12 Days in Fort Lauderdale

We can’t believe we stayed in Fort Lauderdale for 12 days! That’s a record for us – our longest stay anywhere to date.  I hope we best it in The Bahamas J

It felt like we ‘went to work’ every day …. I know we’ll get no sympathy for that comment … and we’re still not ‘ready’ for the Bahamas. We did choose to replace “Patches,” our dinghy. We found a previously enjoyed 10’ 3” Avon 310 hard bottom dinghy, with a 9.8 HP Mercury outboard, with trailer (Craigslist).  We now need a larger motor mount for the boat’s stern, and some modifications to our davit system … it never ends.   We looked at foldable bicycles, but made no purchase, but might yet. We considered another solar panel, but made no purchase, but might yet. We bought some provisions, but not all yet. We’ve got what we bought stuffed into our boat … its’ nooks and crannies are getting filled, and our boat’s waterline is sinking!

We did play a little. We celebrated Kim’s birthday in style …. we all went for real showers ;-) then strolled along the beach boulevard and its’ shops (under the light of the full moon), followed by dinner out … a great evening.  Cloud 9 came into our anchorage, and we all caught up with Dave & Rose during a happy hour.

Finally, today, we got on our way again. Our children are driving down for Christmas, and we need to get down to Key Largo where they’ll be staying.

We travelled across both the ports of Fort Lauderdale and Miami  ….. past the cruise ships

too many bridges

…. through 16 bridges….  8 of which had to be opened ….. 2 of which were opened ….and 6 of which we could go under  BUT  we still had to wait at one of them, because...

@ Julia Tuttle Causeway bridge - 55' clearance

 someone didn’t read the guide books or the bridge clearance sign, or didn’t know what their mast height was, and had to call Tow Boat US.  That someone lost his masthead instruments (and his pride), but thankfully not his mast.

free at last

We reached No Name Harbour, just south of Miami. It’s Saturday night, and it’s crowded and noisy. It would be OK if we liked the music mix (disco, spanish, rock…. each from a different boat) .... and it’s not going to stop before boater’s midnight (9 pm)  #@!&*%    Gil says there should be a noise ordinance here.  C’est la vie!  At least it looks peaceful in the photo  J

No Name Harbour