Our first full day in Stock Island was busy with laundry, getting the blog out, and as usual, Dick did some exploration. He returned from his walk with a box of huge croissants – American size, but authentic, from a bakery run by a French expat. Dick also scouted the route to the pizza restaurant we planned to walk to for dinner.
It was finally cooler and less humid (although that did not last long), but still more than I would have preferred to walk just over a mile in the sun. Stock Island is the industrial centre for Key West, with a large military presence. The housing is functional and uninteresting, and the rest is mostly industrial parks.
The restaurant was very busy. We started with very nice breaded and fried mozzarella pieces with marinara sauce. Dick’s pizza was excellent, very hot and clearly just out of the oven. Mine had been sitting for a while and it was just warm. I expected that it would be tasty when reheated (sadly, it wasn’t). T-shirts worn by most of the staff proclaimed “Legalize Marinara”. Amusing, but misread by more than one person reviewing the restaurant. At the bar the next day, the T-shirts read, “Write drunk, edit sober”, a quote attributed to Hemingway, but in fact he never said that, quite the opposite.
The walk back to the marina was more pleasant after sunset, and we paused to watch a pickup game of soccer. The players were all very serious and competitive, but there were no angry words or behaviour, and no need for a referee, everyone was there to have fun.
Once at the marina, we paused to admire an unusual powercat, a Maine Cat. As we were pointing out the interesting features, the owners arrived and we had a lovely chat. They have only had it for 3 months and are still doing a lot of needed repairs and upgrades. Only about 8 of these were ever made.
Boat chores the next day, finishing the laundry for me, and Dick replaced the latch on the back door. He did a “temporary” repair a few years ago, replacing the spring. It was obviously a good job, because it lasted for years. The spring was still good, but the rest of the latch had simply worn out. The other project was replacing one of the small fans that are used to keep air circulating inside when AC is not needed. These fail regularly, so we keep replacements. They are a pain to install, requiring a certain amount of colourful language and at least 3 hands before the job is completed.
In the afternoon, we went over to the hotel bar, looking forward to the live music and a light supper. The music was truly awful. The woman took songs from our era, and mashed the melody and timing until they were completely unrecognizable unless you knew the words. Every song sounded exactly the same. It was so awful that we changed our plan and went to the restaurant inside the hotel. Different menu, but the food was fine.
We were signed up for AGLCA “Virtual Docktails” at 7pm. Dick joined the chat about catamarans, while I participated in the “Ladies on the Loop” group. It was a mixed group of future Loopers, a few in progress, and only two of us completed. I was very pleased that several of the ladies commented on our podcast on Segment Looping, saying how much they enjoyed it and how useful it was.
The next “outside” voyage was to Marathon. We ran fast, 15 knots, again, so it took just over 3 hours, but it was quite unpleasant. The swells were on the starboard quarter, and we had the rolling corkscrew effect, even though we were running fast.
On arrival at the marina, we went first to the fuel dock for a pump out and some diesel. Not the worst dockhand ever, but for sure in the top 5 (or would that be the bottom 5?) Dick was filling with fuel, so he was busy and the dockhand did the pump out. He seemed to think it was a big deal and implied that there should be an extra tip. He wouldn’t take the cloth Dick used to prevent diesel spill, instead he sent me around to the hazmat bin at the back of the building. His advice on the length of the finger pier at our slip was incorrect, so we backed in and tying up was a challenge, with no help and the cleats in the wrong places. About an hour after we were finally set, Dick got a phone call from the marina to ask when we expected to arrive!
Dick went to the airport to collect the rental car. On his return, his comment was, “What a crap place!” After a drive the next day to explore the area and about 20 miles south, I had to agree. We finished the excursion with a stop at West Marine for another cabin fan, and Publix for a few groceries.
On our arrival back at the boat, we had a near tragedy. As Dick was handing me the groceries from the cart, the cardboard handle on the box of beer broke, and the whole carton went splash! into the water. Dick quickly jumped aboard and grabbed the boathook, then (prudently) handed me his phone before stepping down to the bottom of the swim platform. Disaster was averted as the boathook brought the carton near enough to get hold of. Plus, Dick did not, on this occasion, take an unplanned swim. The whole episode was watched with great interest by the elderly couple on the sailing cat next to us. In fact, the lady reached for and was ready with their boathook just as Dick completed the retrieval. I was not sure whether she was expecting to use her boathook to rescue the beer, or Dick.
Marathon appears to be a mixture of apparently nice hotel complexes, government offices, medical facilities, cheap eateries, and industrial units. None are vacant or broken down, but the whole impression is one of ugly practicality with no thought to civic pride or beautification. Only the government and hospital buildings have any lawns or plantings apart from the hotel complexes. Boaters rush through Florida’s Panhandle and west coast with its charming towns and stunning beaches in order to get here and spend two months in a marina at double the dockage fees. Go figure.
Dinner was at one of the highly rated local restaurants. The starters were interesting and very tasty, if far too large for one person. I have noticed lately that the price of appetizers is increasing to the point that it is pushing the entrees. Probably because so many people share these days, and complain if the portion is not big enough for 2 or even 4 people. I found the main course disappointing, although Dick’s duck was very good. Mine was very much “home cooking” with mashed potatoes and gravy. If I wanted home cooking, we would have it at home. For a change, bread service and a side salad were included in the meals.
We did the “Keys” thing the next day, and just relaxed on the boat. In the evening, we headed over to the Hilton resort for dinner. The décor was, quite frankly, weird. The gardens had huge bright blue balls as pots for palms and large shrubs. The small, battery-operated table lights fall into the category of “what were they thinking?”. The food, while better than the previous evening, had some odd ingredients and combinations, as if the chef was trying too hard to be avant garde. Given the clientele eating at the other tables, mostly vacationing families, it was all very strange.
In the morning, I noticed a rather oddly dressed young man on the sailing cat next to us. He had not been there when the boat arrived. He was wearing a Robin Hood hat, complete with feather. Shortly, he reappeared with another man and the captain of the boat. Apparently, one of the jib sails was stuck and could not unfurl. The young Robin Hood climbed up to the top of the mast, and was able to fix a shackle that had become twisted. He did not remove his hat. He did the whole operation with great confidence, but the impression was rather spoiled when I heard him ask his colleague to take a picture of him at the top of the mast so he could show it to his Mum.
We went for a Sunday drive, north this time. Miles and miles of nothing much except bridges linking keys that progressed to the 1960’s and stopped. Eventually, we got as far as Islamorada, a slightly more salubrious island, but still very much a land that time forgot. We had lunch at the highly rated and long-established Green Turtle Inn. It was very busy, and the food was pretty good. The bartender, a middle-aged lady, was dressed in a black t-shirt. When she came around the bar, we could see that the rest of her ensemble was a brilliant blue net ballerina’s tutu, and light blue knee socks.
There were four Looper boats on the other dock that night, for a total of at least 6 in the marina, but no attempt was made to get together for docktails. In fact, while we have received notice of several MTOA (Marina Trawler Owners Association) gatherings arranged in the last few weeks in Marathon, there has been nothing from Loopers, in spite of large numbers in town. Just another example of how different things are since we began in 2017.
As we sat enjoying the sunset, we chatted with our slip neighbours, 3 friends on a break on a sailing cat, from Pensacola. Later, the couple who owned the beautiful 75-foot Fleming that had arrived late in the marina, came by and we chatted. They had just joined AGLCA and are planning to do the Loop (in a smaller boat) in 3 years when their children finish high school. They are interested in power cats, so we enjoyed showing them Nine Lives and exchanging boating stories. I can’t imagine that downsizing from a 75-foot yacht to a 44-foot catamaran is going to work for them, so I hope they find another option.
After a quiet day we joined Beth and Calvin and another Looper couple at the onsite restaurant for dinner.
We planned an early start, but it was nearly 8:30 before we were underway. As we sorted out power cords, water hose, boarding ladder, and lines, we were eaten alive by no-see-ums. One more reason never to return to the Keys! In fact, that fairly brief experience has convinced both of us that we will forego the delights of the planned St Johns River side trip. Although it is reportedly a wildlife paradise, even its most ardent fans warn that the mosquitoes and no-see-ums are terrible. Thermocell and insect repellants can only do so much, and neither of us are willing to put up with small biting insects at the best of times.
We ran fast part of the way to Key Largo, then normal speed for the last hour. We were at the fuel dock by 12:30, unfortunately, just missing the dockhand who had left for lunch. We sat watching the boats coming and going from the fish market. The channel leading to the marina and the fish market is both narrow and winding, and most boats make a securite call before entering the channel, as there is not enough room for larger boats to pass each other. It is also quite shallow, although Nine Lives had no problem. When we finally got to our slip, we were greeted by a manatee! They really do look like a clay sculpture that is just being started. We knew they like fresh water, so Dick got his water bottle and poured. It seemed to be appreciated!
We were next to a houseboat liveaboard. They had at least 4 cats, each of whom felt it necessary to sit in a window and pretend not to look at us. We spent a quiet evening with Dick’s great burgers for dinner.
We made an early start the next morning for a fairly long step to Fort Lauderdale. We began fast, getting to the Miami Ship Channel before noon. The weather was forecasted to kick up considerably in the afternoon, and, to be honest, travelling “outside” is very boring. The only interest is watching for crab pots and adjusting for wakes as fast cruisers go by. The forecast was correct, and we could hear a small craft warning broadcast by the Coast Guard.
Miami was fascinating, and since it was not a weekend, there were very few yahoo boaters about. We only needed 1 bridge opening, and were lucky to get there just in time, as it opens on a half hourly schedule. The rest of the bridges were high enough for Nine Lives to pass through the centre, although Dick had to lower the antennas for one of them. We enjoyed overhearing a highly amusing dispute between a bridge tender and a powercat. The lady wanted an opening, and the bridge tender said she was low enough to go through without an opening. There is a posted $1000. fine for demanding an opening if you have not lowered antennas. The discussion became heated, with the lady demanding “Just open the bridge!” and the attendant responding “We will see”. Eventually, the bridge opened for a sailboat. You can be sure that the other bridge tenders will have heard the discussion, noted the name of the boat, and will delay them as long as possible for every opening!
We arrived at the marina associated with the Hilton at Port Everglades by mid-afternoon. By this time, it had become clear that Dick’s hope to tie up for 2 nights on the Riverwalk downtown was not going to work out, so he increased our stay at the Hilton from 1 to 3 nights.
Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades is a cruise ship terminal with nearly 4 million cruise ship passengers travelling through per year. The city of Fort Lauderdale is known as the “Venice of America”, with 165 miles of inland waterways across the city. It also considers itself the yachting capital of the world, with over 50,000 registered yachts and 100 marinas. My thought is that if the many yachts of all sizes that are registered elsewhere (Caymans, Bermuda, Panama, etc) were included, the numbers would be a lot higher.
In the 1830’s there was a settlement of just 70 people, living along the New River. An attack on one of the farms by a band of Seminoles resulted in all the farmers fleeing as far south as Key West, and the settlement was abandoned. The area was essentially unpopulated until the 1890’s. Completion of the Florida East Coast Railroad was a significant improvement, and the city began to be developed. It was incorporated in 1911. I am continually reminded of just how young this country really is, compared to Europe and Asia. Our house in Yorkshire was built in the early 1800’s, years before much of this country was settled by the white man.
We walked to a nearby waterfront eatery, Boatyard Restaurant. It was a huge venue, and noisy as so many Florida eateries seem to be. Once again, we were seated beside a table with a loudmouth. The food was good, and by the end of the meal we had heard all about the salesman’s exceptional security software, although I gather it still has a number of bugs that need to be worked out but they are releasing it anyway.
The weather continued to be unseasonably hot and humid.
Our favourite boat tracking app stopped working, for us and most other Loopers, following an update. In typical tech-guy fashion, users were blamed for the problems they were having. Instructions were given (and followed) with no resolution for 2 days. Eventually the tech department admitted there was a problem and released another update.
We spent an interesting and enjoyable afternoon in Fort Lauderdale. There is a hop-on-hop-off water taxi that takes you all over the city, and conveniently stops right outside the Hilton. We started with the stop at the Las Olas shopping area and Riverwalk. It was fun to look around the various art galleries, including the one where we bought our beautiful metal print that hangs in the salon on Nine Lives. We also found some lovely and unusual salad servers made from shells and horn. I’m going to have to start serving salads again!
Next, we took the free, tiny water taxi that goes further up the river. It was interesting to see that there were a number of vacant spaces where we could presumably have tied up. However, since there is a reservation system (the one we could not access), there would be no way of knowing whether you would get kicked out of the space at some point. Also, the dockage is on the far side of the river, so not particularly convenient for the shops and restaurants. I would have had major concerns about security, although Dick would not have worried. He never does.
We arrived very early for our dinner at an Italian restaurant. The food was excellent. It was interesting that after so many packed restaurants, this one was nearly empty, even at 6pm. It was a nice change to be able to converse without shouting, although the selection of background music (I can only describe it as make-out music) was so intrusive that Dick asked if it could be turned down.
We had a window table that offered great people watching. The number of women walking their designer dogs by carrying them was fascinating. Clearly, the concept of “exercise” is understood, but not for the dogs. The next day we watched a man walking a much larger dog, some sort of doodle, by holding the leash up so that only the dog’s back legs were actually on the ground. Of course, everyone has earbuds and is listening to music or talking on their phones.
After dinner, we got back onto the water taxi and took it all the way to the farthest stop and back. Looking at the multi-million-dollar houses was interesting. It would seem that $35 million will get you a nice waterfront property. There are some really beautiful older mansions from the early 20th century, but a surprising number are bought purely for the lot, and are pulled down and a modern glass and concrete structure is put up. One of these apparently cost $35 million to build, and then the owners parked their $35 million yacht in front, completely obscuring their view of the water.
There are so many of these 100-foot plus yachts in the city. I wonder how many of them even go out, or are they all dock queens? Apparently, you can charter one, with crew and staff, for $345,000 per week. One also wonders how many of these actually get chartered.
As the sun set, we could see how many of the waterfront properties were occupied. Fewer than half, although we thought that a higher percentage of the smaller homes that are a little farther out had lights on inside.
After a quiet day (Dick rode his bike to Fresh Market), we set off at 5:30 to have dinner at a nearby Indian restaurant. First, we stopped at an International Wine and Food market that I had found on google. We expected that they might have maybe 1 aisle of imported canned goods, and we hoped to find the tiny pickled sweet peppers that make a great addition to any cheese and charcuterie board. What a treasure trove there was! They had our pepper drops, but also an amazing variety of fascinating goods. We have limited storage on the boat, but we still find space for a variety of interesting and unusual items. I have never seen so many choices of pastry cups, as well as chocolate dessert cups in so many sizes. They had balsamic pearls, which are a lovely addition to a composed salad, and also pearls of other flavours, including simple olive oil, garlic oil, and truffle oil. There was even raspberry, and we failed to resist buying that one as well as the balsamic. There were also fridges and freezers full of unusual foods, but we had to limit ourselves to a couple of packages of charcuterie meats.
The evening continued to go well as we arrived at the Indian restaurant. We don’t normally order starters in this type of restaurant, but we tried some crisp battered and fried prawns, and some spicy fried cauliflower, both of which were delicious. Our main course dishes (lamb chops masala and shrimp rogan josh) were also excellent. Only the dal (lentil stew) was a mistake. It was tasty, but far too liquid for our preference. After an amazing feast we waddled back to the boat and enjoyed a quiet evening.
The next day we were only going a couple of miles, so we planned a late start for 11am. As we were getting ready, 2 Sea Tow boats arrived to remove the sailboat in the slip beside us. It would have been interesting to watch, but our departure certainly made everything easier for them. Apparently, the sailboat was supposed to have left a week earlier (and presumably the owner had stopped paying for the slip). It is interesting how quickly a marina is permitted to have a boat towed away, compared to how long it takes for a derelict boat at anchor to be allowed to be removed.
Our arrival at Bahia Mar Marina was not our best docking effort. We were assigned a slip beside another boat, and between a strong wind (small craft warning for the area), and a tidal current, plus backing in, it was a bit of a shambles. It was made a lot worse by a dockhand who was worse than clueless. As they often do, he refused to cleat the midships line tight, so we drifted into the boat beside us. Fortunately, the owners were not on board to notice when we nudged them, and no harm was done.
In the afternoon, a plane went past with a banner, XIARA. WILL YOU MARRY ME? (not sure why someone thought a period was required after the name). Another plane advertised a place with a “full liquor bar” Saturdays and Sundays. Interesting juxtaposition. Next, we saw a panel truck with full LED screens on all sides advertising a nightlife establishment. It was followed a few minutes later by another truck advertising medical screening. The third one offered fruit juice, and the fourth suggested you try a local strip joint.
I noticed on the plan that our next stop was only one night, and with plans to eat on board. When asked why, Dick answered that he just wants to get out of this “stupid rich” area. Given what we have seen on the water and walking around, the adjective fits, however you interpret it.
We planned a mid-afternoon meal at Coconuts, a Fort Lauderdale institution, according to our water taxi guide the previous day. Unfortunately, the time that the heavy rain and thunderstorms were supposed to stop kept moving later and later. Eventually, we would have been fighting the crowds and standing in line, and with no certainty that we would not get wet on the walk back, so we gave up on the idea and stayed on board.
Loopers who had been in two previous marinas at the same time, but we had not met them, arrived in the middle of the heaviest storms. They had planned to take a mooring ball, but all the floats on the pennants were missing. They were able to get a slip in the marina. Later, they dropped by for a chat and to hear about Hilton Head Island. We hope to coincide with them again as we head north.
We managed a fairly early start and enjoyed a delightful day travelling up the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway). We loved looking at all the interesting houses. We had to ask for openings for 6 of the bridges, but the timing worked very well, and we were never held up for more than a few minutes.
At Palm Beach, we passed a certain well-known mansion and exclusive golf club. Fortunately, the owner was not in residence, as when he is, one of the bridges across the ICW has limited or no openings, so that “visiting dignitaries” are not impeded as they access Palm Beach.
We arrived at Palm Harbor Marina and had a somewhat tricky docking, due to maximum tidal current and a windy day. Two dockhands showed up to help, but it was a bit chaotic.
Shortly after our arrival, a 62-foot Princess yacht arrived and backed into the slip beside us. As he was arriving, an army of cleaners (four) came bustling down the dock with an amazing assortment of cleaning equipment. Two hours later, they gathered up their paraphernalia and headed off, leaving a show-ready boat behind.
Dick had decided at the last minute that we would have dinner out after all. There is a well-known Italian restaurant next to the marina (although the sheer size of the marina meant a ¼ mile walk!) It was a great evening. We loved the retro style of the huge venue, and, for a change, even though the place was full and with a line of hopeful diners waiting to be seated, it was not so noisy that you had to shout, you could actually have a normal conversation with your dinner companion. I started with a delicious skewer of grilled shrimp, and Dick’s grilled calamari was also excellent. The mushroom and pepperoni pizza I ordered was one of the 5 best I have ever eaten. I usually eat half and take home half, but it was so amazing that only one slice remained for taking away. Dick had a most interesting pasta dish with a ragu sauce, meatballs, and an surprising variety of different shapes of short pasta, all in the same dish. Dessert was out of the question for me, but I enjoyed a chocolate laced cappuccino, while Dick rounded out his meal with a scoop of excellent gelato.
We were lucky to fit the excursion in between thunderstorms. The rain began again just minutes after our return. On a hot and humid evening, the last thing you want to do is wear waterproof jackets! Dick has just seen a news item that temperatures in Florida are approaching record highs in advance of a cold front expected next week. Bring on the cold I say!
One would think that a marina designed for 60-foot yachts up to mega-yachts would be easy for a little (!!) 44-footer to get into and out of. Not so. Basically, the cleats are all in the wrong places, making it all but impossible to close-tie for the initial arrival and for departure.
I noticed that this marina has far more security than we have ever seen before. There is a guard at the parking lot gate. There are the expected key card gates for each dock, but also 24-hour roving security guards. As we arrived, I could see a police boat patrolling up and down the area. Clearly, the rich are different. The slips in the marina are smallest at the north end, and each dock has larger slips as you move south. The most distant yachts in the picture will be the largest. I looked it up, and the suggestion is that a superyacht is over 100 feet in length, and a mega-yacht will exceed 200 feet. We have seen a great many superyachts in the last couple of weeks, and quite a few mega-yachts. They are often flying a foreign flag and show a hailing port of Georgetown (Cayman Islands) or elsewhere. There will need to be special permits, and probably they will have to leave the USA after a certain amount of time, and can then return, but when you are wealthy enough to own and crew a mega-yacht, you can easily send it to another destination, without having to go yourself, as it will have full-time crew.
In the morning, the bridge opened for one of the biggest sailing cats I have ever seen. She had a pilot boat in front, with a red flashing light, much as a wide load has an escort on the highway.
We congratulated ourselves on getting an early start, but then we had to hold up and wait while a cargo ship arrived from the Lake Worth Inlet. It was fascinating to watch. He turned completely around in the channel and backed into the wharf. Nearby is a beautiful old property that Florida Power and Light has turned into a manatee eco-discovery centre. A great use of a lovely building that, being next to a gas-fired power plant, would otherwise be uninhabitable.
We enjoyed passing Jupiter Island, with its large lots, and beautifully landscaped and secluded houses. Interesting, while many of the houses are large, they do not seem to be the sprawling mansions that we saw further south. This is probably an area that we would like to live in (except for having to live in Florida). There is also the minor detail that some of the wealthiest individuals in the United States make Jupiter Island their home, so it is unlikely we could come close to affording it! Tiger Woods’ estate is there, but not visible from the ICW. Other notable residents include several other well-known golfers, Serena Williams, Celene Dion, Alan Jackson, and various members of the Bush family. On second thought, while we love the look of the properties, we would most certainly not fit in with that community! North of Jupiter, the properties are more modest, with fewer large yachts, although there is evidence that even there, smaller homes have been torn down to make room for big mansions.
Travelling up the wide and very shallow St Lucie River was interesting, can’t imagine what it would be like on a weekend as fast boats go whipping by at speed. The voyage finished with an exciting set of bridges. Heading west, you first pass under the highway bridge, with a fairly narrow space between the pylons. Then there is a relatively small basin, that was already full of smaller boats and one sportfish, waiting for the railway bridge to go up. This track used to serve only freight, and the bridge was up most of the time. With the introduction of the Brightline, an east coast Florida passenger service, with about 18 trains per day, this bridge is now down more often than not. Behind the rail bridge is a road bridge, with a bridge tender, that has to be raised for all but the smallest boats. Fortunately, the bridge tender was very clued in, and the passage through the two bridges was smooth for us. Behind us was a huge 80-foot power cat, and the bridge tender did a great job, holding up the oncoming boat traffic to give him room to get through the narrow openings.
We are again with the big boys in a huge marina, but not quite as enormous as our slip neighbours of the previous few stops. We chatted briefly with the owner of a big Hatteras, after I noticed that he was flying a burgee that depicted a lighthouse that looks remarkably like the one in Harbour Town, Hilton Head. He confirmed that it is, and told us that the boat is generally in Shelter Cove most summers. We agreed how much we like Hilton Head, particularly the miles of safe bike paths!
Dinner was a mixed bag. We started with the best spinach, crab, and artichoke dip we have ever tasted. I wanted to order some to take away and keep in the freezer, but Dick vetoed the idea. The main courses were disappointing, basically, they lacked flavour and particularly salt. We realized too late that we should have taken our slip neighbour’s advice and ordered sushi.
After dinner we strolled around the charming town. There are lots of little boutiques and restaurants. However, most of the boutiques are beachwear type ladies’ shops, and the couple of art galleries were just not interesting enough to walk over there in the heat and humidity when they would be open. Instead, we will stick with Plan A, and Dick will ride his bike for groceries and other errands while I do a minimal laundry and finish this issue of Nine Lives Voyages. The weather is going to continue to be unseasonably hot and humid, getting warmer over the next week. The humidity is at 90%.
The Voyages of Nine Lives 