Boats of Miami Beach

For the boat nuts.

A German couple with two small children live aboard this sailboat.

Converted supply boat?

The Mulan has the most unique mast!

This one has a crew of nine.

Checking out our neighbors.  

Sights of Miami Beach

Who can name our nighttime guest?

Restaurant at marina-very unique chain, that serves different types of meat at table-side.  

Miami Beach Marina.

The cruise ships pass by us on the way out to sea.  When they are leaving, Homeland Security closes Government Cut, and we have to use Fisherman's channel.  

Art Deco lighthouse.

Ships lined up to come in the pass.

Ocean Drive has miles of small hotels and al fresco restaurants.

Lobster ravioli at Cafe Milanio, South Beach!

People of all kind walk Ocean Drive.  These happened to walk by while we were eating.  

The front that froze the mid west is coming through here now.  It looks like Friday will be the day we can cross to Bimini.  It the meantime we are enjoying our stay here.  

Miami Beach

We are at the Miami Beach Marina, at the foot of South Beach.  $215 a day-ouch!  Location is everything.  We will explore tomorrow, and take care of some work issues today.  The Atlantic is accessible via Government Cut next to us, so when the weather is right we will jump off to Bimini, although that may not be for a week.  I enjoy your comments, and think I have made it easier to comment by changing the settings.

Bahia Mar Marina in Ft Lauderdale, where Tuga and I did not stay with Karen and Alexis.....

Miami AICW.

Our satellite weather shows why we can't cross to Bimini!  We are the black boat symbol.  The arrows point the way the storms are moving.  

Miami skyline. 

Alexis' version of somethings

Well I'm not the one that usually posts, but at some point one must stand on their own.  Berwick is fond of exaggeration and stirring things up.  While traveling today he often mentioned the statuary we passed - especially the golden giraffes, and how he wished he had gotten a picture.  So, like the good wife I am I take a picture of the green giraffes I see.  He uses that very picture against me.  The ungrateful wretch.

In all seriousness, the trip so far has been uneventful for the most part and loaded with beautiful scenery and homes.  I've seen several I could see myself living in!  We just passed through Delray, but it looks like a place worth visiting.  Maybe on our way back.  Tomorrow we should arrive in Miami.  We plan on waiting here until the right weather window opens for Bimini.

It still has not truly set in that we are away from home for such an extended period.  We've traveled on the boat for four to six weeks at a time.  I guess I'll need to be gone for longer than that for me to finally realize we are really doing it!

On to Ft. Lauderdale

The front wasn't nearly as bad as predicted.  I guess the weather service is the same everywhere.  While it was cooler today (60-65), there was no rain.  It was a clear, breezy, sunny day.  Because of the wind we took the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW), the inside route.  It took us all day to cover 40 miles.  The AICW here is one long no wake zone, with bridges on restricted schedules (one only opens once an hour).  So we are anchored in a cove just outside Ft. Lauderdale that was recommended on Active Captain (a trip adviser for boaters).  The cove is surrounded by homes, and the owners are glaring at the boats anchored in “their” cove.  The right to anchor has been a hotly litigated issue here in Florida, pitting homeowners against boaters.  If you are interested, try this link: http://cruisersnet.net/florida-pilot-mooring-fields-program-being-challenged-in-us-federal-court/

We traveled with Interlude today, another Mainship.

A typical Florida canal.

Typical AICW home.  Many are for sale.

AICW-the boat is a tourist boat out of Delray.

Alexis thinks Dickie needs a giraffe like this one.

Click on the pic and check out the sign. I am  tiger bait for the Florida marine Patrol!

I think Dickie needs this!

After a long day, Alexis prepares a gourmet meal....

Cheers!

West Palm Beach

A quick update-we are in Old Port Cove Marina at West Palm Beach.  The mother of all fronts is suppose to come through tonight, and we are headed to the marina pub.

Our first view of the Atlantic-too rough to enter today, so it was one long no wake zone in the ICW to West Palm.

Barkmore.

There are over 20 Nordhavn yachts in the marina.  These are blue-water boats (one is from New Zealand).  They must be having a rendezvous.  

On the east coast!

We made it!  At sunset we went through the last lock and now are in Stuart, FL.  We anchored in Pendarvis Cove last night after a long day.  Today we head to Palm Beach, and tomorrow Miami.

On the way to Lake  Okeechobee we locked up.  On the other side we locked down.  The last lock lowered us 14'.

This is in the middle of Lake Okeechobee.  Any idea what it is for, other than a hazard?

Foggy Pendarvis Cove.  As with all anchorages in Florida, we are never alone.