A Fast Run To Miami

Upon returning to Fernandina Beach after three weeks away, we found Ariel in good condition, meaning the birds had not made too big a mess. The very next day, we were on our way south again. Our buddy boat, Wind Chaser, had left the same marina a full week ahead of us, so we were determined to do our best to catch up or at least not have them wait too long in Miami for us.

Along the way, we visited with Barry and Susan on Swan while anchored in Cocoa Beach and with Iain and Jan on Jocks Lodge while anchored in North Palm Beach.

After leaving the Palm Beaches area, the waterway was all new to us since we did not go any further south last year. The stretch between the Palm Beaches and Port Everglades has 21 bridges that must open to allow passage. Almost all of them are on a fixed schedule, so timing is very important. We found the bridge tenders to be very pleasant, and the schedules worked out to be very accommodating. We would do this stretch again without hesitation. We went outside for the last leg, departing from Port Everglades and returning to Government Cut in Miami. There is one fixed bridge in this stretch that we cannot get under.

Miami is an exciting place. There is ample room to anchor, and everything is easily accessible by dinghy through the extensive system of waterways and canals. It is just amazing to watch the cruise ships arrive and depart. They arrive around 4 am and depart the same day around 5 to 6 pm. We spent an afternoon at South Beach after finding a canal that took us all the way there. This is a place we both wanted to visit.

Next stop - Bahamas

Miami Skyline

One of many cruise ships