Dinner Key area

Hayden, Radeen, Henry, Keith and Blanca

The north end of Biscayne Bay could become our winter sailing grounds as it has so many great places to sail to and to explore. We also have great friends here within the IPY fleet, Keith and Blanca who sail IP31 True Love. When we sail through here, Keith and Blanca have gone out of there way to help us and spend time visiting and sharing stories. I know I have said this before, but the IP Fleet is so connected, so supportive and such a family, that we all look out for each other and we always help each other in any way we can. Keith and Blanca are perfect examples of our fleet motto. This factor makes owning and sailing an Island Packet Yacht such a great joy. Team Island Spirit and our buddy boater Henry on IP35 Sans Souci Too, joined us for a great lunch at Flanigan's in Coconut Grove. What a fun town!

Anchorages around North Biscayne Bay

Anchorages and places to visit in north Biscayne Bay are many. Here is a map with an X at places we have explored. Dinner Key to the west is ground zero and where the moorings and docks are located. To the north is Miami Beach and the famous South Beach area, very fun to explore. Then to the east are Virginia Key and Key Biscayne where No Name harbor is located. Open Google Maps and simply look at satellite images of this water. This is a PARADISE sailing are.

Radeen and our friendly Cormorant

Heading into shore in the AM as we were going for a few groceries, we were entertained by this cormorant on a mooring ball drying its wings in the hot Miami sun. We motored right up next to this bird and it was really fun to observe him so closely.  These birds dive under water and swim with their wings to catch fish. They are amazing to watch. Then they have to dry off their feathers for better flying. We see this all the time but it is still fun to observe.

Fork Lift returning a boat to their storage location

So, you want to have a powerboat in Miami? Well, this is how you store it and this is how you get it launched and re-stored. They use a massive forklift and your boat may be on the fourth level 35+ feet in the air. They are NOT tied down, and I have no clue how they don't blow off in the storms. But this is how they do it.

IP350 WINDSPELL and Bow Decoration

It is getting close to CHRISTMAS and here is proof....our other buddies, Walter and Donna on IP350 Windspell stored here in Dinner Key for a week as they traveled home to family and friends. We found their boat to check up on it and noticed the beautiful "bow on the bow."  How festive and beautiful!











Tonight we are anchored off Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park, about 20 miles south of Miami. At dawn we will pass through Angelfish Creek into Hawk Channel and sail and or motor the 45 miles down to Channel Five where we will cross back to the north side of the Keys. From there it will be an easy run the next day to Marathon and HCC, Harbour Cay Club, our Christmas and New Year's destination.

GOOGLE MAP OF THIS LOCATION

Miami Beach, FL

In the AM, this local paddled by our boat with his dog....FUN

Miami Beach / South Beach Florida is one incredible place to visit by sailboat. First of all, sailors can anchor right off the west shore of Miami Beach and then take their tenders into the Collins Canal and tie up to a small dock right on Dade Boulevard. It is easy to climb out of the canal and walk into town or hop on a local bus for 25 cents and ride it to Ocean Drive. We chose to walk via Lincoln Road Mall and then meandered our way east to Ocean Drive where we turned south and then walked down to 8th Avenue.

The address to walk in Miami Beach, FL

The scene is really fantastic with restored Art Deco Architecture and beautiful street side cafes and sidewalk dining. We simply kept walking south and south and south and eventually needed a break and took time for a nice late lunch. We had a sidewalk table at THE NEWS CAFE, 8th and Ocean Drive, and enjoyed a Cafe con Leche and a Cuban Sandwich while watching the people walk by. Life is absolutely surreal on Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami. The weather is beautiful, the people are lively, the architecture is fabulous, the beach is spectacular, and the pubs and restaurants are top notch. It would be very interesting to live here!

Speaking of living here, we found a one bedroom/one bath efficiency apartment for sale for $105,000 that is rented for $2,000 per month. WOW, what an investment. Living in Miami Beach Florida is a life in contrast. Some people drive a Rolls Royce, others drive a VW, some live in million dollar condos while others live in the city parks. One block is for millionaires while another block is for the homeless. We have never been in a city with so much diversity within such a confined small area.

From a boating perspective, it is easy to anchor off the west shore, and it is a wonderful town to walk and to visit. There is no place in the world like Miami Beach / South Beach, Florida! It is ....FUN...DIVERSE...and ...INTERESTING....

Here is a photo essay of the day...

Our anchorage off Miami Beach, at night

Winter Haven on Ocean Drive, typical Art Deco Architecture

Merry Christmas from Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL

THE PLACE: The Royal Palm. If you want ground zero, this is IT

This is a Ferrari parked at the Royal Palm

Here is a Ford Hennesy GT1000,
the fastest car in the world. 265 MPH in one mile, 0-60 in 3.7 seconds!
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/2006-ford-gt1000-twin-turbo-by-hennessey-ar110584.html

Ford Hennessey GT1000

Ford Hennessey GT1000

Ford Hennessey GT1000

Rolls Royce, one of many on Ocean Drive

These are as common as Chevys here in South Beach at the Royal Palm 

Royal Palm and the RITZ, this is where you drive your Rolls

South Beach.....I found my NEW JOB, swimsuit model photographer....DONE

Hey, I can do this. I know how to use a camera. Hey....I have that camera!

Typical Sidewalk cafe and sofa and chairs to enjoy a coffee or cocktail

OK, time to head home. We rode the tender down the Collins Canal and under the bridges

The sun is setting across the harbor looking west at Miami from Miami Beach

A Carnival cruise ship in front of a bridge, heading out to the Bahamas from Miami

Here is a MAP of WHERE WE WALKED as we explored Miami Beach! Click this map and study!

What a day, what fun. Imagine, all day to walk around Miami Beach and South Beach, Florida. We are living a dream, and we appreciate every day. Thank you for sharing our adventures together. Tomorrow, we will move south to Dinner Key and Coconut Grove area for a few days.

On the Way to South Beach

The night view from our current anchorage spot

Departing Fort Lauderdale, we motored between two mega yachts, Seven Seas on starboard and Pegasus Five on port. We then passed under the 54. 8 ft. 17th Street Bascule Bridge without asking for an opening. Our mast is only 48 feet plus our aerial of 1.5 feet, so we have a total height of 49.6 ft. We had room to spare but it looked very close. (Note: If you ask for a bridge to open and you did not require the opening, Florida can fine you $25,000!) Next was the Port Everglades cruise ship terminal with one ship docked.

The ICW from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami is only 26 miles long, with 8 lift bridges, and then the infamously short Julia Tuttle Bridge at only 55 feet. That is a BIG error as all other ICW bridges are 65 feet, but this one is 55 feet. Oops! So, tall sailboats need to exit to the ocean at Fort Lauderdale and sail outside to the Miami inlet known as Government Cut. Boats shorter than 55 feet, like ours at 49.5 feet, can stay in the ICW and pass under this low, non-opening bridge.

Here is photo progression of our day from Ft. Lauderdale to South Beach.

Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas, launched in 2008
4,370 passengers and 1,360 crew

Now that is a massive ship!

Commercial shipping with containers being off loaded 

Welcome to HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA

Sunny Isles lift bridge with an engineer taking a break from working on the system

There it is....the JULIA TUTTLE bridge, built to 55 feet, NOT 65 feet...OOPS!

Julia Tuttle Bridge barge boards showing the clearance of 55 feet, plus a little

Welcome to South Beach and the Collins Canal. Taking the dinghy to town

Thank you for building a new dinghy dock in the Collins Canal!
Dock right on the highway

Yes, that is a McLaren....a $500,000 dollar car, only about 100 in the USA!
http://www.edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/slr-mclaren/

Brand new yacht being cleaned for delivery. Notice the people!
This is about 90 feet long.

Miami Beach living on the marina side

Biscayne Bay Speed boat ride, looks fun

South Beach at dusk as the lights come on

Island Spirit at anchor off South Beach

GOOGLE MAP OF THIS AREA
open that and then ZOOM around and look at the islands and waterways!

So much to discover and so much to see. Time to view some Art Deco Architecture on Ocean Drive. Travel by sailboat is wonderful. We are very lucky and so appreciative everyday......

Yachts in Fort Lauderdale Florida

Close up of Seven Seas

The photos for today are of the motor yacht Seven Seas (7C's), rumored to be Steven Spielberg's yacht, and Pegasus V which is available for charter. Finally, we show an 86 foot Domino by Riva Yachts, which in this town with these other big players, looks like a dinghy!

It is unreal that an 86 footer, which sells for six million dollars, looks so small. This town is for very high rollers and it is really interesting to see their yachts up close. Here is a photo essay. Note the crew getting ready to rappel off Seven Seas to clean the sides!

Seven Seas Motor Yacht, 87 meters long
http://www.charterworld.com/news/stunning-oceanco-motor-yacht-seas-2011-monaco-yacht-show

Side balconies curve out on the upper decks

Seven Seas Motor Yacht

The bow of Seven Seas motor yacht towering over the Hilton hotel

The Bow of Seven Seas and the 17th Street Lift Bridge, Fort Lauderdale

Notice the hotel and the balconies blocked by this enormous yacht!

Time to clean the yacht, notice the crew, this is nearly a football field long

The Bow of Seven Seas and the motor yacht Pegasus V

Look at the scale, look at the crew, they are washing and drying the sides

Notice the Crew, they are cleaning the sides, check next photo

The crew uses mountain climbing gear to hang from the sides and clean the boat

Across the harbor is Motor Yacht Pegasus V, check their interiors here
http://www.my-pegasus.com/index.html

Motor Yacht Pegasus V
http://www.my-pegasus.com/index.html

Yachts are more important than homes, here the bow hides this home

The tender to tow behind is on the inside with 600hp

This is an 86 foot Domino that sells for $6,000,000
In Fort Lauderdale, it looks small compared to other yachts!
http://www.riva-yacht.com/visitors/index.php?page=modelli&lang=en&mod=domino

86 Foot Domino by RIVA

65 Foot Motor Yacht at a home looks so ordinary! 65 FOOTER!!!

Question: WHY ARE THE MEGA YACHTS HERE in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

Answer: 1. Deep Water 2. Yacht Service Yards 3. Short, Easy Ocean Inlet

Yachts enter the inlet, turn north under the 17th Street Bridge and dock.
There are also service yards south of the inlet as well.

OK, enough of Fort Lauderdale because tomorrow we will move to the Art Deco Capital of the world, SOUTH BEACH. Maybe I can find some models to photograph! :-)