we did some exploring.  We found a small wine/liquor store and stocked up for our next trip.  We crossed the AICW to Sailfish Marina for lunch.  This marina caters more to fishing vessels, but is quite the happening spot.  The marina offers a water taxi to Peanut Island, a local hangout in the AICW.  The marina also has a great ship’s store.  I purchased a post-tax season present for myself.

After lunch we ventured to the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Whitehall.  Whitehall was the winter home of Henry Flagler, a leading figure of America’s Gilded Age. 

Flagler was a founding partner of Standard Oil and was the earliest and most important developer of Florida.  Besides touring the house and grounds, you also get to walk through his private railway car.  A most enjoyable experience.  Flagler also built the famous Breakers Hotel on Palm Beach.

Many ask us about pirates.  This is one of the most notorious bands.

Moondance is dwarfed by her neighbor!

A boat for the Barkers!
That is it for now.  We fly home tomorrow.  Happy Easter!

Palm Beach

April 21, 2011-another long day.  In a word, a non -stop no wake zone.  The AICW from

Peck Lake to Palm Beach is a continuous no wake zone.  23.51 nautical miles today and it took us four hours. We have arrived at our final destination- Lake Park

 Harbor Marina.  While at anchor last night, around midnight we were awakened by what sounded

like drunks on a sailboat next to us.  In fact, they were trying to tell us that we were

adrift!  We had pulled anchor in a stiff wind.  It was a tense few minutes, but we re-

anchored and got control of the situation. Not much sleep after that.  We rewarded

the sailboat crew with a bottle of wine in the morning.  They were a husband, wife and

son on a six month cruise.  Another sailboat (the Gayle Warning) hailed us in the

morning, and the wife was born in Houma.  Her father worked for Sun Oil in the

70s.  A small world.  We fly home Sunday, and will leave Moondance here.  We are

close to Lake Worth Inlet, which is 59 miles from the Bahamas.  When we return, that is

our next trek.  Total distance traveled from Sarasota-212.2 nautical miles.  

The future Barkmore?

Interesting sights!      

Typical Palm Beach McMansion.

Lake Worth.

Hobe National Park

April 20, 2011.  At last a leisurely day!  We left Palm City around 9:00 AM, and went to Peck Lake which is in the Hobe National Park.  We anchored off the AICW, and took the dingy to the beach.  We traveled a grand total of 10 miles today.  I ran aground twice, but we were going slow, so just backed off only damaging my pride.

Florida has been struggling with “derelict” boats.  It has passed a law limiting anchoring to three days, but that has been challenged in court.  One man's garbage is another’s treasure.

Peck Lake anchorage.

Alexis at the Atlantic.

This guy could not back off!  For a nominal fee, Tow Boat US will come to the rescue.

Taking Rover to the beach.  Many cruising couples have dogs. 

We are on the East Coast!

April 19, 2011

We have traveled the 106 miles of the Okeechobee Waterway.  To see a map of the waterway go to this link:  http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Operations/Branches/SFOO/DOCS/owwmap.pdf

We are done with locks!  Tomorrow we start our way south to Palm Beach.  Besides a long wait at the St. Lucie lock due to restricted openings, an uneventful, but long day. 

                                          Moonrise.

                                          Cleansing Aunt Moonbeam's crystal!

                                          Locking through.

                                          Lake Okeechobee.

                                          The Army Corps maintains the locks and levees on the waterway. 

                                          This is a campground at the St. Lucie lock. 

                                         Entrance to St. Lucie lock.  The campground is on the right

                                         complete with a dock and playground.  No wonder we can't

                                         fund Morganza!

 

8:15 pm-we anchored in Pendarvis Cove by Palm City.  Total miles today-56.6.  Total nautical miles from Sarasota-177.5. 

Moore Haven

We had a great night on the hook.  York Island anchorage is good for winds from a northerly direction. We were underway by 7:00 and arrived at the Franklin Lock by 10:00.  Franklin is the first lock headed east on the Okeechobee waterway (just past downtown Fort Myers).   Due to low water levels, Franklin (and the St. Lucie lock) are limited to three openings a day-7:00, 1:00, and 7:00.  We waited with other boats and locked through at 1:00 pm.  These locks are 90% recreational and much more user friendly that the larger Mississippi River locks.  There are a total of five locks we will traverse on the waterway.  The waterway is sparsely populated and agricultural.  Alligators and water lilies!  Reminds me of home.   There are a few small towns with city docks, but nothing like the big marinas on the coast.  At 6:30 we pulled up to the Moore Haven City dock..  Moore Haven is a small town on the rim of Lake Okeechobee.    The weather has been great and no problems with the boat, yet.  We will cross Lake Okeechobee tomorrow.  We have been locking up to the lake, and will be locking down to Stuart, FL tomorrow.

                                         Locking up.


We have spotty cell coverage,so no more pictures for now.
                                     

Sarasota to Sanibel

Today, April 17, 2011, we left Marina Jack at 7:00 am and arrived  York Island anchorage (by Sanibel Island) 2:30 pm.  A total of 60 nautical miles.  We took the GICW to Venice, FL, and then into the Gulf to Redfish Pass at Captiva Island, FL.  It is a beautiful day-clear with winds of 10-15 knots from the north.  Tomorrow, we will pass Fort Myers and enter the Okeechobee waterway to the east coast of Florida.

                                          Departing Marina Jack.

                                          Osprey nest.

                                          Venice Inlet.

                                          Sailboat in the Gulf.

                                          This looks like fun!

                                          Bloated porpoise.

Marina Jack-Sarasota, FL

Alexis and I arrived Sarasota Saturday April 16 for a post tax season trip to Palm Beach,  FL.  After provisioning the boat, we attended a boat show that was at Marina Jack. For a million, we could buy a 54' Benatau Pilothouse Trawler.  It was nice, but Alexis bought two pillows for the bridge instead!  We ate at the Deep Six Lounge, and sat at the piano bar with Rock.  We will miss this place, it is a great marina.  Tomorrow morning we will cast off and head to Palm Beach. 

Alexis is preparing the Moondance for departure!