We enjoyed our stop in Fort Lauderdale even though it was very short. Our goal is to get down to the keys and enjoy them for part of spring while we wait for the harbors and waters in the North East to thaw. We have started seeing more and more boats from Canada. They, too, are heading for the warmer climes of the south, the keys and the Bahamas.
Interestingly, while planning our trip to Miami for yet another short stop on the way to the Keys, I received an email from someone I had never met, but who had been reading our Blog. Wow. What timing. We were invited to spend a couple days at his home dock in Miami Beach. How fortuitous. Of course we accepted the invitation, got directions, and the next morning, left Fort Lauderdale headed now, for Miami Beach. This was especially fortuitous in that this was a holiday weekend, the Miami International Boat Show was in town, and there was a huge art festival in Coconut Grove. As such, there was not a slip to be had anywhere in Miami, and the anchorages are full and crowded. Moreover, this will be another great opportunity to meet new friends and experience another way of life.
The trip from Fort Lauderdale to Miami Beach was characterized by most pleasant weather. We transited through mostly developed areas. One area is referred to as “Condo Canyon”. This was a stretch of a couple miles through condo hell. Tall high rise condos lined the waterways. The waterways are deeper, for sure, given that they are lined with concrete embankments. Again, as previously, the concrete walls make the waterway like a tub. A couple schmucks blast through there and it’s “wake city.” Very uncomfortable.
We also passed through some relatively open water areas as we got into the greater Miami area. The water turned turquoise and blue. The sun was shining with a few clouds in the sky to break up the otherwise perfect sky day. It got quite warm, the temperature rising to nearly 80, and there was light breeze. It was an otherwise perfect cruising day. Finally, we picked up the Miami skyline. It was really something to see. While we don’t really enjoy visiting big cities (having grown up in Los Angeles), there is a complexity involved that all mariners should experience.
While there were still a number of bridges to negotiate, we could fit under all but two. Now, as you get closer to the big city, there is an increasing number of boats also trying to squeeze under the bridges. It got quite hectic at times. The most dazzling of these hectic bridge transits was at the West Venetian Causeway Bridge. Here, it seemed like there were 20 boats waiting for the quarter hourly opening on the north side; another 20 or so waiting between spans on the south side, and boats crossing in all directions on either side. So, here we are, trying to stay in the deeper water and trying not to get creamed from several directions. It is very strange that a city like Miami hasn’t thought to change this bridge from 15 to 65 feet. This bridge lives at a crossroads to an awful lot of boat traffic. A friend told us that this was a very old bridge and existed since the 1920’s or something when the bay had three feet of water in it.
Needless to say, we made it through that intersection in one piece and then followed a couple sail boats through a cut to one of the big anchorage areas between Miami and Miami Beach. We passed through this anchorage and then made a turn between Palm and Hibiscus Islands and found the home of Tommy and Coral. We managed to get the boat docked in a rather severe cross current, tied up, plugged in, done for the day. Overall the trip was interesting and exciting. Again, navigating into big city areas is complex if you are used to smaller harbors such as Santa Barbara and Channel Islands. It is definitely worth doing if just for the experience.
Later that day, we had the privilege of making the acquaintance of our hostess, Coral. While it was brief at first, she gave us directions to the Publix, and off we went on the bikes into Miami Beach and South Beach.
As you leave their neighborhood, you come upon the causeway that leads to and from Miami Beach, which is essentially an island on the east side of the harbor. (Note, that describing this water world as a harbor is difficult because it seems endless with no boundaries). Nevertheless, we found Government Cut and noticed at least 4 cruise ships docked there. As it was getting later in the day, you knew they were getting ready to leave. Smoke was billowing out of their stacks and thousands of what looked like little ants were mustering to their lifeboat stations. They were certainly getting ready to leave. Then the horns. Wow, they are loud. Then the tugs start a pullin’ and these massive hulks slid away from their docks and off they went, east, towards parts unknown (probably key west and the Bahamas). It’s very cool to be up close to this with an unobstructed view. These ships resemble a skyscraper on its side sliding through the water. However, these floating cities have the rock climbing walls and the water slides clearly visible on the top decks. Interestingly, all of the ships had the words, “Freestyle Cruising” painted on the sides. I understand this to mean that there are no shipboard formalities such as dining. When I grew up, I traveled on several ships to some very cool places. Every gentleman wore a suit and tie to dinner and you didn’t leave the dock without a tux for the one evening during the cruise when the Captain hosted the dinner. You also had dinner seating; one or two depending on the size of the ship and the length of the passenger list. I remember how my father would disappear as soon as we stepped on board, heading straight for the dining room and the concierge to whom he would slip a $50 bill so we could have a table for 4 at the first seating, preferably near a window. Today, you can get on a ship and eat at McDonalds if you want. I think there may be a dining room, but it is likely open all the time and you can select items off a menu, more like a restaurant than a ship’s dining room. Moreover, suits and ties are anachronisms on a modern fun cruise. Shorts and t-shirts are certainly the norm. Oh well, so much for tradition. The splendor of the sea and traditions of ship board travel have been lost and have given way to slovenliness. I, personally, wouldn’t want to get on a ship, the ambiance of which was akin to Ensenada, Mexico. Sure it might be fun, but the romance is gone.
We rode our bikes around South Beach for a while enjoying the sights. This is a town where you come to be seen or to see those who come to be seen. It is colorful, loud, fast paced, and demonstrates an extraordinary diversity in every facet of human existence. As Tommy said, you could spend a life time here and never experience it all. We returned after a few hours, had dinner and then got together with our hosts for cocktails and stories. Tommy and Coral are certainly some of the most friendly people we have met. Tommy and Coral are in no way ostentatious and unreal, but completely down to earth and unbelievable. They are very experienced cruisers and have lived here for many, many years. I’ll tell you that, the best part of voyaging is the people you meet along the way. Miami Beach is a very nice place, but it is not OUR place. But having had the opportunity to meet Tommy and Coral, made the stop here completely worth while; not just because they allowed us to stay at their dock, but because they are fun, interesting, warm people who are not just like us. To Tommy and Coral: should you ever find yourselves on the west coast, please look us up. We’d love to show you as good a time as you showed us.
Coral gave us directions on how to get down to the beach. So the following day, we hopped on our bikes again and headed for the beach. Many of you saw the picture of Miami Beach I posted on Facebook and commented on how beautiful and serene it looked. THAT WAS A CROPPED PHOTO. There was barely an inch of sand available to sit on for the thousands of people on that beach in either direction. The water was cold so we didn’t get in, but we enjoyed the people watching for a while. Then, we hopped back on our bikes and rode up and down South Beach for a while, through the art deco district, and then stopped for lunch. Eventually, we made our way back to the boat after a great afternoon “buzzing” around the waterfront. Again, this is a thumping town with a pulse that beats really fast. We had a nice dinner with Tommy and Coral that night.
The next day was a day characterized by boat chores. It was time to change the generator oil and do a few other things such as fuel filters, strainers, etc. Later that evening, our friends Richard and Lori, who live in Coral Gables, picked us up and we went out on the town. They drove us around Miami and we got to see quite a bit of the city and its various neighborhoods. We had dinner at a place called Hillstones in Coral Gables and then went for dessert at the Biltmore Hotel not far from there. This hotel boasts the largest swimming pool in Florida. It was a very beautiful hotel done in an older style of an era gone by. We had a nice evening and then hit the sack.
Today, we will leave Tommy and Coral’s dock and head over to the fuel dock, pump in, pump out, drop off trash, and otherwise prep the boat to leave tomorrow morning for points even further south (southwest, actually). We plan to jump off from Government Cut and then travel around 30 miles to a place on the charts called Angelfish Creek which is on the top of Key Largo. There, we hope to find a nice anchorage where the water and the air are the same temperature, clean, clear, and quiet. We will ultimately stop at several keys on our way down to Key West. From there, we are not certain where we will go. We have several options, but the most likely at the moment is coming back up the west coast of Florida from the south. This way, we will have the opportunity to see parts of the west coast we did not visit because of our desire to do the Okeechobee Waterway. If we do this, we will ultimately do the OWW twice, but when we get to Stuart, we will turn left, instead of right. There are places where you can anchor and then take the dinghy right into the heart of the everglades. We are hoping to see more of the extraordinary wildlife Florida has to offer (and I don’t mean the wildlife in South Beach). We’ll see. Right now, it’s just about time to get moving, so I’m going to sign off.
Take care and be well. Talk to you soon.
Glad you're starting to thaw out! LOL
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