February 23 - 28 / Day 278 - 283 / Coral Gables to Fort Lauderdale

Friday 2/23 we are awake, it must be windy.  We were traveling through downtown Miami this morning (which we caught a glimpse of yesterday) and had not taken much time to look at our route in advance, so we took a little time first thing to make sure we knew what we had ahead of us this day.  We traveled the ICW through Miami and up to Fort Lauderdale.  We had been told the ICW can be quite busy on the weekends and try to avoid traveling the ICW on Saturday and Sunday.  In anticipation of traveling under many bridges today we lowered our antennas and turned our anchor light down to decrease our air draft.  We traveled under many bridges today, probably a dozen.  Two of them required that they be raised.  These two raise twice an hour on demand (either on the hour and 1/2 hour OR 15' and 45' past the hour depending on the bridge). 

Approaching Miami

Typical site along the ICW

Observer arrived at Las Olas Marina at 2:00 was directed to a slip but it was really too small for our vessel and would have been impossible to get Millie off and on.  We asked for another slip and was told that they were otherwise full.  They do have moorings as well so we opted for that option.  We picked up the mooring, gathered Millie in the dinghy and went into their office on shore to pay.  We had a few problems with our dinghy engine motoring in (the throttle keeps getting hung up).  Once at the marina office we were told they could accommodate us in a different slip.  Back to the dinghy, back to Observer, off mooring, tied up at slip and attended to cleaning up Observer the the day.

New slip...designed for a 60' catamaran...we felt like a toy boat!

Another perspective.  Observer is stern to on the left side of the photo.  the pilings in the middle of the photo are our tie to's...we couldn't reach them!

Looking down the ICW

Looking across the ICW

Our slip was in the shadows of the Los Olas Bridge.  This Guy Harvey painting was on one of the bridge's supports just off our stern.

Dinner at a nearby restaurant and a little Olympic viewing before calling it a day. 

Fantastic sushi platter

Sat 2/24 nice sunny day in downtown Ft. Lauderdale.  I went on a bike ride around to get a bit of exercise and get my bearings on what surrounds us on land.  It turns out we are very close (a couple blocks) to where we were the last time we stayed in Ft. Lauderdale.  We were here then to look at a boat for sale.  We caught up on emails and newspaper reading and attended to some boat chores. Millie is a bit timid getting on and off the boat whenever there is a great difference and deck and dock height like what we are sometimes experiencing here.  This time we tried putting her life jacket on and picking here up and over the side pilot house railing - that wasn't fun for any of us. 

Millie in her pfd...she is not happy

Later we encouraged Millie to walk out on our narrow deck and get on a ramp we lift down from the bow to the dock.  She gets better with each try.  The three off us went for a cocktail cruise around some of the nearby canals.  I'll never get use to the opulence of some of these homes and motor yachts - it is a hoot to check out.

While we were out a Dutch, hi-end sailing barge pulled up in the slip next to us for the night.  Very unusual and a real beauty.  We asked if they minded us grilling, being so close to them and they asked if there gangway was going to interfere with our access to the rest of the docks - all good.  BBQ'd dinner on OBSERVER and enjoyed our surroundings for the evening.

This is just a taste of the art that is throughout this vessel

Sunday 2/25 Another beautiful day.  It's our son, Sam's birthday today - big shout out to Sam!We got Millie some exercise and walked around our Ft. Lauderdale neighborhood - lots going on, particularly around the beach two blocks away.

We weren't able to get into Coconuts Restaurant on Friday as there was a 1 1/2 hour wait around 6:30.  We got there at 5:30 tonight and only had to wait 1/2 hour and we got a great seat at the waters edge at sunset.  Great food and service.  I noticed on our check that he recommended gratuities (as a %) were calculated short - under paying the waiter or waitress.  This is the second time I've caught this in Florida.  I explained the discrepancy to the waitress and she was really appreciative of my pointing out this error and she think it will lead to greater tips in the future!

Sunset from our table at Coconuts

Monday 2/26 we are due for an oil change and some other engine maintenance issues.  There are plenty of places to get this done in Ft. Lauderdale.  I really wanted to find business that someone could refer to us based on their experience.  I reached out to both. Gold Looper living nearby and the Ft. Lauderdale Harbor Host of the AGLCA.  Both were able to recommend someone with whom they have had great experience.  My first call was not successful (no time this week), but my second call resulted in an appointment for Tuesday.   Our friend Pam originally from Salem (who was Tim's sailing instructor when he was 12 at the Salem recreation department) drove down from West Palm Beach to hang out with us for a couple hours and then chauffeured us to Public for provisions- THANK YOU!.  We had a great time getting caught up with Pam.

Tuesday 2/27 hung around the boat catching up on some things while waiting for the marine mechanic.  Contact with the co. revealed unexpected delays on his first job of the day, so he wasn't going to make it to OBSERVER today.  We went back to Coconuts for dinner for their paella night.  We were joined by Jim & Lesley of Tyre-less. We met these folks back at the rendezvous in April of last year and have crossed paths and spent many a good time with these Canadian Loopers ever since.  It was a great evening. 

Jim, Alice, Tim and Lesley

Paella

Wednesday 2/28 our mechanic showed up about 9:00 and spent about three hours doing a great job taking care of everything on our preventive maintenance list - yeah. Later we took a dinghy ride down to the Riverwalk area of Ft. Lauderdale.  Again beautiful homes and luxury yachts.  

the captain and crew

Bridge announcing the Riverwalk

The actual Riverwalk

Some homes we passed

This house had a resident iguana (lower right) guarding it.

 There is a boat yard / repair facility up the end of this river and we had heard they use mini-tow boats to maneuver the larger yachts up this waterway.  At one point we looked back and a 100' yacht and it's tow boats were right behind us and gaining fast.  We pulled over to the side of the river and let them pass.  So glad we witnessed that in person.  

Note the tow at the bow pulling the boat forward and the tow on the stern facing the opposite direction to counter balance and pull the boat around corners

We BBQ'd dinner on the boat and called it a day.